Herbal Medicines Journal 2019; in press ISSN: 2538-2144 Review Article Medicinal Properties of Pomegranate Esfandiar Hassani Moghaddam1*, Mahdi Shaaban2 Asghar Sepahvand3 1Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Research Institute, (Lorestan branch), AREEO, Karaj, Iran 2Young researchers and Elite Club, Boroujerd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Boroujerd, Iran 3Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran Received: 24.06.2019; Accepted: 15.09.2019 Abstract As an ancient fruit tree, pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is one of the unique fruit trees cultivated in the Mediterranean region, particularly in Iran and in the Middle East. This tree is cultivated in majority of Iranian provinces. The mineral content and medicinal properties of pomegranate have been indicated in many previous research reports. The present review focuses on the medicinal properties of pomegranate fruit. Based on previous researches, we concluded that pomegranate has several medicinal uses in human diet. All parts of pomegranate tree have medicinal uses. Anti-cancer property is the main medicinal characteristic of this fruit tree. Pomegranate fruit has high amounts of phenolic compounds with a remarkable antioxidant activity. Moreover, one of the principal phenolic ingredients of pomegranate is ellagic acid which is characterized by high antioxidant activity. This review focuses on the recent researches on the medicinal properties of pomegranate fruit. The antioxidant activities and medicinal properties of pomegranate that are effective in the treatment of certain diseases were identified. However, we collected the best results of previous studies in carried out on this subject. Keywords: Pomegranate, Medicinal properties, Ellagic acid, Antioxidant *Corresponding Author: Esfandiar Hassani Moghaddam, Research Assistance Professor, Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Research Institute, (Lorestan branch), AREEO, Karaj, Iran. Email: [email protected]. Please cite this article as: Hassani Moghaddam E, Shaaban M, Sepahvand A. Medicinal Properties of Pomegranate. Herb. Med. J. 2019;in press. Introduction smallest plant family (2). Pomegranate has several anatomical parts such as seed, juice, peel, leaf, flower, Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is an ancient fruit bark, and roots (3). It has a genus (Ponita) and two tree and has been consumed in various countries for species called Punica granatum L. (common thousands of years. Pomegranate has been considered Pomegranate) and Punica protopunica (non-edible as a manifestation of life, longevity, health, pomegranate) (4). Punica protopunica is endemic to magnificence, fruitfulness, awareness, morality and Scootera Island, Yemen, and is the only similar spirituality (1). In ancient Egyptian culture, species associated with the Punica granatum which is pomegranate fruit was known as an epitome of cultivated (5). This tree (Anar in Persian) grows both success. In traditional medicine, various components as a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub and a small tree of this tree have several therapeutic effects. growing between 5 to 8 meters in height (6). Pomegranate belongs to the family Punicaceae as the 1 Herbal Medicines Journal. 2019; in press Hassani Moghaddam et al. Medicinal Properties of Pomegranate Figure 1. Pomegranate tree, flower and fruit in different growth stages. In traditional Indian medicine, pomegranate is "a namely punicalin, punicalagin, granatin B, drug for the withdrawal of the worms. The fruit peel gallagyldilactone, punicalagin, pedunculagin and is a powerful astringent which is used to treat tellimagrandin (9). diarrhea. Moreover, its fruit juice is anti-fever (7). Botanical Property Pomegranate juice contains minerals such as iron, Pomegranate is a shrub that inherently tends to create which is relatively more abundant than others, and several trunks, and in some cases it has a crawling elements such as calcium, selenium, chlorine, cobalt, state. In cultural condition, as a small tree chromium, cesium, copper, potassium, magnesium, pomegranate grows up to 5 meters, and under natural manganese, molybdenum, sodium, rubidium, conditions its height could reach 7 meters (10). scandium, serum, tien strontium and zinc (8). Furthermore, there are also semi-dwarf cultivars that Punica granatum L. has been used in traditional do not grow taller than 1.5 meters (11). Pomegranate medicine for centuries in the Middle East, India, and leaves are rectangular, linear, shiny and transparent China. It has been consumed for several therapeutic (12). The young leaves are red, but they are green at reasons. More exactly, Punica granatum L. has been older stages. Mature leaves are green, full, smooth, used in the treatment of various ailments, including