Pomegranates might actually help retard aging and clinical trials are currently underway to prove this.

A team of scientists from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland and the Swiss biotech group Amazentis SA are taking a closer look at the anti-aging properties of pomegranates. They previously discovered that a molecule in pomegranates called "urolithin A" enables muscle cells to protect themselves against one of the major causes of aging after being transformed by microbes in the gut or intestines.

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Initial results from animal studies in nematodes and rodents published in Nature Medicine were described as "nothing short of amazing."

Aging weakens the mitochondria in the cells. Mitochondria, which are "the powerhouse of the cell," generate most of the cell's supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) used as a source of chemical energy.

As a person ages, his mitochondria are no longer able to carry out this vital function. This degradation of mitochindria affects the health of many tissues, including muscles, which gradually weaken over the years. A buildup of dysfunctional mitochondria is also suspected of playing a role in other diseases of aging such as Parkinson's disease.

The research team identified a molecule -- urolithin A -- that managed to re-establish the cell's ability to recycle the components of the defective mitochondria all by itself.

Urolithin A is generated by gut microflora as a natural metabolite of ellagitannins, a class of compounds found in the pomegranate and other fruits and nuts.

"It's the only known molecule that can relaunch the mitochondrial clean-up process, otherwise known as mitophagy," said Patrick Aebischer, co-author on the study. "It's a completely natural substance, and its effect is powerful and measurable."

Mitophagy is a process where damaged mitochondria are recycled to permit a renewal with healthy mitochondria.

The team began by testing their hypothesis on the nematode C. elegans. It's a favorite test subject among aging experts because after just eight to 10 days it's already considered elderly. The lifespan of worms exposed to urolithin A increased by more than 45% compared with the control group.

These initial encouraging results led the team to test the molecule on animals that have more in common with humans.

In the rodent studies, a significant reduction in the number of mitochondria was observed, indicating that a robust cellular recycling process was taking place. Older mice around two years of age showed 42% better endurance while running than equally old mice in the control group.

Amazentis has developed a method to deliver finely calibrated doses of urolithin A. The company is currently conducting first clinical trials testing the molecule in humans in European hospitals.

TagsPomegranates, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Amazentis SA, Aging, mitochondria