Pharmacogn J. 2019; 11(5):1167-1171. A Multifaceted Journal in the field of Natural Products and Pharmacognosy Review Article www.phcogj.com An Overview of Phytochemical and Pharmacological Potentials of Punica granatum L Janani Jacob1,*, Rajiv P2, Gopalan R3, Lakshmanaperumalsamy P4 ABSTRACT Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is considered as “A pharmacy unto itself” in Ayurvedic medicine and also used in several other systems of medicine. The plant belongs to the family Lythraceae containing pomegranate as a predominant species. Various parts of the Janani Jacob1,*, plant exhibits significant pharmacological activities due to its wide range of potential bioactive Rajiv P2, Gopalan R3, compounds. Many biological activities proved its antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, Lakshmanaperumalsamy P4 antimicrobial, anti- athersclerotic, antidiabetic actions and many more. This article provides a review of phytoconstituents of Punica granatum and its diverse array of biological properties. 1Research Scholar, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore-641021, Key words: Punica granatum, Phytoconstituents, Pharmacological activities, Traditional INDIA. medicine, Lythraceae, Bioactive compounds. 2Assistant Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore-641021, INTRODUCTION plant is distributed throughout the world believed INDIA. to be native to Iran and the Himalayan region.8 The 3 Head and Professor, Department of Plants are thought to be a significant source of fruit of this plant is known as nature’s power fruit. Botany, Karpagam Academy of Higher medicinal components.1 Plants with medicinal Education, Coimbatore-641021, INDIA. The plant is an evergreen shrub, with multiple tiny 4Former Registrar, Karpagam Academy of values play a vital role in developing therapeutic stems. It commonly grows up to 1.8 – 4.6 m height. Higher Education, Coimbatore-641021, drugs which are utilized in the indigenous system P. g ranatum is found to have deciduous and shiny 2 INDIA. of medicine as described in ancient literature. leaves which are around 7.6 cm long. The flowers are Plants are an excellent source of new bioactive Correspondence 5 cm long normally double trumpet-shaped orange- compounds, because of which an interest for Janani Jacob red ruffled petals and seen throughout the summer. phytomedicinal sector is developing rapidly.3 Research Scholar, Karpagam Academy of The fruit is globose with a tough leathery skin with Higher Education, Coimbatore-641 021, As a result of phytochemical investigation, around a diameter of around 5- 7.6 cm. The mature fruit INDIA. 74% of drugs of plant origin were identified and has reddish or yellowish green shiny skin. The fruit Phone no: 91-9487072453 isolated for their traditional medicinal use.4 Being is known as a berry which is composed of spongy E-mail: [email protected] a potential source, natural products act as primary membranous walls which contains reddish or whitish History ingredient in drug development.5 pulp with crunchy seeds. The seeds represent around 7-10 • Submission Date: 12-12-2018; 52% of the entire mass of the fruit. • Review completed: 05-04-2019; Medicinal plants are the main source for traditional Anatomically, P. g ranatum can be divided into • Accepted Date: 18-04-2019. medicine, herbal medicine and various dietary supplements.6 Currently, plants are considered to different parts like seed, juice, peel, leaf, flower, bark DOI : 10.5530/pj.2019.11.181 be the cheapest source of medicine used by the and root which exhibits significant pharmacological 11 Article Available online major population of the globe, considered as safe properties. http://www.phcogj.com/v11/i5 7 with less or no side effects. P. g ranatum is used in different systems of medicine Copyright CLASSIFICATION for treating a variety of ailments in humans. In the © 2019 Phcogj.Com. This is an open- Ayurvedic system of medicine the plant is known access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Kingdom: Plantae as “A pharmacy unto itself” which is used as an International license. antiparasitic agent, blood tonic and medicine for Division: Magnoliophyta diarrhea and ulcers. In the Unani system of medicine, Class: Magnoliopsida pomegranate is used in the treatment of diabetes an d is practiced in the Middle East and India.12-14 Order: Myrtales P. g ranatum has a wide range of therapeutic properties Family: Lythraceae against various illnesses and helps in the treatment Genus: Punica and prevention of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, dental conditions and offers protection Species: P. g ranatum against (UV) radiation. Its other significant Punica granatum was formerly classified under a applications include infant brain ischemia, Alzheimer’s disease, male infertility, arthritis and separate family Punicaceae and recently included in 15-19 Lythraceae family. The family contains genus Punica obesity. with two species Punica granatum, commonly In many countries pomegranate has been utilized known as Pomegranate- the predominant species in herbal remedies where the entire fruit, peels and and Punica protopunica the less predominant roots and various other parts of the plants have been species found typically in the island of Socotra.7 The used. In the traditional system of medicine, the Cite this article: Janani J, Rajiv P, Gopalan R, Lakshmanapermalsamy P. An Overview of Phytochemical and Pharmacological Potentials of Punica granatum L. Pharmacog J. 2019;11(5): Phcogj.com 1167-71. 