The effects of pomegranate consumption on inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundSeveral studies have shown the effects of pomegranate on oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers, while some studies showed no effects of pomegranate on these biomarkers. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effects of pomegranate consumption on C-reactive protein (CRP), interlukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor & alpha; (TNF-& alpha;), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in adults.MethodsA systematic literature search was performed using databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, up to May 2023 to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Heterogeneity tests of the included trials were performed using the I-2 statistic. Random effects models were assessed based on the heterogeneity tests, and pooled data were determined as the weighted mean difference with a 95% confidence interval.ResultsOf 3811 records, 33 eligible RCTs were included in the current study. Our meta-analysis of the pooled findings showed that pomegranate consumption significantly reduced CRP (WMD: -0.50 mg/l; 95% CI -0.79 to -0.20; p = 0.001), IL-6 (WMD: -1.24 ng/L 95% CI -1.95 to -0.54; p = 0.001), TNF-& alpha; (WMD: -1.96 pg/ml 95%CI -2.75 to -1.18; p < 0.001), and MDA (WMD: -0.34 nmol/ml 95%CI -0.42 to -0.25; p < 0.001). Pooled analysis of 13 trials revealed that pomegranate consumption led to a significant increase in TAC (WMD: 0.26 mmol/L 95%CI 0.03 to 0.49; p = 0.025).ConclusionOverall, the results demonstrated that pomegranate consumption has beneficial effects on oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers in adults. Therefore, pomegranate can be consumed as an effective dietary approach to attenuate oxidative stress and inflammation in patients with cardiovascular diseases.PROSPERO registration codeCRD42023406684

Automated summary

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of pomegranate consumption on oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers in adults. A meta-analysis of 33 eligible randomized controlled trials showed that pomegranate consumption significantly reduced CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, and MDA, and increased TAC. Pomegranate can be consumed as an effective dietary approach to attenuate oxidative stress and inflammation in patients with cardiovascular diseases.