Prevention of cancer with pomegranate and pomegranate anthocyanins

Abstract

The fruit of the pomegranate tree (Punica granatum L.) has recently attracted attention based on anecdotal evidence and studies suggesting that it possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. The pomegranate (literally translated as seeded apple) plant is a shrub that commonly grows 6-15 ft tall. The fruit is a berry (globose) that is 2-3 inches in diameter and reddish when fully mature. It is filled with crunchy and juicy seeds that are eaten and used for extracting the juice. However, industrial preparations use the whole fruit for juice extraction. Antioxidant activity of flavonoids extracted from pomegranate fermented juice showed strong activity close to that of green tea and significantly higher than that of red wine. Preclinical laboratory studies have suggested that pomegranate and its constituents possess cancer preventive properties against skin, prostate, breast, colon, and lung cancers. Epidemiological, clinical, and case-control studies have not been conducted for pomegranate; however, a phase II clinical trial was recently conducted in patients with rising prostate specific antigen (PSA), a clinical marker for prostate cancer. Pomegranate juice given to men with rising PSA following surgery or radiation offered positive and beneficially significant effects on PSA parameters, suggesting a potential of pomegranate derived products for prevention of human prostate cancer. This chapter will focus on the laboratory and some clinical evidence on the cancer preventive properties of the pomegranate. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.