General

Scientific Names: Punica granatum L.

Common Names: Shi Liu, An Shi Liu, Xi Liu, Shui Jing Liu.

 

BOTANICAL:

来 源： 为石榴科植物石榴Punica granatum L.的果实。

植物特征： 落叶灌木或小乔木，高2～7m。小枝常具四棱，顶端多为刺状。叶对生或丛生，倒卵形至长椭圆形长2.5～6cm，宽1～1.8cm，先端尖或微凹，基部渐 狭，全缘；具短柄。花1～数朵，集生于枝顶，红色；花萼常6裂，革质，宿存；花瓣6，皱缩；雄蕊多数；子房下位或半下位。果实球形，果皮革质，熟时黄色或 红色，内具薄隔膜。种子多数，外种皮肉质酸甜可食。花期5～6月，果期7～8月。

生药材鉴定： 不规则的片状或瓢状，大小不一，厚1.5～3mm。外表面红棕色、棕黄色或暗棕色，略有光泽，粗糙，有多数疣状突起。有的有突起的筒状宿萼及粗短果梗或果梗痕。内表面黄色或红棕色，有隆起呈网状的果蒂残痕。质硬而脆，断面黄色，略显颗粒状。无臭，味苦涩。

 

 

 

Pharmacology

化学成分: 含石榴皮素（granatin）、白桦脂酸（betulic acid）、熊果酸（ursolic acid）、异槲皮甙（isoquercitrin）等。

 

 

 

Efficacy

Phytochemicals from fruits such as the pomegranate (Punica granatum L) may inhibit cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis through the modulation of cellular transcription factors and signaling proteins. In previous studies, pomegranate juice (PJ) and its ellagitannins inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in HT-29 colon cancer cells. The present study examined the effects of PJ on inflammatory cell signaling proteins in the HT-29 human colon cancer cell line. At a concentration of 50 mg/L PJ significantly suppressed TNFalpha-induced COX-2 protein expression by 79% (SE = 0.042), total pomegranate tannin extract (TPT) 55% (SE = 0.049), and punicalagin 48% (SE = 0.022). Additionally, PJ reduced phosphorylation of the p65 subunit and binding to the NFkappaB response element 6.4-fold. TPT suppressed NFkappaB binding 10-fold, punicalagin 3.6-fold, whereas ellagic acid (EA) (another pomegranate polyphenol) was ineffective. PJ also abolished TNFalpha-induced AKT activation, needed for NFkappaB activity. Therefore, the polyphenolic phytochemicals in the pomegranate can play an important role in the modulation of inflammatory cell signaling in colon cancer cells. (source)

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruits are widely consumed as juice (PJ). The potent antioxidant and anti-atherosclerotic activities of PJ are attributed to its polyphenols including punicalagin, the major fruit ellagitannin, and ellagic acid (EA). Punicalagin is the major antioxidant polyphenol ingredient in PJ. Punicalagin, EA, a standardized total pomegranate tannin (TPT) extract and PJ were evaluated for in vitro antiproliferative, apoptotic and antioxidant activities. Punicalagin, EA and TPT were evaluated for antiproliferative activity at 12.5-100 microg/ml on human oral (KB, CAL27), colon (HT-29, HCT116, SW480, SW620) and prostate (RWPE-1, 22Rv1) tumor cells. Punicalagin, EA and TPT were evaluated at 100 microg/ml concentrations for apoptotic effects and at 10 microg/ml concentrations for antioxidant properties. However, to evaluate the synergistic and/or additive contributions from other PJ phytochemicals, PJ was tested at concentrations normalized to deliver equivalent amounts of punicalagin (w/w). Apoptotic effects were evaluated against the HT-29 and HCT116 colon cancer cell lines. Antioxidant effects were evaluated using inhibition of lipid peroxidation and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assays. Pomegranate juice showed greatest antiproliferative activity against all cell lines by inhibiting proliferation from 30% to 100%. At 100 microg/ml, PJ, EA, punicalagin and TPT induced apoptosis in HT-29 colon cells. However, in the HCT116 colon cells, EA, punicalagin and TPT but not PJ induced apoptosis. The trend in antioxidant activity was PJ>TPT>punicalagin>EA. The superior bioactivity of PJ compared to its purified polyphenols illustrated the multifactorial effects and chemical synergy of the action of multiple compounds compared to single purified active ingredients. (source)

