Scientists at King's College London have discovered that urolithin A — a compound the body produces after consuming pomegranates and walnuts — improves heart function by up to 80% in one form of heart failure. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
Study findings
According to the study results published in the journal Science Advances, this discovery could give hope to people suffering from heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
It is noted that despite the growing prevalence of this disease, there are relatively few effective treatments. The disease is difficult to treat because it is caused by many different factors, including aging, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Mechanism of urolithin A
The scientists found that urolithin A activates the protein PKGlα, which plays an important role in both blood vessel function and relaxation of the heart muscle. It acts on a specific amino acid in this protein, activating a signaling pathway that leads to positive effects on the cardiovascular system.
Animals treated with urolithin A showed improvements in heart function of up to 80% compared with animals that did not receive it.
Laboratory experiments
A laboratory experiment showed that urolithin A increases the ability of heart tissue to relax and reduces scarring, also known as fibrosis, compared with a control group. This compound also reduces the enlargement of heart muscle cells, helping to maintain normal cell function.
The researchers also tested urolithin A on artificially created heart tissue derived from human stem cells. It was found that urolithin A significantly improved tissue relaxation in these cells. This suggests that the results may be applicable to human heart function.
Expert opinion
The scientists emphasize that additional research is needed to translate the findings into patient treatment.
"Of course, there is not yet enough evidence to say that people should eat pomegranates to treat heart failure. However, the results of our study suggest that dietary approaches that enhance the production of urolithin A may help alleviate this condition," emphasized the lead author of the study, Joseph Burgoyne.
According to him, despite the positive results in animals and artificial human tissue, clinical trials involving humans are now needed to test whether this approach is effective for patients.
Earlier, cardiologist Karlygash Khakhazova spoke about what helps the heart stay healthy.
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