A Comparison of Preventive Effects of Punica Granatum and Extract on Weight and Volume of Steroid Induced Mice Kidney

Objective: To observe the preventive effects of Punica granatum (pomegranate) juice and extract on weight and volume of steroid induced mice kidneys. Study Design: Lab based randomized control trial. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Anatomy, Army Medical College (AMC) Rawalpindi, in cooperation with National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad, from Apr to May 2015. Material and Methods: Forty male and female healthy (BALB/c strain) mice with average weight of 25-30gms were divided into four groups, having ten animals each. Group A was a control group and groups B, C and D were experimental groups. Mice in experimental groups were injected Nandrolone decanoate (ND) at the dosage of 1 mg/100 gm of body weight, intramuscularly (I/M) in the hind limb once a week for 8 weeks. Mice in experimental group C were also given pomegranate juice (PJ) at the dosage of 3ml/kg of body weight through oral gavage tube for 8 weeks daily and mice in experimental group D were given pomegranate peel extract (PPE) at the dosage of 200mg/kg of body weight by oral gavage tube for 8 weeks daily. Intergroup comparison of results of experimental groups B, C and D with each other and with control group A was done. Results: The weight and volume of kidneys were significantly different in ND treated experimental group B and difference in both these parameters was seen in pomegranate administered experimental groups C and D. Conclusion: Pomegranate in both forms, as pomegranate juice and peels extract, equally prevent the weight and volume of steroid induced kidneys. Keywords: Pomegranate, Steroids, Volume, Weight.