INTRODUCTION:

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a tree belonging to the Punicaceae family with a height around 3 to 6 m. Pomegranates are one of the oldest edible fruits, originating in Central Asia. It has rounded fruit with a dry outer covering (husk) made up of two layers: (1) a hard-outer layer called an epicarp, (2) a soft inner layer called a mesocarp.¹ The inner mesocarp has distinct chambers that contain fleshy seeds.²

This plant's leaves are bright green, elongated, smooth, shiny, and slightly wavy. The flowers are notable for their flared shape and bright orange petals, usually numbering 5 to 8.³

Approximately 26-30% of the pomegranate's total weight is comprised of peels, which are rich in phenolic compounds.⁴ This includes flavonoids, such as anthocyanins, catechins, and complex flavonoids, as well as hydrolyzable tannins like punicalin, and ellagic acid, all of which are highly concentrated in pomegranate peel and juice.⁵

The principal constituents of pomegranate arils include 85% water, 10% total sugars (mainly fructose and glucose), and 1.5% pectin. Furthermore, arils contain organic acids like ascorbic acid, citric acid, and malic acid, as well as bioactive phenolics and flavonoids, with anthocyanins being the primary flavonoid.⁶

Fig. 1: A) Pomegranate fruit, B) pomegranate peel powder, C) pomegranate seeds D) sundried pomegranate peel.

Pomegranates are a nutrient-rich fruit, boasting an array of bioactive compounds, including anthocyanins, flavonoids, tannins, phenolics, proanthocyanidins, sterols, terpenes, and terpenoids. Additionally, they contain organic acids (ascorbic, citric, and malic), sugars (fructose and glucose), pectin, and fatty acids in their seeds. Pomegranates are also a good source of minerals like iron, copper, sodium, magnesium, and zinc.⁷

Traditional medicinal uses: Pomegranate peel has been traditionally used to address various health concerns.⁸ Its aqueous extract, obtained by boiling for 10-40 minutes, treats diarrhea, dysentery, dental plaque, and is used as a douche and enema agent.⁹ Topical application of PoP powder heals bleeding gums and plaque in periodontitis patients. Additionally, PoP is gargled to relieve sore throats and hoarseness.¹⁰ In the Indian Subcontinent, dried PoP, bark, and flower infusions treat diarrhea, intestinal worms, nosebleeds, and ulcers. Hyperacidity is treated with 5-10g of peel powder taken orally two to three times daily.¹¹

· Relieves symptoms of anemia.¹²

· Lower risk of heart attacks and strokes.¹³

· Reduces risk of developing cancer.

· Lowers dental plaque.

· Helps overcome depression.

· Rich in antioxidants.

· Packed with anti-ageing properties.^14,15,16

Fig. 2: Benefits of Pomegranates.

Cultivation of pomegranate:

Table 1: fraction composition of Punica granatum fruit.

Constituents	Concentration
Water (g)	82.5
Food fiber (g)	3.1
Protein (g)	0.7
Lipids (g)	0.6
Carbohydrates(g)	16.7
Fructose	7.9
Sucrose	1
Minerals (mg)
Sodium	7
Potassium	290
Calcium	8
Magnesium	3
Phosphorus	17
Iron	0.5
Vitamins (mg)
Thiamine	0.05
Riboflavin	0.02
Ascorbic acid	7
Organics acid (g)	0.77
Malic acid	0.1
Citric acide	0.5

Phytochemistry of Pomegranate:

Major Phytoconstituents:

· Ellagic Acid

· Flavonoids

· Phenolic Acid (gallic, ferulic)

· Tannins

· Terpenes

Other Bioactive Compounds:

· Alkaloids (Pomegranatin)

· Glycosides

· Saponins

· Sterols (beta-sitosterol)

· Fatty acid (oleic)

· Vitamins (C, E, K)

· Minerals (potassium, Mg)^20,21

Pharmacological Mechanisms:

1. Anticancer activity: Inducing apoptosis, inhibiting cell proliferation.

2. Cardiovascular protection: Improving lipid profiles, reducing blood pressure.

3. Anti-inflammatory activity: Inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines, enzymes.

4. Antioxidant activity: Scavenging free radicals, reducing oxidative stress.²²

Pharmacokinetics:

1. Distribution: Wide distribution, including brain, heart, liver.

2. Metabolism: Hepatic metabolism, primarily through CYP3A4.

3. Excretion: Renal excretion, fecal elimination.

4. Absorption: Bioactive compounds absorbed through gut, skin.²³

Therapeutic Applications:

1. Neurodegenerative disease management.

2. Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial applications.

3. Cardiovascular disease prevention.

4. Cancer prevention and treatment.²⁴

Pomegranate is a rich source of bioactive compounds, including ellagic acid, punicalagins, and anthocyanins. These compounds have been shown to possess anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and pro-apoptotic effects.²⁵

Anti-Cancer Mechanisms:

1. Inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis

2. Anti-angiogenic effects

3. Inhibition of cancer cell invasion and metastasis

4. Modulation of signaling pathways (e.g., NF-κB, PI3K/Akt)²⁶

Anti-Cancer Efficacy:

1. Prostate cancer: Inhibition of tumor growth and reduction of PSA levels

2. Breast cancer: Inhibition of tumor growth and induction of apoptosis

3. Colon cancer: Inhibition of tumor growth and reduction of inflammation

4. Lung cancer: Inhibition of tumor growth and induction of apoptosis.²⁷

Breast Cancer:

Fig. 3: Anti-Cancer Mechanism of Punica granatum and molecular targets.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Breast cancer's increasing global burden and the expanding evidence on natural compounds' benefits motivated this literature review on Punica granatum's (pomegranate) anti-cancer properties.

Chemoprevention:

1. Pomegranate extract supplements

2. Ellagic acid (EA) and punicalagins (PC) extracts

3. Pomegranate juice consumption.²⁹

Therapeutic approaches:

1. Combination therapy with conventional treatments (e.g., chemotherapy, hormone therapy)

2. Targeting specific breast cancer subtypes (e.g., ER+, HER2+)

3. Inhibition of cancer stem cells and metastasis.³⁰

Consistent with previous findings, treatment of human breast cancer cells with pomegranate extract led to dose-dependent growth inhibition and cytotoxicity. This outcome aligns with another study demonstrating that pomegranate seed extract decreased viability and hindered growth of human breast cancer cells.³¹

CONCLUSION:

Our study demonstrates significant antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects on breast cancer cells, highlighting the potential of [Substance/Method] as a therapeutic strategy against breast cancer. These findings warrant further investigation for clinical applications.

This review highlights the potential of pomegranate as a novel adjunctive treatment for breast cancer, demonstrating anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and pro-apoptotic effects.

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Received on 09.10.2024 Revised on 12.11.2024

Accepted on 03.12.2024 Published on 10.03.2025

Available online from March 21, 2025

Research J. Science and Tech. 2025; 17(1):35-40.

DOI: 10.52711/2349-2988.2025.00005

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Creative Commons License.