Pomegranate: Nutraceutical with Promising Benefits on Human Health

Abstract

Pomegranate is an old plant made up by flowers, roots, fruits and leaves, native to Central Asia and principally cultivated in the Mediterranean and California (although now widespread almost all over the globe). The current use of this precious plant regards not only the exteriority of the fruit (employed also for ornamental purpose) but especially the nutritional and, still potential, health benefits that come out from the various parts composing this one (carpellary membranes, arils, seeds and bark). Indeed, the phytochemical composition of the fruit abounds in compounds (flavonoids, ellagitannins, proanthocyanidins, mineral salts, vitamins, lipids, organic acids) presenting a significant biological and nutraceutical value. For these reasons, pomegranate interest is increased over the years as the object of study for many research groups, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector. Specifically, in-depth studies of its biological and functional properties and the research of new formulations could be applied to a wide spectrum of diseases including neoplastic, cardiovascular, viral, inflammatory, metabolic, microbial, intestinal, reproductive and skin diseases. In this review, considering the increasing scientific and commercial interest of nutraceuticals, we reported an update of the investigations concerning the health-promoting properties of pomegranate and its bioactive compounds against principal human pathologies.

Antioxidant and Antibacterial Profiling of Pomegranate-pericarp Extract Functionalized-zinc Oxide Nanocomposite

“…The pomegranate seeds have been recognized to scavenge the reactive oxygen species (ROS), as it contains vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, and polyphenol-rich bioactive compounds. Furthermore, pomegranate fruit pericarp mainly contains potent bioactive compounds, such as gallagic, ellagic acid, ellagitannins, punicalagin, anthocyanins delphinidin, pelargonidin, and luteolin [21,22], while pomegranate fruit peel was estimated to mainly contain 25-28% of the polyphenols with gallic acid and tannins for scavenging the ROS (reactive oxygen species) [23]. Moreover, many studies reported that pomegranate seed juices and peel extracts are potentially beneficial for treating diabetes [24], obesity [25], cardiovascular disease [26,27], and inflammation [28,29].…”

Microbiome Analysis of the Rhizosphere from Wilt Infected Pomegranate Reveals Complex Adaptations in Fusarium—A Preliminary Study

“…The crop is extensively cultivated in various parts of India and India has emerged as the leading producer of pomegranate globally [1][2][3]. There are extensive reports on the medicinal properties of the pomegranate viz it's antimicrobial [4], antihyperglycemic [5], anticancerous [6,7], its nutraceutical [8], pharmaceutical [9], and cosmeceutical [10] applications due to the presence of a wide range of nutrients, secondary metabolites such as alkaloids and flavonoids [2]. There are also reports of anti-inflammatory properties and the potential of the pomegranate juice and peel against various disorders [2,3,[11][12][13] and protection from UV photodamage [14].…”

Sustainable Utilization of Potato Industry Waste for Antifungal Biopolymer Production by Lactobacillus helveticus and Its Application on Pomegranates (Punica granatum L.)

“…Strategies to valourize food processing wand economy, especially for extending shelf stability of horticultural products such as fruits, can provide economic benefits to farmers and reduce wastage of fruits. Pomegranate has important nutritional benefits relevant for thwarting viral and bacterial infections amongst other benefits [27]. Bruise damage of harvested pomegranates and an interplay of environmental and storage conditions are critical for modulating its ultimate quality and supply.…”