The Relationship Between Pomegranate Phytochemicals, Their Metabolites,

Introduction The pomegranate fruit has become popularized across the United States due to health benefit claims.[1] With the introduction of new products entering the food system, it is important to determine if the phytochemicals touted for their health benefits, due in fact impact physical health in a positive manner.[2] The known phytochemicals found in the pomegranate fruit have been proven to have benefits, but it has not been well studied if the compounds themselves produce the benefits, or if their metabolites formed in the gut are responsible for its several health claims. This review intends to clarify what happens to the pomegranate compounds once it is in the digestive system and how they interact with gut micro biota. The focus of this paper will be the benefits of the pomegranate fruit in local gut inflammation and whole body inflammation. Pomegranate The pomegranate, Punica granatum L is the predominant member of two species comprising the Punicaceae family.[2] The pomegranate tree typically grows 12-16 feet, has many spiny branches, and can be extremely long lived, as evidenced by trees at Versailles, France, known to be over 200 years old.[2] The flowers are large, red, white, or variegated and have a tubular calyx that eventually becomes the fruit. The ripe pomegranate fruit can be up to five inches wide with a deep red, leathery skin, is grenade-shaped, and crowed by the pointed calyx. The fruit contains many seeds (arils) separated by white, membranous pericarp, and each is surrounded by small amounts of tart, red juice. The pomegranate is native from the Himalayas in northern India to Iran but has been cultivated and naturalized since ancient times over the entire Mediterranean region. The tree is also cu... ...ation of the microbial ecology of the human colon by probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics to enhance human health: an overview of enabling science and potential applications. FEMS Microbiol Ecol, 2005. 52(2): p. 145-52. 10. Lee, K.W. and H.J. Lee, The roles of polyphenols in cancer chemoprevention. Biofactors, 2006. 26(2): p. 105-21. 11. Schubert, S.Y., E.P. Lansky, and I. Neeman, Antioxidant and eicosanoid enzyme inhibition properties of pomegranate seed oil and fermented juice flavonoids. J Ethnopharmacol, 1999. 66(1): p. 11-7. 12. Ahmed, S., et al., Punica granatum L. extract inhibits IL-1beta-induced expression of matrix metalloproteinases by inhibiting the activation of MAP kinases and NF-kappaB in human chondrocytes in vitro. J Nutr, 2005. 135(9): p. 2096-102. 13. ; Available from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/inflammatory-bowel-disease/DS01195.