Figure 6. Effects of pomegranate extract supplementation on mitochondrial superoxide in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of control and hypertensive rats.

Control and hypertensive rats were administered either saline or pomegranate extract (150 mg/kg/day) for eight weeks, sacrificed, and frozen sections were prepared from the paraventricular nucleus. (A) Mitochondrial superoxide (red fluorescence) was measured using the fluorescent probe Mito SOX, which was detected with confocal microscopy. Mitotracker green was used to localize mitochondria. (B) Statistical analysis of the number of mitochondrial superoxide-positive neurons in control and hypertensive rats. Values are the mean ± SEM from 8 animals. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001. SHR, spontaneously hypertensive rats; PE, pomegranate extract.