A recent study has revealed that punicalagin prevents insulin resistance by targeting
mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell.
Insulin is a hormone generated by the pancreas that allows cells to absorb and use glucose.
Insulin resistance occurs when your cells stop responding to this hormone. This causes higher
insulin and blood sugar levels, producing a variety of metabolic-related diseases such as
diabetes. On the other hand, mitochondria, which are important cell organelles that produce the
majority of the cell energy, seem to be related to insulin resistance, due to the last one being
often accompanied by the dysfunction of these organelles.
Recent studies have been demonstrated that punicalagin extracted from pomegranate could ameliorate insulin resistance induced by palmitate, a saturated fatty acid present in meats, dairy products such as butter, and
some cheeses, and in general in most foods that contain fats.
Recently, Zhengyi Zhang and co-workers at Xi’an Jiaotong University in China, have
investigated the mechanism by which punicalagin is able to prevent insulin resistance. They
have found using a nascent protein labelling strategy that the treatment with punicalagin
induced nascent protein incorporation to mitochondria and enhanced mitochondrial turnover.
These findings demonstrate that punicalagin prevents insulin resistance by targeting
mitochondria, thus, is an effective mitochondrial nutrient.
Article: Nascent Protein Labeling Strategy Disclosed Mitochondrial Proteomic Response in
Punicalagin Intervened Insulin Resistance of HepG2
Cells. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1FO02749B