Effects of Pomegranate Peel and Atorvastatin on the Inflammatory Factors and the Glucose Transport 4 in 3T3-L1 Cell Line

Pomegranate peel extract (PPE) exhibits biological activities with potential therapeutic applications. In this research, the antioxidant properties of the combination of atorvastatin and PPE, and the effect of this combination on the regulation of inflammatory factors and the gene pathway of glucose transport regulation (GLUT4) in tissue fibroblast cells (3T3-L1).

This research was done in a descriptive-analytical way. The percentage of cell survival after treatment with suitable concentrations of aqueous extract of pomegranate peel (AEPP) and atorvastatin drug was obtained. The amount of inflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α in the supernatant solution of treated cells was measured using the ELISA method. Then the antioxidant activity and GLUT4 expression were measured using real-time PCR.

The highest antioxidant capacity is related to the combination of AEPP with atorvastatin. Also, the level of IL-1, TGF-B, and IL-6 cytokines increased. Furthermore, atorvastatin significantly increased the level of GLUT4 in adipocytes compared to the combination of atorvastatin and AEPP concentration, as well as AEPP alone.

The results showed that the combined use of AEPP and Atorvastatin can improve the efficiency of antioxidant pathways in the cell and significantly reduce the level of reactive oxygen. In addition, atorvastatin has a greater effect on regulating the function of inflammatory factors and the adipose glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) regulatory gene pathway than the combination of atorvastatin and AEPP concentrations. However, more studies are needed in this area.