ANTIINFLAMMATORY AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF POMEGRANATE PEEL EXTRACT

Secretory PLA2 (sPLA2-IIA) is implicated in inflammatory responses because a high level of this enzyme has been found in inflammatory fluids and cells. PLA2 enzyme catalyses the breakdown of membrane phospholipid to arachidonic acid and lysophospholipid. Arachidonic acid is in turn converted to proinflammatory mediators and ROS. A single molecule having both antioxidant and PLA2 inhibition is of great therapeutic importance in designing anti-inflammatory molecules. Pomegranate peel extracted with different solvents with increasing polarity were screened for phenolics, antioxidant activity and sPLA2 inhibition. The acetone extract exhibited high antioxidant activity and sPLA2 inhibition. The concentration of phenolics directly correlated with antioxidant activity and PLA2 inhibition. P.granatum peel acetone extract also showed dose dependent inhibition of sPLA2 enzyme both by invitro and invivo method. The P.granatum peel acetone extract was further subjected to TLC for separation of components in extract. The extract showed 7-8 bands. Each band was subjected to PLA2 inhibition and antioxidant activity. PPCII was found to have high PLA2 inhibition and antioxidant activity. The extract may contain compounds (Phenolics, anthocyanins, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids) which are both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory in nature and they can be used for clinical development as a new class of anti-inflammatory agents with antioxidant activity.