Therapeutic potential of bioactive compounds from Punica granatum extracts against aging and complicity of FOXO orthologue DAF-16 in Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Some natural fruits have significant importance in improving health which provides many nutritional supplements essential to maintain proper metabolism with the age. In this study, phytochemical screening of extract (methanolic) of Punica granatum arils, outer and inner peels was confirmed by the respective spot tests. Quantification of phytochemical constituents revealed the plentiful of total phenols in the outer peels in comparison to inner peels and juice whereas total flavonoids and vitamin C are abundant in inner peel and juice, respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography, Gas chromatography along with mass spectrometry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed the presence of compound 9, 17-octadecadienal, (Z) in the outer/inner peels. A compound N-hexadecanoic acid was also observed in the outer peels. Extracts from every section of the fruits were comprehensively evaluated for their antioxidant activity. Contrary to fruit aril juice, the extracts of outer and inner peels exhibited significant and dose-dependent in vitro antioxidant and radical-scavenging potentials. The supplementation of P. granatum extracts (PGEs) significantly enhanced the lifespan of C. elegans. The protective effect of PGEs was also observed against oxidative stress in C. elegans. Additionally, the involvement of FOXO orthologue DAF-16 dependent longevity was obtained with PGEs (outer peel and inner peel) fed TJ356 worms. Overall, the results indicate the vital role of PGEs especially the extracts of outer peels in life-saving mechanisms of C. elegans by virtue of their antioxidant asset and life-prolonging effects via daf-16 dependent Insulin signaling pathway. See also Figure 1 (Fig. 1).