Pomegranate compound improved heart function by 80% in animal tests

Clinical trials will be needed to establish whether urolithin A can safely improve heart relaxation and symptoms in people with HFpEF. A compound made naturally by the body after eating certain foods may offer a new way to tackle one of the more difficult forms of heart failure. In early experiments, urolithin A, a substance linked to foods including pomegranates, walnuts and some berries, helped stiff heart tissue relax, reduced scarring and limited harmful changes to heart muscle. Researchers at King's College London found that the compound improved measures of heart function by as much as 80% in animal models. The results, while still far from a treatment for people, point to a previously unexplored biological pathway that could eventually be targeted in cardiovascular disease. Scroll down to read the details.A heart that can pump, but cannot relaxThe study, published in Science Advances and funded by the British Heart Foundation states that the research focuses on heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, or HFpEF. Unlike some other forms of heart failure, the heart's pumping ability can remain relatively normal in people with HFpEF. The problem comes between beats, when ...