Physiological and Immune Functions of Punicalagin.

Eva Venusova,Petr Slama,Adriana Kolesarova,Pavel Horky

doi:10.3390/nu13072150

Abstract

The aim of this publication is to compile a summary of the findings regarding punicalagin in various tissues described thus far in the literature, with an emphasis on the effect of this substance on immune reactions. Punicalagin (PUN) is an ellagitannin found in the peel of pomegranate (Punica granatum). It is a polyphenol with proven antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-atherosclerotic and chemopreventive activities, antiproliferative activity against tumor cells; it inhibits inflammatory pathways and the action of toxic substances, and is highly tolerated. This work describes the source, metabolism, functions and effects of punicalagin, its derivatives and metabolites. Furthermore, its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects are described.

Highlights

As fatty acid synthase (FAS) plays a major role in the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway, these findings suggest that PUN and ellagic acid (EA)
Research in cattle indicates that the intake of large amounts of ellagitannins, especially PUN, was associated with hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity [17,68]
Labieniec et al argued that tannic acids, including tannin, gallic and ellagic acids, could contribute to the formation of single-stranded DNA breaks [70]

Summary

Introduction

There is a growing interest in research regarding the components of pomegranate (Punica granatum) in terms of healthy nutrition and medicine It is used mainly in Asian countries in traditional medicine and has long been considered as a blood tonic [1]. The inclusion of drinking pomegranate juice is associated with health benefits, which can partly reduce inflammatory processes, inhibit and prevent carcinogenesis, alleviate diabetes and promote wound healing via antioxidant activity [3,4,5]. These benefits are attributed to polyphenols, which consist mainly of hydrolyzed tannins [6]. Gil et al [7] state that 87%

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Conclusion