Pomella® Increases Antioxidant Capacity

GAINESVILLE, Fla.—In a clinical pharmacokinetic trial, POMELLA® extract (Verdure Sciences), standardized to Ellagitannins punicalagins, delivered absorbable ellagic acid (EA) and other metabolites to cause antioxidant effects (J Agric Food Chem, 54, 23: 8956-61, 2006). After healthy human volunteers consumed 800 mg of extract, antioxidant capacity was measured; the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay was increased with a maximum effect of 32 percent after 30 minutes. In contrast, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was not affected. The inflammation marker interleukin-6 (IL-6) was not significantly affected four hours after the consumption of the extract. Results indicated EA from POMELLA is bioavailable, as plasma metabolites urolithin A, urolithin B, hydroxyl-urolithin A, urolithin Aglucuronide and dimethyl ellagic acid-glucuronide were identified by HPLC-MS. Overall, researchers concluded this study demonstrated the absorbability of EA from a pomegranate extract high in ellagitannin content and also its ex vivo antioxidant effects.