POMEGRANATE SIDE EFFECTS

POMEGRANATE SIDE EFFECTS

NEWS Recently, scientists at the University of Wisconsin tested pomegranate juice
on laboratory cultures of human prostate cancer cells. They found pomegranate
juice might ward off prostate cancer.
The scientists found that pomegranate extracts killed the cancer cells in a
dose-dependent way. The higher the dose of pomegranate juice, the more cancer
cells died. In a study, 24 mice were divided into three groups: one was given
normal water to drink, while the others had their water supplemented with 0.1% or
0.2% of pomegranate juice. The results were dramatic. Cancer progression was
significantly slowed in mice receiving the higher pomegranate dose. Their blood
contained decreased levels of prostate-specific antigen, a marker commonly used
to monitor prostate cancer. [1]

POMEGRANATE HEALTH BENEFITS
Pomegranates [Punica granatum], which are native to the Middle East, are packed
with healthy anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. The potent antioxidant and
anti-atherosclerotic activities of PJ are attributed to its polyphenols including
punicalagin, the major fruit ellagitannin, and ellagic acid. It is also a good source of
ascorbic acid. [11]

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITES
Oxidative damage is related to the development of several chronic diseases, such
as age-related neurodegeneration, carcinogenesis and atherosclerosis.
Pomegranate packed with multiple potent antioxidants may have benefits against
these chronic diseases. [2]
The health benefits attributed to the consumption of Pomegranate and its extracts
are related to their antioxidant activity. Studies have shown the inverse relationship
between the intake of Pomegranate extracts (or its juice) and cardiovascular
diseases. And, this could be related to pomegranate polyphenols' ability to inhibit
low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation, macrophage foam cell formation and
atherosclerosis. [3,6]

Two possible pathways may be involved in the LDL oxidation inhibition: (1) a direct
interaction of the polyphenols with the lipoprotein or/and (2) an indirect effect
through accumulation of polyphenols in arterial macrophages.

Pomegranate juice was shown to mediate suppression of oxidized LDL
degradation and of cholesterol biosynthesis in macrophages can lead to reduce
cellular cholesterol accumulation and foam cell formation. [6] Consequently, dietary
supplementation of polyphenol-rich pomegranate juice to atherosclerotic mice
significantly inhibited the development of atherosclerotic lesions and this may be
attributed to the protection of LDL against oxidation. [3]

A recent research study has also shown that long-term oral administration of
pomegranate flower extract (500 mg kg(-1)) reduces cardiac triglyceride content
and decreases plasma levels of triglyceride and total cholesterol in Zucker diabetic
fatty (ZDF) rats. Pomegranate flower extract exerts this effect probably via inhibition
of increased cardiac FA uptake and oxidation in the diabetic condition. [8]

CORONARY HEART DISEASES
As discussed in previous sections, pomegranate juice or its extracts contain
antioxidants such as soluble polyphenols, tannins, and anthocyanins and may
have benefits on atherosclerosis. Daily consumption of pomegranate juice may
have benefits in patients who have coronary heart diseases. In a double-blind
study, researchers supplied pomegranate juice daily to 45 patients suffered from
coronary heart disease and myocardial ishemia for 3 months. Based on the data of
tomographic scintigraphy, blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c, weight, or blood pressure,
the researchers concluded that pomegranate juice decreased the extent of
stress-induced ischemia. [5]

BLOOD PRESSURE
As discussed, pomegranate juice can offer benefits against cardiovascular
diseases via its anti-oxidant activities. Researchers further found that pomegranate
juice consumption could also reduce the systolic blood pressure of hypertensive
patients. This effect is in a dose-dependent fashion and related to a change of
angiotensin converting enzyme activity. [12]

ANTI-CANCER ACTIVITIES
Researchers have previously reported anticancer effects of pomegranate extracts in
human breast cancer cells in vitro and also anti-cancer activity of pomegranate
fermented juice polyphenols in a mouse mammary organ culture. [13]

In a recent study, at 100 microg/ml, pomegranate juice, ellagic acid, punicalagin
and total pomegranate tannin were found to be able to induce apoptosis in HT-29
colon cells. However, in the HCT116 colon cells, ellagic acid, punicalagin and total
pomegranate tannin but not pomegranate juice induced apoptosis. [7]

ANTI-BACTERIA ACTIVITIES
Pomegranate extracts may have benefits on prevention of certain diseases induced
by bbacterial diseases. Low dose of pomegranate extract concentration was found
to delay Staphylococcus aureus growth, while high doses even eliminated
Staphylococcus aureus growth. [9]

In addition, methanolic pomegranate extracts has been shown to dramatically
enhance the activity of certain antibiotics tested. Researchers evaluated the
synergic activity between pomegranate extracts and antibiotics against 30 clinical
isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-sensitive
Staphylococcus aureus.They detected the synergic activities between pomegranate
extracts and the 5 antibiotics tested, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, ampicillin,
tetracycline, and oxacillin, ranging from 38% to 73%. Pomegranate extracts
increased the post-antibiotic effect of ampicillin from 3 to 7 h. [4]

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REFERENCE
[1] Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Early Edition September
26, 2005. [2] Blomhoff R Antioxidants and oxidative stress Tidsskr Nor
Laegeforen. 2004 Jun 17;124(12):1643-5. [3] Aviram M et al, Pomegranate
juice flavonoids inhibit low-density lipoprotein oxidation and cardiovascular
diseases: studies in atherosclerotic mice and in humans. Drugs Exp Clin Res.
2002;28(2-3):49-62. [4] Braga LC et al, Synergic interaction between
pomegranate extract and antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus. Can J
Microbiol. 2005 Jul;51(7):541-7. [5] Sumner MD et al, Effects of pomegranate
juice consumption on myocardial perfusion in patients with coronary heart
disease. Am J Cardiol. 2005 Sep 15;96(6):810-4. [6] Fuhrman B et al,
Pomegranate juice inhibits oxidized LDL uptake and cholesterol biosynthesis in
macrophages. J Nutr Biochem. 2005 Sep;16(9):570-6. [7] 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. [8] Huang TH et al, Pomegranate flower improves cardiac lipid
metabolism in a diabetic rat model: role of lowering circulating lipids. Br J
Pharmacol. 2005 Jul;145(6):767-74. [9] raga LC et al, Pomegranate extract
inhibits Staphylococcus aureus growth and subsequent enterotoxin production. J
Ethnopharmacol. 2005 Jan 4;96(1-2):335-9. [10] Igea JM et al, Adverse reaction
to pomegranate ingestion. Allergy. 1991 Aug;46(6):472-4. [11] Perez-Vicente A
et al, In vitro gastrointestinal digestion study of pomegranate juice phenolic
compounds, anthocyanins, and vitamin C. J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Apr
10;50(8):2308-12. [12] Aviram M et al, Pomegranate juice consumption inhibits
serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity and reduces systolic blood
pressure. Atherosclerosis. 2001 Sep;158(1):195-8. [13] 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.

In general, pomegranate may be safe. However, side effect or adverse event of pomegranate did happen in the past.
Spanish care-providers presented a non-atopic 85-year-old woman, with a late-onset recidivant tongue angio-edema
due to pomegranate intake. [10]