Biblical times
Michael J. O’Dowd in The History of Medications for Women, 2020
The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is an Oriental fruit much cultivated in warm countries. It takes its name from the Latin pomum, apple, and granatum, having many grains or seeds. ‘Punic’ refers to ancient Carthage (Latin punicus or poeni, the Carthaginians) and the ‘Punic apple’ was the pomegranate. The first reference to pomegranate in the Bible is found in Exodus 28: 33–34: A golden bell [a pomegranate flower] and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about’. The Lord here commanded Moses that the skirts of the priestly robes, or ephods, should be embroidered in blue, purple and scarlet in imitation of the flowers and fruit of the pomegranate. In The Song of Solomon there are a number of references to the pomegranate, one of which relates to the perceived aphrodisiac qualities of the plant: ‘How beautiful you are my love ... let us [see] ... whether the pomegranates are come into flower; there will I give you my love’ (7: 6–12).
Integrative Nutritional Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease
Mary J. Marian, Gerard E. Mullin in Integrating Nutrition Into Practice, 2017
Pomegranate, a tree-born fruit that shines red like a faceted ruby, has long been cultivated throughout the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and the Indian subcontinent. Rich in antioxidant compounds, including ellagic acid, preliminary human studies suggest relatively small “doses” of pomegranate juice, that is, 2–6 oz/day, have cardiovascular health benefits, including blood pressure lowering, reducing LDL oxidation, lowered cholesterol, increasing coronary artery perfusion, and perhaps reducing carotid intima media thickness [133–138]. In the earliest trials, Aviram et al. evaluated pomegranate juice was investigated for blood pressure lowering properties and for reducing LDL oxidation. There early short-term results suggested pomegranate juice lowered systolic blood pressure via ACE inhibitor activity [133]. After 1 year of pomegranate juice, blood pressure was reduced 12%, LDL oxidation was reduced by 90%, carotid intima media thickness (IMT) reduced by 30% (compared to the control group which increased by 9%), and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity, an enzyme that assists with reducing LDL oxidation, was increased by 83% [134]. Pomegranate juice has also been shown to reduce LDL-c in patients with diabetes, without negative effect on blood sugar [136]. Most post exciting, pomegranate juice consumed at 8 oz/day for just 3 months increased coronary perfusion measured by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) testing in participants with established coronary artery disease [138].
Nutrition and Nutraceutical Supplements for the Treatment of Hypertension
Stephen T. Sinatra, Mark C. Houston in Nutritional and Integrative Strategies in Cardiovascular Medicine, 2015
Pomegranate juice is rich in tannins and has numerous other properties that improve vascular health and reduces SBP by 5%–12%. 305,306 A study of 51 healthy subjects given 330 mg/day of pomegranate juice showed reduction in BP of 3.14/2.33 mmHg (p < .001).306 Pomegranate juice also suppresses the postprandial increase in SBP following a high-fat meal.306 Pomegranate juice reduces serum ACE activity by 36% and has antiatherogenic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects.305,306 Pomegranate juice at 50 mL/day reduced carotid IMT by 30% over 1 year; increased PON by 83% ; decreased oxLDL by 59%–90% ; decreased antibodies to oxLDL by 19% ; increased total antioxidant status by 130% ; reduced TGF-β; increased catalase, SOD, and GPx; increased eNOS and NO; and improved endothelial function.305–306 Pomegranate juice works like an ACEI.
An insight into the neuroprotective effects and molecular targets of pomegranate (Punica granatum
) against Alzheimer’s disease
Published in Nutritional Neuroscience, 2023
Namy George, Majed AbuKhader, Khalid Al Balushi, Bushra Al Sabahi, Shah Alam Khan
Pomegranate, biologically known as Punica granatum, belongs to the family of Punicaceae and is known for its wide array of pharmacological properties [5]. It is mostly grown in calcareous and alkaline soil. The origin of this fruit is Iran, but it is also spread in some regions of India, Pakistan, the Middle East and the Mediterranean area. In the present era, pomegranate is cultivated in different parts of the world. There are only two species of pomegranate available; Punica granatum which is edible and Punica protopunica, which is inedible. Punica protopunica is found in the Socotra islands in the Pacific Ocean. In ancient history before scientific exploration of the pharmacological properties of pomegranate, the fruit was honored as sacred in most of the major religions of the world [6,7].
Modern pediatric formulations of the soft candies in the form of a jelly: determination of metoclopramide content and dissolution
Published in Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, 2020
Sofia G. Karaiskou, Maria G. Kouskoura, Catherine K. Markopoulou
When preparing a formulation that would be acceptable by children, it was vital to consider adding a coloring agent in the soft jelly. Still, according to European Medicines Agency guidelines on pharmaceutical development for pediatric use (Commitee P 2013), coloring agents should be avoided unless they are completely necessary. Therefore, although a coloring agent was not used for this preparation, the color of the formulation was achieved by adding an amount of pomegranate juice. Several methods have been reported for the extraction of pomegranate (Boggia et al. 2016). However, it was considered preferable to use fresh pomegranate juice which was prepared by two pomegranates whose seeds were squeezed and their fresh juice was then collected. The benefits of pomegranate to health are numerous (Zarfeshany et al. 2014), while it is considered essential for the prevention and the treatment of cancer (Sharma et al. 2017).
Combination of pomegranate extract and curcumin ameliorates thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis in rats: impact on TGF-β/Smad3 and NF-κB signaling pathways
Published in Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods, 2020
Ayah M. H. Gowifel, Mona G. Khalil, Somaia A. Nada, Sanaa A. Kenawy, Kawkab A. Ahmed, Maha M. Salama, Marwa M. Safar
Conventional or synthetic drugs used in the management of liver diseases have serious adverse effects, especially when administered chronically (Hasan et al. 2016). Therefore, the use of natural agents in ameliorating both oxidative stress and inflammation has been proposed as a mainstream choice to counteract liver diseases (Nada et al. 2015; Li et al. 2016). Besides, several lines of evidence suggested that natural polyphenolic compounds possess marked free radical scavenging, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties (Karimi-Khouzani et al. 2017; Ibrahim et al. 2018). Curcumin is a polyphenolic compound that is found in turmeric (Curcuma longa). Curcumin has several beneficial effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic activities (El-Agamy 2010). Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) has been extensively used in folk medicine. It constitutes high amounts of phenolic compounds, including flavonoids (anthocyanins, catechins, and other complex flavonoids), and hydrolyzable tannins (ellagic acid, punicalin, corilagin, pedunculagin, and gallic acid) (Ismail et al. 2012; Middha et al. 2013). Pomegranate extract (PE) shows superior effects to those of its single constituents possibly due to the synergistic action of its polyphenolic constituents (Ahmed et al. 2014). These bioactive compounds possess diverse biological activities, such as quenching of ROS, and minimizing the risk of chronic diseases, such as cancers and cardiovascular disorders (Mphahlele et al. 2016; Wang et al. 2018). Pomegranate has attracted immense attention for its diverse beneficial effects, including antioxidant, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory activities (Husain et al. 2018).
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