1167 Pharmacognosy Journal, Vol 11, Issue 5, Sep-Oct, 2019 Janani, et al.: An Overview on Punica granatum L peels of pomegranate have been used in the treatment of diarrhea and cancers.40 The results of in vitro cell cultures and animal studies, as well dysentery.20-23 as the existing data, show that breast cancer can be prevented by the anticancer activity of pomegranate.41 Organ culture model of mouse CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND COMPONENTS breast cancer demonstrates that the pomegranate seed oil is capable [43] The chemical composition of the fruit and other plant parts is of blocking the development of breast cancer . Pomegranate seed oil influenced by climate, geographical area, storage and cultivars. helps in inhibiting the proliferation of prostate cancer lines by changing 42 Punicalagin, punicalin, ellagic acid and ellagic acid derivatives such the cell growth cycle. as 3,3´-di-O-methylellagic acid, 3,3´-tri-O-methylellagic acid, 3´-O- Antimicrobial methyl-3,4-methylene, flavonoids like luteolin, quercetin, kaempferol and anthocyanins (delphinidin, cyanidin and pelargonidin), phenolic The alcohol extracts of the fruits of P. g ranatum exhibited significant compounds such as pedunculagin, punicacortein A-D, granatin A antibacterial activity against S.aureus, E.coli and Shigella dysentriae.20 and B, punicafolin, punigluconin, corilagin, gallocatechins, several Results of studies reveal that punicalagin, major hydrolysable tannin fatty acids, sterols, triterpenes and other tannins have been identified found in the pomegranate possesses antimicrobial activity against and isolated from various parts of the plant which possess an array of Candida albicans.43 The fruit rind of pomegranate inhibits the growth of therapeutic properties.24-34 Penicillium citirnum, P. patulum, P. ruqufortii and Aspergillus achraceous with various test organisms when tested for its fungistatic activity.44 P. g ranatum juice contains anthocyanins, glucose, ascorbic acid, ellagic acid, gallic acid, caffeic acid, catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, Extracts of P. g ranatum act as an antagonist against the microorganisms quercetin, rutin, iron and aminoacids. Punicic acid and sterols are also that are responsible for the urinary tract infection. Methanol extract found in the seed oil of pomegranate. The fruit rind of the plant contains shows activity against the multidrug resistant bacterial strains of punicalagin, flavones, flavonones and other flavanols. The leaves are the urinary infection samples.45-48 Research results show that the found to contain tannins such as punicalin and punicafolin and flavone hydroalcohol extract of pomegranate may be used as a substitute for glycosides like luteolin and apigenin, considered to be the important treating the dental plague bacteria by decreasing the number of colony- constituent of P. g ranatum . The flowers of pomegranate contain Ursolic forming units per milliliter by 84% compared to control groups that acid, triterpinoids and Asiatic acid, the roots and barks ellagitannins offer only 11% reduction.49 and piperdine alkaloids. Antiflammatory Around 16% of an individual’s daily requirement such as vitamin C, vitamin B5, potassium and natural phenols like ellagitannins and An in vivo study shows that the extract of P. g ranatum effectively inhibits flavonoids are also present in the aril juice of pomegranate.35 the inflammatory cytokine- induced production of PGE2 and nitric oxide.50 An in vitro study results exhibit that the Cold pressed seed oil PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES of P. g ranatum (CPSO) inhibits both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase enzymes. The enzyme Cyclooxygenase which is responsible for the Antioxidant activity conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins is inhibited by the Cold pressed seed oil of P. granatum by 37% and helps by 75% in the Four different in vitro testing methods were used to demonstrate that inhibition of Lipoxygenase, which acts as a catalyst in the conversion of the juice and seed extracts