Effects of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Peel Extract Supplementation on Markers of Inflammation and Serum Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 in Women With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study

Rafraf M, Haghighian MK, Molani-Gol R, Hemmati S, Asghari Jafarabadi M · Nutrition and Metabolism Insights

Against placebo, the extract lowered hs-CRP (p = 0.002), NF-κB (p = 0.045), MMP-1 (p = 0.040) and MCP-1 (p = 0.003). NF-κB rose within the placebo group over the same eight weeks.

Population

Obese women aged 38-60 with knee osteoarthritis, on standard drug therapy

Intervention

500 mg pomegranate peel extract twice daily for 8 weeks

Comparator

Placebo

Limitations

Peel extract in a capsule, not the fruit or the juice — the dose is not reachable by eating pomegranate. Women only, all obese, all on concurrent drug therapy, 8 weeks, and every endpoint is a blood marker: no pain, function or imaging outcome was reported.