• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10345-10350
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• 2015

Background: Punica granatum (family: Lythraceae) is mainly found in Iran, which is considered to be its primary centre of origin. Studies on pomegranate peel have revealed antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenesis activities, with prevention of premature aging and reducing inflammation. In addition to this it is also useful in treating various diseases like diabetes, maintaining blood pressure and treatment of neoplasms such as prostate and breast cancer. Objectives: In this study we identified anti-cancer targets of active compounds like corilagin (tannins), quercetin (flavonoids) and pseudopelletierine (alkaloids) present in pomegranate peel by employing dual reverse screening and binding analysis. Materials and Methods: The potent targets of the pomegranate peel were annotated by the PharmMapper and ReverseScreen 3D, then compared with targets identified from different Bioassay databases (NPACT and HIT's). Docking was then further employed using AutoDock pyrx and validated through discovery studio for studying molecular interactions. Results: A number of potent anti-cancerous targets were attained from the PharmMapper server according to their fit score and from ReverseScreen 3D server according to decreasing 3D scores. Conclusion: The identified targets now need to be further validated through in vitro and in vivo studies.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1328-1332
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• 2005

In the course of screening for anti-dementia agents from natural products, two $\beta$-secretase (BACE1) inhibitors were isolated from the husk of pomegranate (Punica granatum) by activity-guided purification. They were identified as ellagic acid and punicalagin with $IC_{50}$ values of 3.9 $\times$$10^{-6}$ and 4.1$\times$$10^{-7}$ M and Ki values of 2.4$\times$$10^{-5}$and 5.9$\times$$10^{-7}$ M, respectively. The compounds were non-competitive inhibitors with a substrate in the Dixon plot. Ellagic acid and punicalagin were less inhibitory to $\alpha$-secretase (TACE) and other serine proteases such as chymotrypsin, trypsin, and elastase, thus indicating that they were relatively specific inhibitors of BACE1.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2001.10b
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• pp.19-19
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• 2001

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.140.1-140.1
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• 2000

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.53-64
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• 2010

A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled human intervention study involving 58 menopause women was performed to investigate the effect of pomegranate extracts on menopausal symptoms. The volunteers were randomly distributed into two groups, one taking pomegranate extracts (1.5 g/day) and the other being a placebo by taking oral administration for 8 weeks. The results from this study showed that duration of hot flush and sweating were significantly decreased by taking pomegranate extracts. In addition, menopausal rating scales and the Kuppermann index were significantly decreased in pomegranate extract taking group. This result suggests a possibility that pomegranate extracts can be helpful for menopause women.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.5697-5701
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• 2015

Background: Medicinal plants, especially examples rich in polyphenolic compounds, have been suggested to be chemopreventive on account of antioxidative properties. Punica granatum (PG) (pomegranate) is a well known fruit in this context, but its cytotoxicity in cancer cells has not been extensively studied. Here, we investigated the antiproliferative properties of a peel extract of PG from Iran in different human cancer cells. Materials and Methods: A methanolic extract of pomegranate peel (PPE) was prepared. Total phenolic content(TPC) and total flavonoid conetnt (TFC) were determined by colorimetric assays. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH radical scavenging activity. The cytotoxicity of different doses of PPE (0, 5, 20, 100, 250, 500, $1000{\mu}g/ml$) was evaluated by MTT assays with A549 (lung non small cell cancer), MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), SKOV3 (ovarian cancer), and PC-3 (prostate adenocarcinoma) cells. Results: Significant (P<0.01) or very significant (P<0.0001) differences were observed in comparison with negative controls at all tested doses (5-$1000{\mu}g/ml$). In all studied cancer cells, PPE reduced the cell viability to values below 40%, even at the lowest doses. In all cases, IC50 was determined at doses below $5{\mu}g/ml$. In this regard, MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells were the most responsive cells to antiprolifreative effects of PPE with a maximum mean growth inhibition of 81.0% vs. 69.4%, 79.3% and 77.5% in SKOV3, PC-3 and A549 cells, respectively. Conclusions: Low doses of PPE exert potent anti-proliferative effects in different human cancer cells and it seems that MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells are the most cells and SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells the least responsive in this regard. However, the mechanisms of action need to be addressed.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.119-121
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• 2006

