The Inhibitory Effect of a Polyphenol Concentrate from Pomegranate Juice on 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced Contact Hypersensitivity in Mice

Pomegranate juice (PJ) has higher polyphenol content and antioxidative activity than any other fruit juice. We used a pomegranate polyphenol concentrate (PPC) from pomegranate juice and investigated its inhibitory effects and mechanism of action using a contact hypersensitivity (CHS) test. The ear swelling induced by 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) was inhibited in the PPC-treated group compared to that in the control group. Antigen-specific IgG1 was lower in the PPC-treated group than in the control group; however, serum antigen-specific IgG2a was not different. More splenic IL-10-producing and IFN-gamma-/IL-4-producing CD4(+) T cells were observed in the PPC-treated group than in the control group. These results suggested that PPC afforded protection against CHS and IgG1 production by increasing IL-10-producing CD4(+) T cell numbers.