{
  "id": 1986440,
  "title": "Compound produced after eating pomegranates targets stiff-heart failure pathway, early tests suggest",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/compound-produced-after-eating-pomegranates-targets-stiff-heart",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-19T18:00:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-compound-pomegranates-stiff-heart-failure.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A compound called urolithin A, produced in the body after consuming certain fruits and berries, has been found to improve heart function in a type of heart failure that currently has limited treatment options. The compound activates a protein called PKGlα, which enhances the heart's ability to relax and reduces scarring and enlargement of the heart muscle. Animal models treated with urolithin A showed an improvement in heart function by up to 80% compared to untreated animals. Researchers at King's College London conducted the study, which has been published in Science Advances. While promising, more research is needed to determine if urolithin A can effectively treat heart failure in humans. In the meantime, maintaining a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables is still recommended to promote overall heart health.",
  "summary": "A compound produced in the body after eating pomegranates improves heart function by up to 80% in a type of heart failure with limited treatment options.",
  "key_points": [
    "Compound urolithin A produced from pomegranates improves heart function",
    "Activates PKGlα protein to enhance heart relaxation and reduce scarring",
    "Animal studies show up to 80% improvement in heart function"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}