Title:The Promising Pharmacological Effects and Therapeutic/Medicinal Applications of Punica Granatum L. (Pomegranate) as a Functional Food in Humans and Animals
Volume: 12
Issue: 1
Author(s): Muhammad Saeed, Muhammad Naveed, Jannat BiBi, Asghar A. Kamboh, Muhammad A. Arain, Qurban A. Shah, Mahmoud Alagawany, Mohamed E. A. El-Hack, Mervat A. Abdel-Latif, Mohd. I. Yatoo, Ruchi Tiwari, Sandip Chakraborty and Kuldeep Dhama*
Affiliation:
- Division of Pathology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243 122, Uttar Pradesh,India
Keywords:
Animal, human, medicinal aspects, nutritional value, performance, pharmacological effects, Punica granatum L.
Abstract: Background: Punica granatum L. (pomegranate), is a shrub mostly available in the Mediterranean
Sea region. The fruits have gained the substantial attention among researchers due to their promising
biological activities including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antidiarrheal, immune modulatory, antitumor,
wound healing and antifungal that have been attributed to various constituents of seeds, bark, juice, pericarp,
and leaf of this tree across the globe. The phenolic compounds of pomegranate have been documented to
possess numbers of prophylactic and therapeutic utilities against various pathological infections as well as
non-infectious disorders.
Objective: The current review expedites the pharmacological role of Punica granatum L. in curing elements
related to infectious and non-infectious disorders.
Methods: The current review is based on literature and patents already available on various scientific databases
highlighting the role of Punica granatum along with its therapeutic potentials against infectious and
non-infectious disorders. The databases included under study were PubMed, Med line, PubMed Central, Science
Direct and few other scientific databases. The information obtained through these diverse databases is
compiled, critically interpreted and presented in the current study.
Results: Multi-dimensional beneficial application of pomegranate plant is recorded. The pomegranate seed oil
has phytoestrogenic compounds and the fruit is rich in phenolic compounds with strong antioxidant activity. The
fruit and bark of pomegranate are used against intestinal parasites, dysentery, and diarrhea in different animals
and human models. Since the ancient time the juice and seeds had considered the best therapy for throat and
heart disorders. Ellagic acid is one of the main components of pomegranate with potent antioxidant activity.
Results from different studies reported that Punica granatum L or its byproducts can be used as natural food
additives in human and animal nutrition in order to boost immunity, microbial safety and provide the housing
environment without affecting body weight gain. In addition, Punica granatum L. byproducts can modulate
immune function and gut microbiota of broiler chickens as well as reduce the odorous gas emissions from excreta.
Naturally occurring polyphenols in a pomegranate can be a potential alternative medicine for the prevention
of avian Colibacillosis diseases and can also be used as an intestine astringent to relieve diarrhea and enteritis
in chickens.
Conclusion: The present review gives the insight towards major components of pomegranate as well as their
pharmacological activities against pathological disorders. In spite of many beneficial properties of Punica
granatum L., more research evidence on a molecular basis is needed to find out the molecular mechanism of
action in various animals and human models to validate the usefulness of Punica granatum L. as a potent
therapeutic agent.
