Treatment with Punica granatum var. pleniflora Inhibits Postoperative Adhesion Formation in a Rat Uterine Horn Adhesion Model.

Objective: Despite recent advances in surgical procedures, postoperative peritoneal adhesions are common following major abdominopelvic surgery. Here, the therapeutic potential of Punica granatum var. pleniflora (PGP) on postoperative peritoneal adhesions has been explored in a rat uterine horn adhesion model.

Method: Eighteen Albino Wistar female rats were divided into three groups: control group, sham, and treatment group receiving 400 mg/kg/day PGP orally for ten days. An identical surgical technique was employed to induce adhesion of the uterine horn in both the control and treatment groups. At the end of the experiments, all rats were re-operated for evaluation of adhesion. The macroscopic evaluation and fibrotic bands scaling were conducted and inflammation and fibrosis were assessed and graded, microscopically. Additionally, the effect of PGP on inflammation and fibrosis was assessed via PCR, ELISA, and histopathology.

Results: PGP could significantly reduce the peritoneal adhesion score (treatment group vs. control group; P<0.001). Histopathological analysis indicated that PGP prevented adhesion formation by suppressing inflammation and fibrosis. Moreover, inflammatory and fibrosis biomarkers were decreased following PGP treatment. Furthermore, rats in the treatment group had significantly lower oxidative stress markers in adhesion tissues when compared to the control group.

Conclusion: Oral PGP was associated with reduced peritoneal adhesion formation in rats, postoperatively. This therapy might be an effective and safe strategy for preventing intraperitoneal adhesion after abdominopelvic surgeries.