The bioactivity of pomegranate: impact on health and disease

Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2011 Aug;51(7):626-34. doi: 10.1080/10408391003748100.

Abstract

The aim of the present review is to discuss the cumulative evidence that suggests that pomegranate consumption possesses a diverse array of biological actions and may be helpful in the prevention of some inflammatory-mediated diseases including cancer. The pomegranate fruit can be divided into at least three parts-seeds, peel, and juice. All these components have been studied for their antioxidant properties in a chemoprevention approach. Pomegranate exerts antiproliferative, anti-invasive, and antimetastatic effects, induces apoptosis through modulation of Bcl-2 proteins, increases p21 and p27, and downregulates cyclin-cdk network. In addition, pomegranate inhibits the activation of inflammatory pathways including, but not limited to, the NFκ-B pathway. Anti-cancer effects with the most impressive data have been demonstrated so far in prostate cancer.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anticarcinogenic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Beverages / analysis
  • Chemoprevention
  • Food-Drug Interactions
  • Fruit / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / drug therapy
  • Lythraceae / chemistry*
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anticarcinogenic Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • Plant Extracts