Preprints (www.preprints.org) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 8 September 2020 Review Pomegranate: nutraceutical with promising benefits on human health Anna Caruso 1, +, Alexia Barbarossa 2,+, Antonio Tassone 1 , Jessica Ceramella 1, Alessia Carocci 2,*, Alessia Catalano 2,* Giovanna Basile 1, Alessia Fazio 1, Domenico Iacopetta 1, Carlo Franchini 2 and Maria Stefania Sinicropi 1 1 Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Arcavacata di Rende (Italy); anna.caruso@unical .it (Ann.C.),
[email protected] (A.T.),
[email protected] (J.C.),
[email protected] (G.B.),
[email protected] (A.F.),
[email protected] (D.I.),
[email protected] (M.S.S.) 2 Department of Pharmacy‐Drug Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70126, Bari (Italy);
[email protected] (A.B.),
[email protected] (Al.C.),
[email protected] (A.C.),
[email protected] (C.F.) + These authors equally contributed to this work. * Correspondence:
[email protected] Abstract: The pomegranate, an ancient plant native to Central Asia, cultivated in different geographical areas including the Mediterranean basin and California, consists of flowers, roots, fruits and leaves. Presently, it is utilized not only for the exterior appearance of its fruit but above all, for the nutritional and health characteristics of the various parts composing this last one (carpellary membranes, arils, seeds and bark). The fruit, the pomegranate, is rich in numerous chemical compounds (flavonoids, ellagitannins, proanthocyanidins, mineral salts, vitamins, lipids, organic acids) of high biological and nutraceutical value that make it the object of study for many research groups, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector.