Extraction of bioactive compounds from pomegranate: A review

Abstract

Increasing demands for health-promoting compounds originated from natural sources have led to a surge of interest in studies in the field of extraction and purification of such components to be used in the formulations of value-added foods. Pomegranate is a rich source for mining biologically active or bioactive ingredients such as phenolic compounds, tannins, and anthocyanins. These compounds have various bioactivities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. However, extraction and purification of such compounds from different parts of the pomegranate as efficiently as possible is a challenging task usually carried out by solvent extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and ultrasound-assisted extraction techniques. Therefore, in the present study, first the bioactive compounds of pomegranate are highlighted and then common methods used to extract them are reviewed.