Estrogenic activity of Pomegranate extract in MCF7-ERE cells

Pomegranate, a small tree originating in Orient, belongs to Punicaceae family. The seeds contain an oil of which about 80% is rare trans 18 carbon fatty acid (punicic acid), and have highest botanical concentration of a sex steroid, estrone. Pharmacological properties of pomegranate extract have been studied, with anti-microbial, anti-parasitic, ant-viral, and anti-cancer effects. We have examined the estrogenic activity of the pomegranate extracts using MCP-7-ERE cells. MCF-7-ERE cells, stably transfected with pERE-Luc were treated various amount of pomegranate extract and after overnight treatments, luciferase activity were measured. Estradiol(E2) dose dependently induced luciferase activity in this cell and maximal response is obtained at 100pM E2.