Punica granatum as Anticandidal and Anti-HIV Agent: An HIV Oral Cavity Potential Drug

Abstract

The oral cavity is crucial from diagnosis to adherence to HAART therapy in the HIV/AIDS population; consequently, drugs that can maintain healthy conditions in the oral cavity are necessary for patients with HIV/AIDS. Punica granatum (pomegranate) is a tree that has been employed extensively for centuries in the traditional medicine of ancient cultures for the treatment of a wide range of diseases, including oral and dental diseases. In recent decades, its potent anticandidal properties have been shown, especially on Candida albicans, the cause of the most common clinical manifestation in HIV patients. The present work contributes to the review of the anti-HIV and anticandidal properties of the plant species P. granatum as involved with the oral cavity. The literature reviewed revealed that crude extracts of pomegranate and its main isolated compounds possess inhibitory activity on different HIV targets, including binding viral proteins and the three replicative HIV enzymes. In addition, in the literature reviewed, pomegranate exhibited anticandidal effects on 10 different species. Thus, pomegranate appears to be an excellent candidate to explore and incorporate into the treatment of the oral cavity of HIV/AIDS patients, in that, in addition to its pharmacological effects such as antiviral and anticandidal, pomegranate represents an easily available, inexpensive, and safe natural source.

Natural Compounds with Antimicrobial Activities in Oral Candida Infections during Head and Neck Radiotherapy

“…[Punicaceae]commonly known as pomegranateis a fruit belonging to Punicaceae family which produces and accumulates many bioactive compounds such as anthocyanidins, hydrobenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, alkaloids, tannins, and flavonoids [39,40]. Pomegranate peel extracts possess active antifungal compounds such as flavones, flavonones, and other flavanols possessing anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, and antifungal activity [39,41].…”

Role of phytocompounds as the potential anti-viral agent: an overview

“…Thus, it is important to know about potential phytoactive compounds with antiviral properties, in this pandemic COVID-19 time. Moreover, viral diseases (Huerta-Reyes et al 2022 ) cause mild to severe acute human respiratory illnesses. The liver-damaging hepatitis A, B, and C viruses and several other viruses, including Zika, chikungunya, dengue, herpes simplex virus (HSV), and a few more, have caused consternation in human health in the last four decades.…”

Anti‐Culex pipiens activity of different pomegranate cultivars and determination of their bioactive compounds using LC‐MS profiling

“…3 Pomegranate was used in folk medicine for curing different diseases such as ulcers, liver damage, and snakebite, and since recently it is considered as the power fruit of nature. 4 Extracts of roots, bark, fruits, and leaves are well known to have various medicinal benefits. 5 Pomegranate is used for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, dental ailments, and erectile dysfunction.…”

“…Although pomegranate peels are considered agro‐industrial waste, the bioactive compounds are more abundant in the peels than in the leaves or seeds 3 . Pomegranate was used in folk medicine for curing different diseases such as ulcers, liver damage, and snakebite, and since recently it is considered as the power fruit of nature 4 . Extracts of roots, bark, fruits, and leaves are well known to have various medicinal benefits 5 .…”