Drinking pomegranate juice may be just what you need to keep arthritis at bay, suggests a study in the Journal of Nutrition.

Tariq Haqqi and colleagues from the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, suggest that extract of pomegranate inhibits degradation of cartilages and joints. Such degradation is an important feature of osteoarthritis, a condition characterised by joint pain, destruction of cartilages and limitation of movements.

According to the researchers, in arthritis, the damage of cartilages and joints is caused by a kind of enzyme called matrix metalloproteases. They noted that a protein called interleukin-1b (IL-1b) boosts the production of matrix metalloproteases, resulting the pain and inflammation of arthritis. Pomegranate juice fights arthritis by inhibiting IL-1B, and cutting down the expression of matrix metalloproteases. “Pomegranate fruit extract was recently shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects in different disease models,” writes Haqqi.

In the study, the researchers treated cartilage cells with pomegranate extract and then exposed the cells to IL-1B. They found that despite induction by the protein, cartilage cells treated with pomegranate extract showed a gross reduction in the expression of matrix metalloproteases, courtesy the anti-inflammatory effects of the fruit.

“The fruit extract or compounds derived from it may be a nutritive supplement for maintaining joint integrity and function,” the researcher adds.

3 more problems tackled by the fruit

1: Heart disease: Pomegranate keeps the heart healthy, says a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Its antioxidant action fights hardening of heart vessels and cuts down the level of cholesterol. Studies also suggest that the fruit facilitates oxygen supply to the heart muscles and thus combats coronary artery diseases.

2: Erectile dysfunction: Long-term use of pomegranate juice reduces oxidative stress, a contributing factor for erectile dysfunction, research-ers write in the Journal of Urology. It helps the arterial system around the male sex organ work better, facilitating sustained erection.

3: Prostate cancer: Pomegranate fights prostate cancer, says a study presented at the 2005 annual meeting of the American Urological Association held in San Antonio. Chemicals called polyphenolic flavonoids (found in the fruit) were found to have played a key role in fighting the cancer.