Punica granatum fruit extract inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and angiogenic factors of HUVEC cells induced by plasma from patients with pre-eclampsia

This study aims to find out whether the ethanol extract of Punica granatum fruit can inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) and anti-angiogenic factors (sFlt-1 and sEng) of endothelial cells given plasma stimulus of pre-eclamptic patients. When the cells reached confluence, cells would be grouped into five groups (five replicates per group), i.e. endothelial cells exposed to the plasma of normal pregnancy, endothelial cells exposed to the plasma of patients with severe pre-eclampsia, endothelial cells exposed to the plasma of patients of severe pre-eclampsia and given the extract of P. granatum in various doses (14 ppm; 28 ppm, and 56 ppm). Once induced, measurement of pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and anti-angiogenic factors would be carried out by using the technique of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Phytochemical analysis showed that the extract contains phenolic, flavonoid and tannin. Plasma from patients with pre-eclampsia increased the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, sFlt-1 and sEng significantly compared with normal pregnancy plasma exposure group. The increase in the levels of TNF-α, sFlt-1 and sEng was significantly inhibited by the administration of extract at a dose of 56 ppm (P < 0.05). For IL-6, the increase was significantly inhibited by the extract at doses of 28 and 56 ppm. It is concluded that P. granatum fruit extract provides protection to the endothelial cells through suppressing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) and anti-angiogenic factors (sFlt-1 and sEng) due to plasma stimulus of patients with severe pre-eclampsia.