Pomegranate Compound Improves Heart Function by 80% in Lab Studies

A natural compound the body produces after consuming foods such as pomegranates may improve heart function by as much as 80% in experimental models of a form of heart failure that currently has relatively few treatment options.

Researchers at King’s College London found that urolithin A, which is produced in the body after eating foods including pomegranates, walnuts and some berries, can help the heart relax more effectively. The compound also reduced scarring and limited harmful enlargement of the heart.

A Difficult Form of Heart Failure to Treat

The findings could eventually benefit nearly half a million people in the UK who have a form of heart failure in which the heart can still pump blood effectively but becomes too stiff to relax properly between beats. As a result, the heart has more difficulty filling with blood.

This condition, known as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, accounts for roughly half of all heart failure cases. It can cause shortness of breath, fatigue, reduced ability to exercise and a poorer overall quality of life.

Treatment options remain relatively limited. The condition is difficult to manage because many different factors can contribute to it, including aging, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Because the heart continues to pump normally but does not relax and fill properly, many traditional heart failure treatments are less effective. Clinicians therefore tend to focus on treating underlying conditions and recommending lifestyle changes, including weight loss and better blood sugar control.

Dr. Joseph Burgoyne, senior author of the study, King’s College London, said: “This type of heart failure is becoming increasingly common as populations age and rates of obesity and diabetes rise. Despite its growing burden, treatment options remain limited because the disease is complex and varies considerably between patients.”

How Urolithin A Affects the Heart

Scientists have become increasingly interested in urolithin A because of its associations with healthy aging and mitochondrial function, a process in the body which generates energy.

For the first time, the researchers found that urolithin A activates a protein called PKGlα, which plays an important role in blood vessel function and the relaxation of heart muscle. The compound acts on a specific amino acid within the protein, triggering a pathway associated with cardiovascular benefits.

In animal models, treatment with urolithin A improved measures of heart function by as much as 80% compared with models that did not receive the compound. Laboratory experiments also showed that urolithin A helped heart tissue relax more effectively and reduced fibrosis, the harmful scarring that can interfere with normal heart function. The compound also limited enlargement of heart muscle cells compared with controls, helping the cells maintain more normal function.

Results in Engineered Human Heart Tissue

The team also tested urolithin A in engineered human heart tissue created from human stem cells. This is a cutting-edge laboratory model that closely mimics the structure and function of human heart muscle.

Urolithin A significantly improved relaxation in the engineered tissue, suggesting that the effects seen in animal models could potentially translate to human heart function.

Unlike many compounds being explored as experimental treatments, urolithin A has already been studied in humans and has shown a favorable safety profile.

More research will still be required before the findings can lead to treatments for patients. However, the results point to both a promising therapeutic target and a naturally derived compound that could help researchers address an important unmet need in cardiovascular medicine.

A Potential New Therapeutic Target

Dr. Burgoyne said: “This type of heart failure remains one of the most challenging forms of heart disease to treat. Our findings identify a completely new therapeutic target and show that urolithin A can activate this pathway to improve heart relaxation and reduce disease severity. This raises the exciting possibility of developing new treatments that improve clinical outcomes and quality of life for people living with the condition.

“While there isn’t enough evidence to suggest that people should eat pomegranates to treat heart failure, these findings raise the possibility that dietary approaches that enhance urolithin A production may help alleviate this condition.”

Clinical Trials Are Still Needed

Professor James Leiper, Director of Research at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction makes up roughly half of all heart failure cases in the UK, and can be debilitating. This early-stage study in experimental models suggests that urolithin A may help to improve the heart tissue’s ability to relax and fill with blood between beats, reducing the harmful changes to the heart muscle seen in this condition.

“While these findings are promising, the benefits have so far been seen in animals and engineered human tissue, so clinical trials involving people are needed to test if this approach is effective for patients. In the meantime, a healthy, balanced diet remains one of the best ways to look after your heart. Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables is linked to better heart health, but it’s important to remember that no single food can prevent or treat heart disease on its own.”

The study was published in Science Advances and funded by the British Heart Foundation.