Pomegranate

Botanical Name: Punica granatum
Family: Punicaceae
Common Names: Pomegranate, apple with many seeds, shi liu

Pomegranate has been associated with fertility, used to purge parasites and is even believed to be the "apple" Eve ate in the Bible. The ancient Greeks used it to prevent pregnancy and today's herbalists prize it for its potential anti-cancer benefits. Truly, this "apple of many seeds" is also an "apple of many uses".

Native to a large Middle-Eastern area encompassing modern-day Iran, Syria and Afghanistan, pomegranate is a small tree with glossy leaves and thick-skinned fruits full of seeds and juicy pulp. Today, pomegranate is commercially cultivated throughout the region and even into China, India and parts of Africa.

Archeological evidence from Israel suggests that pomegranate has been cultivated for more than 5,000 years and records from Sumaria record this practice to more than 3,000 years ago. By 1500 BCE, at least some of pomegranate's potential medicinal benefits were recognized. The Ebers Papyrus tells us that even that long ago, pomegranate concoctions were used to purge worms.

Traditional Medical Uses for Pomegranate

Much of what we know about pomegranate's use in traditional healing system has to do with its role in birth control. By 200 CE, texts discussing the use of pomegranate as a contraceptive were widely distributed by Greek physicians. Even today, pomegranate preparations are still used in some rural areas of Africa and Asia.

Pomegranate in Native American Healing

In preparation for this article, we could find no reliable evidence that Native healers in the Americas knew of or used pomegranate.

Pomegranate in Ayurveda

Ayurveda knows pomegranate as dadima, and regards it as an astringent herb. Various pomegranate preparations are taken orally, used as a wash and even inserted into the rectum to ease the discomfort of hemorrhoids.

Other conditions for which pomegranate is used in Ayurveda include worms, sore throat, "pink eye", lung conditions and digestive upsets. Pomegranate is considered astringent, bitter and cooling. Sweet varieties of pomegranate are used to alleviate all doshas while the sour varieties may aggravate Pitta.

Pomegranate in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In Chinese herbalism, pomegranate is known as shi liu. Dr. Henry Lu explains that sweet varieties of pomegranate are used to "produce fluids" and quench thirst. Pomegranate is a remedy for dry throats and chronic diarrhea.

Pomegranate in Traditional European Herbalism

European physician and herbalist Nicholas Culpepper mentioned pomegranate extensively in his writings and it's clear that he used both the leaves and the fruits in his practice. He called pomegranate "cold in the second degree" and placed it under the sign of Mercury.

Culpepper, like his herbal predecessors, knew of pomegranate's potential as a contraceptive and used it accordingly. He also used it to cure "ulcers in the mouth and throat" and to "fasten teeth".

Pomegranate in Modern Herbalism

Until very recently, pomegranate was used mainly as an anti-parasitic--if it was even used at all in American herbalism. But this may change in the coming years as our understanding of pomegranate's role as an antioxidant and a potential cancer fighter become clearer.

Serious Medical Studies on Pomegranate

If you're like most Americans, pomegranate is probably somewhat unfamiliar to you. So it may surprise you to learn that there have actually been several serious studies of pomegranate's potential health benefits.

Liver Fibrosis

A 2007 study in the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology found that an extract made from pomegranate peels reduced fibrosis and oxidative damage to the livers of laboratory animals.

Stroke Recovery

Regular consumption of pomegranate juice may also help prevent brain damage resulting from a stroke. One of the most interesting studies of this was a 2007 study from the Washington School of Medicine in St. Louis. When expectant rats were given pomegranate juice in their drinking waters, their offspring enjoyed a neuroprotective effect following brain injuries due to stroke.

Anti-Cancer Potential

In recent years, pomegranate has attracted much attention as an alternative treatment for some types of cancer. One of the most recent studies looking at pomegranate's potential anti-cancer properties was a 2007 paper which detailed the chemopreventive actions of pomegranate juice in rats with lung cancer.

Anti-Parasitic Activities

Pomegranate has long been used to expel parasites, especially worms, and a number of studies have confirmed that pomegranate may indeed have anti-parasitic properties. One of the most recent studies is a 2007 study from Mississippi that found that pomegranate juice demonstrated anti-microbial actions against a number of "germs" including staph, candida, E. coli and even the parasite that causes malaria.

Prostate Health

Studies done in 2005 and 2006 suggest that pomegranate products, particularly juice, may help some men better manage their PSA levels. Some studies have suggested that regular consumption of pomegranate may slow or even arrest tumor growth and significantly slow PSA doubling time. These studies have been extremely promising but they are preliminary.

Safety Issue

Like many herbs, pomegranate hasn't been exhaustively studied for long-term safety, particularly in supplement form. Animal studies looking at various pomegranate preparations suggest that pomegranate may be safe even in relatively high "doses" but researchers are quick to call for more study to confirm this.


References:

American Herbal Products Association. (2000). Herbs of Commerce.

Foster, S., Johnson, R. (2006). Desk Reference to Nature's Medicine.

Frawley, D., (2000). Ayurvedic Healing.

Frawley, D., Lad, V. (2001). The Yoga of Herbs.

Lu, H. (1994). Chinese Natural Cures.

Culpepper, N. (1653). The Complete Herbal.

Toklu, H., et al. (2007). Pomegranate peel extract prevents liver fibrosis in biliary-obstructed rats.

West, T., et al. (2007). Pomegranate polyphenols and resveratrol protect the neonatal brain against hypoxic-ischemic injury.

Reddy, M., et al. (2007). Antioxidant, antimalarial and antimicrobial activities of tannin-rich fractions, ellagitannins and phenolic acids from Punica granatum L.

Khan, N., et al. (2007). Oral consumption of pomegranate fruit extract inhibits growth and progression of primary lung tumors in mice.

Cerda, B., et al. (2003). Repeated oral administration of high doses of the pomegranate ellagitannin punicalagin to rats for 37 days is not toxic.

Pantuck, A., et al. (2006). Phase II study of pomegranate juice for men with rising prostate-specific antigen following surgery or radiation for prostate cancer.