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Gomez-Guerrero CAuthor

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December 14, 2020
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Ellagic acid as a tool to limit the diabetes burden: Updated evidence

Publicated to: Antioxidants. 9 (12): 1-26 - 2020-12-01 9(12), DOI: 10.3390/antiox9121226

Authors:

Amor AJ; Gómez-Guerrero C; Ortega E; Sala-Vila A; Lázaro I
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Affiliations

Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabolicas Asociadas - Author
Hospital Clinic Barcelona - Author
Hospital del Mar - Author
Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer - IDIBAPS - Author
Instituto de Salud Carlos III - Author
Pasqual Maragall Foundation - Author
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid - Author
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Abstract

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Oxidative stress contributes not only to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D) but also to diabetic vascular complications. It follows that antioxidants might contribute to limiting the diabetes burden. In this review we focus on ellagic acid (EA), a compound that can be obtained upon intestinal hydrolysis of dietary ellagitannins, a family of polyphenols naturally found in several fruits and seeds. There is increasing research on cardiometabolic effects of ellagitannins, EA, and urolithins (EA metabolites). We updated research conducted on these compounds and (I) glucose metabolism; (II) inflammation, oxidation, and glycation; and (III) diabetic complications. We included studies testing EA in isolation, extracts or preparations enriched in EA, or EA-rich foods (mostly pomegranate juice). Animal research on the topic, entirely conducted in murine models, mostly reported glucose-lowering, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-glycation effects, along with prevention of micro-and macrovascular diabetic complications. Clinical research is incipient and mostly involved non-randomized and low-powered studies, which confirmed the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of EA-rich foods, but without conclusive results on glucose control. Overall, EA-related compounds might be potential agents to limit the diabetes burden, but well-designed human randomized controlled trials are needed to fill the existing gap between experimental and clinical research.
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Keywords

diabetic complicationsellagic acidglucose metabolisminflammationoxidative stressDiabetic complicationsEllagic acidGlucose metabolismInflammationOxidative stressType 2 diabetes

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Antioxidants due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2020, it was in position 11/143, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Food Science & Technology. Notably, the journal is positioned above the 90th percentile.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations provided by WoS (ESI, Clarivate), it yields a value for the citation normalization relative to the expected citation rate of: 1.18. This indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 13, 2025)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Weighted Average of Normalized Impact by the Scopus agency: 2.73 (source consulted: FECYT Mar 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2026-04-04, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 32
  • Scopus: 66
  • Europe PMC: 20
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Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2026-04-04:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 108.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 108 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 15.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 17 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
  • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: https://repositorio.uam.es/handle/10486/695639
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