Fruit by-products are a source of biocompounds with antioxidant properties and potential role in the obesitytreatment. This study aimed to assess the effect of pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel (PP) supplementation on the totalantioxidant capacity (T...
Fruit by-products are a source of biocompounds with antioxidant properties and potential role in the obesitytreatment. This study aimed to assess the effect of pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel (PP) supplementation on the totalantioxidant capacity (TAC) in diet-induced obese rats. Thus, an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion was performed to evaluatethe total phenolic content (TPC) and the antioxidant capacity of PP. Moreover, 15 male Wistar rats were randomized into threegroups: control diet (CTL; 3.35 kcal/g), cafeteria (CAF) diet (3.72 kcal/g), and CAF diet supplemented with PP (CAF + PP;200 mg/kg body weight; 3.72 kcal/g). Serum TAC was analyzed by ferric reducing antioxidant power and 2,2-Diphenil-1-picrylhydrazil assay. TPC in PP accounted for 8.82 – 0.14 mg GAE/g in undigested samples. However, an in vitro digestionprocess was decreased by 94% the bioaccessibility of PP phenolic compounds in the intestinal phase, while PP supplementationincreased serum TAC in diet-induced obese rats. Therefore, although PP phenolic compounds diminished after anin vitro digestion process, antioxidant effect was found in obese rats supplemented with PP.