IN VITRO:

  1. Malik A, et al., Prostate cancer prevention through pomegranate fruit. Cell Cycle. 2006 Feb; 5(4):371-3. Epub 2006 Feb 15.
  2. Adams LS, et al., Pomegranate juice, total pomegranate ellagitannins, and punicalagin suppress inflammatory cell signaling in colon cancer cells. J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Feb 8; 54(3):980-5.
  3. Malik A, et al., Pomegranate fruit juice for chemoprevention and chemotherapy of prostate cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Oct 11; 102(41):14813-8. Epub 2005 Sep 28.
  4. Seeram NP, et al., In vitro antiproliferative, apoptotic and antioxidant activities of punicalagin, ellagic acid and a total pomegranate tannin extract are enhanced in combination with other polyphenols as found in pomegranate juice. J Nutr Biochem. 2005 Jun; 16(6):360-7.
  5. Lansky EP, et al., Pomegranate (Punica granatum) pure chemicals show possible synergistic inhibition of human PC-3 prostate cancer cell invasion across Matrigel. Invest New Drugs. 2005 Mar; 23(2):121-2. Erratum in: Invest New Drugs. 2005 Aug; 23(4):379.
  6. Lansky EP, et al., Possible synergistic prostate cancer suppression by anatomically discrete pomegranate fractions. Invest New Drugs. 2005 Jan; 23(1):11-20.
  7. Afaq F, et al., Pomegranate fruit extract modulates UV-B-mediated phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and activation of nuclear factor kappa B in normal human epidermal keratinocytes paragraph sign. Photochem Photobiol. 2005 Jan-Feb; 81(1):38-45.
  8. Albrecht M, et al., Pomegranate extracts potently suppress proliferation, xenograft growth, and invasion of human prostate cancer cells. J Med Food. 2004 Fall; 7(3):274-83.
  9. Kawaii S, et al., Differentiation-promoting activity of pomegranate (Punica granatum) fruit extracts in HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells. J Med Food. 2004 Spring; 7(1):13-8.
  10. Toi M, et al., Preliminary studies on the anti-angiogenic potential of pomegranate fractions in vitro and in vivo. Angiogenesis. 2003; 6(2):121-8.
  11. van Elswijk DA, et al., Rapid dereplication of estrogenic compounds in pomegranate (Punica granatum) using on-line biochemical detection coupled to mass spectrometry. Phytochemistry. 2004 Jan; 65(2):233-41.
  12. Burton A. Chemoprevention: eat ginger, rub on pomegranate. Lancet Oncol. 2003 Dec; 4(12):715.
  13. Longtin R. The pomegranate: nature's power fruit? J Natl Cancer Inst. 2003 Mar 5; 95(5):346-8.
  14. Kim ND, et al., Chemopreventive and adjuvant therapeutic potential of pomegranate (Punica granatum) for human breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2002 Feb; 71(3):203-17.

IN VIVO:

  1. Mehta R, et al., Breast cancer chemopreventive properties of pomegranate (Punica granatum) fruit extracts in a mouse mammary organ culture. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2004 Aug; 13(4):345-8.
  2. Afaq F, et al., Anthocyanin- and hydrolyzable tannin-rich pomegranate fruit extract modulates MAPK and NF-kappaB pathways and inhibits skin tumorigenesis in CD-1 mice. Int J Cancer. 2005 Jan 20; 113(3):423-33.
  3. Kohno H, Pomegranate seed oil rich in conjugated linolenic acid suppresses chemically induced colon carcinogenesis in rats. Cancer Sci. 2004 Jun; 95(6):481-6.
  4. Toi M, et al., Preliminary studies on the anti-angiogenic potential of pomegranate fractions in vitro and in vivo. Angiogenesis. 2003; 6(2):121-8.
  5. Hora JJ, et al., Chemopreventive effects of pomegranate seed oil on skin tumor development in CD1 mice. J Med Food. 2003 Fall; 6(3):157-61.


 

 

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