Therapeutic Benefits of Pomegranate Flower Extract: A Novel Effect That Reduces Oxidative Stress and Significantly Improves Diastolic Relaxation in Hyperglycemic In Vitro in Rats

Figure 1. The effect of endothelium on PFP-induced relaxation (x̅ ± SD, n = 6). Note. E: endothelial; ∗∗P < 0.01 vs. control + E;#P < 0.01 and ##P < 0.01 vs. control−E; and ++P < 0.01 vs. PFP−E.

Figure 2. Preincubation with L-NAME significantly inhibited PFP-induced relaxation in aortic rings (x̅ ± SD, n = 6). ∗P < 0.01 and ∗∗P < 0.01 compared to the control group.

Figure 3. PFP-induced relaxation on denuded aortic rings with or without K+ channel inhibitor pretreatment (x̅ ± SD, n = 6). ∗P < 0.01 and ∗∗P < 0.01 compared to the control group.

Figure 4. Effect of PFP (158 mg/L) on CaCl2 dose-effect curves in calcium-free and high potassium (60 mM) K-H solution in the endothelium-denuded aortic rings (x̅ ± SD, n = 6). ∗P < 0.01 compared to PFP.

Figure 5. Effect of PFP (158 mg/L) on cytoplasmic calcium release in rat aortic rings with or without endothelium. (x̅ ± SD, n = 6). ∗∗P < 0.01 vs. control.

Figure 6. (a) The effect of high glucose and PFP on ACh-mediated relaxation. (b) The effect of different concentrations of PFP incubated with high glucose on ACh-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation. (c) The effect of atropine and L-NAME on ACh-mediated relaxation of thoracic aortic rings incubated by PFP and high glucose (x̅ ± SD, n = 6). ∗P < 0.01 and ∗∗P < 0.01 vs. control. Note. HG: high glucose; HG + PFP: vascular rings were incubated for 6 hours with K-H solution containing 10 mg/L PFP and 44 mM D-glucose; HG + PFP + atropine: vascular rings were pretreated with 0.1 mM atropine for 30 minutes and then incubated with K-H solution containing 10 mg/L PFP and 44 mM D-glucose for 6 hours; HG + PFP + L-NAME: vascular rings were pretreated with 0.1 mM L-NAME for 30 minutes and consequently incubated with K-H solution containing 10 mg/L PFP and 44 mM D-glucose for 6 hours. The diastolic responses mediated by ACh and SNP of thoracic aortic rings in each group were measured.

Figure 7. (a) The effect of high glucose and PFP on nonendothelium-dependent relaxation of aortic rings mediated by SNP. (b) The effect of different concentrations of PFP on nonendothelium-dependent relaxation of aorta rings induced by SNP-mediated high glucose. (c) The effect of atropine and L-NAME on SNP-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation incubated with PFP and high glucose (x̅ ± SD, n = 6). Note. HG: high glucose; HG + PFP: vascular rings were incubated for 6 hours with K-H solution containing 10 mg/L PFP and 44 mM D-glucose; HG + PFP + atropine: vascular rings were pretreated with 0.1 mM atropine for 30 minutes and then incubated with K-H solution containing 10 mg/L PFP and 44 mM D-glucose for 6 hours; HG + PFP + L-NAME: vascular rings were pretreated with 0.1 mM L-NAME for 30 minutes and then incubated with K-H solution containing 10 mg/L PFP and 44 mM D-glucose for 6 hours. The diastolic responses mediated by ACh and SNP of the thoracic aortic rings in each group were measured.