Anthracnose of pomegranate (Punica granatum) caused by Colletotrichum acutatum was observed in the exhibition field at Hamyang-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services, and in farmer's orchard at Gaheo-myon, Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongnam province, Korea. The pathogen generally attacks on the fruits and induces dark lesion and rotting. The infected fruits were mostly dropped or mummified. The color of colonies of the pathogenic fungus grown on potato dextrose agar was pinkish gray. Conidia were fusiform in shape and was $8{\sim}16{\times}3{\sim}4{\mu}m$ in size. Appressoria were pale to dark brown in color, clavate in shape and was $8{\sim}12{\times}4{\sim}6{\mu}m$ in size. Optimum temperature for mycelial growth was $25^{\circ}C$. Pathogenicity of the causal organism was proved according to Koch's postulate. On the basis of mycological characteristics and pathogenicity test on fruit, the fungus was identified as Colletotrichum acutatum. This is the first report on the anthracnose of pomegranate caused by C. acutatum in Korea.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.31 no.2 s.51
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• pp.207-212
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• 2005

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) which is very rich in Polyphenols and tannins was recently reported its anti-oxidant activities and phytoestrogenic activities in vivo test and many clinical studies, but the effects of them on the skin have not been reported. The experiments were tarried out in vitro to determine anti-oxidant activities of pomegranate extracts on DPPH radical scavenging assay, NBT/Xanthine Oxidase-superoxide scavenging assay, silica-induced intracellular $H_2O_2$, hydroperoxide and superoxide generation assay in RAW 264.7 cells. It showed that the methanolic extract of dried pomegranate peels have the most significant anti-oxidant activities on free radical scavenging assay and inhibitory activities on silica-induced intracellular free radical generation in RAW 264.7 cells. The concentrated juice of pomegranate showed only DPPH radical scavenging activities and inhibited hyaluronidase activity. Moreover, pomegranate seed oil inhibited specially silica-induced intracellular hydroperoxide generation in RAW 264.7 cells. These results suggest that the methanolic extract of dried pomegranate peels and pomegranate seed oil have more anti-oxidant activity than concentrated juice of pomegranate. Thus the extracts of pomegranate peels and seed oil could be developed cosmetic ingredients for anti-aging.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1119-1122
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• 2016

Background: Punica granatum (PG) has been demonstrated to possess antitumor effects on various types of cancer cells. In this study, we determined antiproliferative properties of a seed extract of PG (PSE) from Iran in different human cancer cells. Materials and Methods: A methanolic extract of pomegranate seeds was prepared. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were assessed by colorimetric assays. Antioxidant activity was determined with reference to DPPH radical scavenging activity. The cytotoxicity of different doses of PSE (0, 5, 20, 100, 250, 500, $1000{\mu}g/ml$) was evaluated by MTT assays with A549 (lung non small cell carcinoma), MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), SKOV3 (ovarian cancer cells), and PC-3 (prostate adenocarcinoma) cells. Results: Significant (P<0.01) or very significant (P<0.0001) differences were observed in comparison to negative controls at all tested doses ($5-1000{\mu}g/ml$). In all studied cancer cells, PSE reduced the cell viability to values below 23%, even at the lowest doses. In all cases, IC50 was determined at doses below $5{\mu}g/ml$. In this regard, SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells were the most responsive to antiproliferative effects of PSE with a maximum mean growth inhibition of 86.8% vs. 82.8%, 81.4% and 80.0% in MCF-7, PC-3 and A549 cells, respectively. Conclusions: Low doses of PSE exert potent antiproliferative effects on different human cancer cells SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells as most and A549 cells ar least responsive regarding cytotoxic effects. However, the mechanisms of action need to be addressed.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.553-559
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to determine the content of phenolics and various anthocyanin compounds, and antioxidant and anticancer activities of the extracts from pomergranates, which were produced in two different regions including Goheung, Korea and California, USA. These pomergrantes were divided into juice, pericarp, and seed parts and each part was extracted with 95% methanol. Content of total phenolics [mg chlorogenic acid equivalents/kg DW] was highest in pericarp, followed by juice and seeds from pomergrantes in both regions. The anthocyanins identified in pomegranate fruit were cyanidin-3,5-diglucoside chloride (Cy3,5G), cyanidin-3-O-glucoside chloride (Cy3G), delphini din-3,5-di-O-glucoside chloride (Dp3,5G), delphinidin-3-O-glucoside chloride (Dp3G), pelargonidin-3,5-di-glucoside chloride (Pg3,5G), and pelargonidin-3-glucoside chloride (Pg3G). Among these, cyanidin-3,5-diglucoside chloride (Cy3,5G) was the major anthocyanin in California pomegranate fruit juice and Goheung pomegranate fruit pericarp. DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl radical) free radical scavenging activity was dose-dependently increased, and was higher in pericarp part than juice or seed parts from pomergrantes in both regions. By MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay, pericarp extracts from pomergrantes in both regions showed the highest anticancer activity, which was higher on Calu-6 for human pulmonary carcinoma than SNU-601 for human gastric carcinoma. Correlation between polyphenols and anticancer activity on Calu-6 was determined to be in the range of $r^2=0.8904$ to 0.9706.