Effect of pomegranate juice on traumatic brain injury patients

Abstract

Pomegranate has characteristically high content of antioxidant substances. Free  radicals such as ROS, NOS, O₂, H₂O₂, OH. and nitric oxide can be scavenged    effectively by pomegranate juice. A synergic positive relationship was found between phenolic contents and total antioxidant capacity, indicating that phenolic is dominant antioxidant components of pomegranate. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of  pomegranate juice supplementation on nutritional and behavioral outcomes after TBI. Methods: 75 patients were enrolled in the study. Those with low behavioral scores were going to the intervention phase. i.e. supplemented with 250ml/day of pomegranate juice and followed every 3 months for one-year period. Results: Vitamin E was the most deficient 95.9%, Vitamin D and Vitamin A deficiency were 83.7% and 61.2% respectively. Deficient minerals were magnesium 79. %, potassium 67.3%, zinc 53.1%. Vitamin A, D and E in TBI patients were significantly lower than in normal patients p=0.008,0.001, 0.03 respectively. Tau protein and GSH were lower in TBI patients than in normal group p=0.57 and 0.13 respectively. Conclusion: Pomegranate Juice may improve behavioral outcomes.