Medical Uses and benefits

Adel A. Kader, Ph.D., Professor of Postharvest Physiology, Department of Pomology at the University of California, has conducted research on the phytochemical profile of pomegranates, and states that "our research indicates that the total antioxidant capacity of 100 ml of pomegranate juice is two to three times that of 100 ml of red wine and of 100 ml of green tea. This is due to the higher polyphenols content of pomegranates."

A recently published article, "Antioxidant and eicosanoid enzyme inhibition properties of pomegranate seed oil and fermented juice flavonoids," conducted at Israel's Institute of Technology (J Ethnopharmacol, July 1999) indicates that pomegranates contain flavonoids that are more concentrated than those found in grapes. Researchers examined the enzyme inhibition properties of pomegranate fermented juice and seed oil. The pomegranate fermented juice and cold-pressed seed oil showed strong antioxidant activity close to that of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and green tea, and significantly greater than that of red wine. The investigators showed that pomegranate seed polyphenols possess potent antioxidant and most likely cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory effects as well. If consumed daily over a long period of time, the powerful antioxidants in pomegranates may help to combat cancer, and may also prevent hardening of the arteries.

Other studies show that pomegranate seeds contain a number of flavonoids, including isoflavones with estrogenic capabilities. Flavonoids are part of a wide class of polyphenolic compounds that posses an impressive array of pharmacological activities. Researchers in England are studying the possibility of developing a virucide from pomegranates as a protective anti-viral agent against HIV.

In India, a preliminary study screening for antimicrobial activities of pomegranate seeds shows them to have potent antimicrobial activities against laboratory test organisms Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. While more studies are needed to further investigate the nutritional power of pomegranates, the nutritional significance of this ancient fruit is just beginning to emerge.