and crack-free. They have short petioles (13). inflammation, rheumatism and the pain of a simple The fruit is the result of an ovarian development. The sore throat. Distinct parts of a tree such as the bark, fruit is attached to a tree by a short axis (13). The pomegranate fruit is of a special type called balausta, leaves, immature fruits, and fruit rind have certain which contains plenty of seeds (figure 1). The edible medicinal significance. As Satomi et al. note, the part of pomegranate seed is an external epidermis of pericarps of Punica granutam L. encompasses seven the seed cover which is called aril and is meaty and highly active inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase (CA), juicy (7). Pomegranate has a shorter juvenile period 2 Herbal Medicines Journal. 2019; in press Medicinal Properties of Pomegranate Hassani Moghaddam et al. 140000 125000 120000 100000 80000 65000 60000 40000 21000 20000 8000 6000 Pomegranate area cultivation (ha) area cultivation Pomegranate 3000 2000 2000 0 India Iran china Turkey USA Tunisia Spain Israel countries Figure 2. Pomegranate production area in the major producer countries in 2017. 1200000 1000000 1000000 800000 800000 600000 400000 260000 200000 110000 90000 37000 25000 17000 Pomegranata production (ton/year) production Pomegranata 0 Iran India china USA Turkey Spain Tunisia Israel Countries Figure 3. Pomegranate production per year in the major producer countries in 2017. compared to other fruit trees. Normally, pomegranate about 3% of the weight of the fruit, and themselves propagation is conducted by cutting inter to the contain 20% oil; the juice, about 30% of the fruit weight; flowering stage in the first year and in its fruits set at and the peels which also include the interior network the second year of planting. The fruit color of the membranes. Pomegranate fruit is consumed throughout first trees will be similar to the fruit color of the the world in various ways like freshly prepared or mature trees of the same variety, but the size of the processed juice, sauce, oil, vinegar, etc. fruit of the first-year crop is smaller (14). The Origin pomegranate fruit includes three parts: the seeds, 3 Herbal Medicines Journal. 2019; in press Hassani Moghaddam et al. Medicinal Properties of Pomegranate 14000 12100 12000 10000 8000 6000 5392 4000 3071 2648 2000 1419 1353 1292 Pomegranate area cultivation (ha) area cultivation Pomegranate 1153 0 Iranian proviences Figure 4. Pomegranate production area in the major provinces of Iran in 2017. Pomegranate belongs to the family Punicaceae. as one of the most significant fruits and is cultivated Nowadays, commercial orchards of pomegranate on a commercial scale in Iran. trees are abundantly found in many regions Centers of Pomegranate Distribution and throughout the world, especially in the Cultivation in the World Mediterranean region in which high quality fruits are Pomegranate is a native of Iran and neighboring grown (14). Pomegranate is one of the seven ancient countries. The origin and habitats of pomegranate are edible fruits that have been mentioned in the Bible not yet known, but most botanists believe that the (15). It is a native of Iran, and is widely grown in primary distribution locations of pomegranate are the both arid and semi-arid areas worldwide (16). Caucasus, Mazandaran beaches and the Zagros ranges, Pomegranate has irregular branches, and spiny but it was gradually extended to Central Asia, branches which are found in cold and semi-arid Himalaya, the Middle East, Asia Minor and regions and in tropical regions (17). Mediterranean countries (8). Nowadays, pomegranate Pomegranate is able to grow in the drier climates of is grown in Central Asia from Iran and Turkmenistan California and Arizona. Moreover, it has been to the north of India, and is a native of these areas. cultivated in Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Vavilov maintained that pomegranate origin could be Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Russia, Bangladesh and attributed to the Middle East (14). the Mediterranean region for several millennia (18). The major areas of the natural regeneration of Pomegranate is highly valued in human medicine, pomegranate with regard to climate are the four and its components have a wide range of clinical uses regions of Caspian, Mediterranean, Iran and Turan, (3). The P granatum, which is the predominant and finally the Persian Gulf and Oman. Currently, in species, is cultivated worldwide whereas P. addition to Iran, which has the most pomegranate protopunica is only restricted to the Island of Socotra orchard in the world, pomegranate is found in the (Republic of Yemen) (6). Pomegranate is extensively countries of Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, cultivated in Iran, India, Afghanistan and the Armenia,