ABSTRACT
The Present study was performed to evaluate the dietary effect of two pomegranate varieties by-products [Seeds and peels] on the histological picture of some organs of albino rats, namely: Liver, kidney, heart and spleen. The Wardy and Manfalouty pomegranate varieties were used. Likewise, their dietary effect on the weights of those organs was estimated. Thirty adult male albino rats [Sprague Dawley Strain] weighting between [100 and 120g] provided from the Animal House, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University were housed individually in wire cages under the normal laboratory conditions and fed on the basal diet for a week as adaptation period. The rats were randomly allocated into 5 main groups of 6 rats each. Daily administration were continued for one month. One group was used as control and was fed the basal diet, while the other 4 groups were fed the supplemented pomegranate by-products diets.It is note-worthy that the changes taking place in the studied organs revealed a significant increase in liver weight. However, both kidney, heart and spleen recorded a significant decrease in their weights. The histological characteristics of liver revealed preservation of the normal hepatic architecture which means that the pomegranate by-products exhibited protective effect and not toxic effect on the liver. Meanwhile, the histological examination postulated that the noticed enlargement of the lymphoid follicles and the increase in its number in splenic sections of rats fed by the pomegranate varieties by-products [seeds and peels] might have a role in increasing the immune system activity. On the other hand, a dilatation of the glomerular capillaries of the glomerular tuft in the kidney of rats on the treated group were noticed compared to the control group, which could be attributed to the increase in the blood flow within the glomerular capillaries and so increasing the glomerular filtrates. Furthermore, the histological examination of treated groups revealed vasodilatation of the myocardial blood vessels and the coronary blood vessels compared to the control groups clarifying the anti- atherosclerotic effects of pomegranate by-products [seeds and peels]. In conclusion, pomegranate by-products have beneficial effect on different organs and could be supplemented to foods with promising healthful impact