Scientists have found benefits of pomegranate for heart function in heart failure

The compound that is formed in the body after eating pomegranate may improve heart function in heart failure. In experiments on mice, it improved certain measures of heart function by up to 80 percent. The study by scientists from King's College London was published in the journal Science Advances.

We are talking about urolithin A - a substance that is formed by intestinal bacteria from compounds contained in pomegranate. Scientists have previously linked it to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, but its effect on heart failure remains poorly understood.

The authors tested the effect of urolithin A in mice with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. In this condition, the heart retains the ability to contract normally, but becomes too rigid and has difficulty relaxing between beats.

In animals, urolithin A reduced the formation of scar tissue in the heart and improved its ability to relax. In some measures, heart function improved by up to 80 percent compared to mice that did not receive the compound.

Additional experiments were conducted on laboratory-grown human heart tissue. Urolithin A accelerated its contraction and relaxation. Scientists attribute this effect to the activation of the PKGIα protein, which is involved in the regulation of pressure and relaxation of the heart muscle.

However, the authors emphasize that the results do not yet mean that eating pomegranate can treat heart failure.