Pomegranate

The pomegranate originates from Western and Central Asia, but nowadays its cultivation area extends as far as the Mediterranean region. In these regions the pomegranate is usually eaten as fruit or as pressed juice. Pomegranate wine comes from Armenia and Israel. Cultivation as a spice is practised in India. It is also used to refine game and poultry dishes as well as a component fruit salads. Its has an extremely high content of polyphenols that are subject to strong quality fluctuations.

Pomegranate extract is a spices used in India. Its antiseptic and antimicrobial properties, which are based on the activity of phenolic ellagic acid, are widely documented.¹ A clinical study has shown a strong antifungal effect against candida infections of the oral cavity.² Pomegranate extract is also used as a potent phytotherapeutic agent in the prevention of various types of cancer. The effective use against prostate tumor cells is well documented .³
 

Polyphenols have anticarcinogenic, antioxidant, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating properties⁴ and thus make a significant nutritive contribution to preventative health. Pomegranate polyphenols are characterized by a high bioavailability and can improve the antioxidative status.⁵ In addition, they show strong synergistic effects and mutually reinforce each other in their effects.⁶ A study also showed a change in the intestinal flora after administration of a polyphenol-rich diet (including pomegranate) with an increase in the metabolite indole-3-propionic acid, which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, with a simultaneous decrease in inflammation levels.⁷
 

A randomised, double-blind, controlled crossover study demonstrated the cardioprotective effects of 195 mg punicalagin from pomegranate extract and 9.9 mg hydroxytrosol from olive extract after supplementation of these polyphenols over an 8-week period was shown to improve dyslipidaemia in adults.⁸
 

The fruit is a good source of anthocyanins and tannins and has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Pomegranate extract shows remarkable results especially in protecting against light-induced skin damage. The polyphenols in pomegranate, especially catechin, play an important role in the protective effect against UVB-induced skin damage. Catechin protects human fibroblasts from UV damage by upregulating collagen expression and downregulating the expression of collagen-degrading MMPs.⁹ In addition, antioxidant activity increases the protection of DNA and proteins against UVB damage and, like vitamin E or EGCG, stimulates DNA repair mechanisms. By counteracting ROS generation, antioxidants also directly protect proteins from damage, which maintains protein integrity and thus the healthy skin barrier.¹⁰

¹ De, M. et al. 1999. Antimicrobial screening of some Indian spices. Phytother Res. 1(7):616-8.
² Vasconcelos, L. C. et al. 2003. Use of Punica granatum as an antifungal agent against candidosis associated with denture stomatitis. Mycoses. 46(5-6):192-6.
³ Albrecht, M. et al. 2004. Pomegranate extracts potently suppress proliferation, xenograft, and invasion of human prostate cancer cells. J Med Food. 7(3):274-83.
⁴ Watzl, B., Leitzmann, C. 1999. Bioaktive Substanzen in Lebensmitteln.
⁵ Mertens-Talcott, S. U. et al. 2006. Absorption, metabolism, and antioxidant effects of pomegranate polyphenols after ingestion of standardized extract in healthy human volunteers. J Agric Food Chem. 54(23):8926-61
⁶ Seeram, N. P. et al. 2005. In vitro antiproliferative, apoptotic and antioxidant activities of punicalagin, ellagic acid and total pomegranate tannin extract are enhanced in combination with other polyphenols as found in pomegranate juice. J Nutr Biochem. 16(6):360-7.
⁷ Peron, G. et al. 2022. A Polyphenol-Rich Diet Increases the Gut Microbiota Metabolite Indole 3-Propionic Acid in Older Adults with Preserved Kidney Function. Mol Nutr Food Res. e2100349.
⁸ Quirós-Fernandez, R. et al. 2022. Oral Supplement Containing Hydroxytyrosol and Punicalagin Improves Dyslipidemia in an Adult Population without Co-Adjuvant Treatment: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled and Crossover Trial. Nutrients. 14(9):1879.
⁹ Park, H. M. et al. 2010. Extract of Punica granatum inhibits skin photoaging induced by UVB irradiation. Int J Dermatol. 49(3):276–82.
¹⁰ Afaq, F. et al. 2009. Protective effect of pomegranate-derived products on UVB-mediated damage in human reconstituted skin. Exp Dermatol. 18(6):553–61.

References Interactions
Stargrove, M. B. et al. Herb, Nutrient and Drug Interactions: Clinical Implications and Therapeutic Strategies, 1. Auflage. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Health Sciences, 2008.
Gröber, U. Mikronährstoffe: Metabolic Tuning –Prävention –Therapie, 3. Auflage. Stuttgart: WVG Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Stuttgart, 2011.
Gröber, U. Arzneimittel und Mikronährstoffe: Medikationsorientierte Supplementierung, 3. aktualisierte und erweiterte Auflage. Stuttgart: WVG Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Stuttgart, 2014.