Vol. 7, Issue 10 (2018)

Author(s):
Nishant Kumar, Neeraj and Shiv Kumar

Abstract:
India has the largest production of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) in the world. It is an ancient fruit with excellent biological properties such as flavor, nutritional value, and pharmacological properties. It is very potential for processing and value addition, due to its attractive properties. It was traditionally used in folk medicine to eliminate various diseases such as dysentery, ulcers, haemorrhage, diarrhea, aphthae, microbial infections, acidosis, and respiratory pathologies. The edible part (arils) of pomegranate is a good source of polysaccharide, vitamins, fatty acids, minerals, organic acid, soluble solid, dietary fibers, anthocyanin’s, vitamin C, phenolic and tannin biological compounds. The pomegranate and its derivatives have excellent properties for preventing various diseases such as prostate cancer, hypertension, infectious diseases, heart disease, and atherosclerosis. The ellagitannin (Polyphenol) are widely used in the pharmaceutical sector for plastic surgery, they inhibit inflammatory markers such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). They have potential health benefits for human due to its anti-mutagenic, antioxidative, anti-hypertension and pharmacological activities. They have functional properties such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-hepatotoxic and anti-diabetes. They also help to improve skin and cardiovascular health effect, sperm quality, and prevention of Alzheimer's disease. They have higher antioxidant properties as compared to grapes/cranberry, green tea, red wine, grapefruit, and orange juice. This review congregates the functional and medicinal properties of pomegranate and its derivative.