Clinical Drug Experience Knowledgebase

The Effect of Pomegranate Juice on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers During Treatment With IV Iron During One Dialysis Session

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in industrialized countries. CVD associated with atherosclerosis is the major cause of death in patients treated with hemodialysis (HD) in addition to the high morbidity and mortality due to infections. Beside the invaluable goal of improving patients' quality of life, the reduction of the high prevalence of CVD leads to a significant financial consequences by lowering the financial burden on health systems.

Recently, the investigators have reported that half a cup of pomegranate juice (PJ), exceptional for its highest levels of antioxidants, administered 3 times a week for one year at the beginning of each dialysis, had many beneficial effects. The PJ led to a significant reduction of the atherosclerotic process and the rate of hospitalization due to infections: It lowered traditional CV risk factors such as high blood pressure and lipids (triglycerides levels). It improved various systemic non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as neutrophil priming, oxidation adducts and pro-inflammatory factors (IL-6, TNFα). Neutrophil priming was previously reported by us as a unique non-traditional CV risk factor involved in different clinical states associated with atherosclerosis. Moreover, the investigators have shown that primed neutrophils separated from HD patients cause endothelial injury that may lead to atherosclerosis and CVD.

The PJ is, thus, effective, vital and important. Yet the PJ in its natural liquid state has an astringent taste and raises doubts and uncertainties with regards to its non-standardized commercial preparation, of undefined composition and shelf life.

The investigators propose to examine PJ or pomegranate extracts containing similar concentrations of total polyphenols as in the investigators previous study in the Turkish juice (ref #2 below), in order to make it more standardized as a dietary supplement to hemodialysis patients.

The investigators plan in this protocol to study the effects of a chosen pomegranate extracts or juice from Primor, in a clinical study in HD patients. The study will be performed in one dialysis session, with and without IV iron and with and without pomegranate juice (4-arms, same patient). Each dialysis session activates neutrophils and induces oxidative stress and inflammation. Therefore, in this clinical study the investigators will assay the beneficial effects of the PJ on oxidative stress and inflammation induced by one dialysis session exacerbated by IV iron.

Each patient will be treated the same day of the week, 4 times, altogether one month per patient.