Pomegranate (Punica granatum Lythraceae) is the edible fruit of the pomegranate plant, a small tree native to parts of Southeast Asia and cultivated in China, India, the Mediterranean region and parts of the USA (Lansky 2007, Jurenka 2008). The outer leathery skin (pericarp) encloses numerous seeds, each surrounded by a translucent sac that contains the juice. Thin, bitter-tasting membranes form a network throughout the fruit. Various parts of the fruit can be utilised or consumed; most commonly the seeds and juice (NMD 2021). Common names include dadim fruit, dadima, granada, grenade, Shi Liu Pi (NMD 2021).
The pomegranate has been described in ancient texts including those of Greek mythology, has been held sacred by many of the world’s religions and is featured in several medical coats of arms (Langley 2000). Thought to have originated in Iran and Afghanistan, cultivation and use of the pomegranate spread through Asia, Mediterranean countries and parts of America (Lansky 2007, Langley 2000). Pomegranate has been part of folk medicine in many cultures and is used in several systems of medicine, including Ayurvedic and Unani medicine, for a variety of health problems (Jurenka 2008). Parts of the plant, such as its bark, petals and peel continue to be used in the Middle East, Asia and South America to treat conditions ranging from diarrhoea and dysentery to gum disease (Longtin 2003, Ismail 2012). Pomegranate has been used in the Indian subcontinent for the treatment of intestinal worms, nosebleeds, ulcers, sore throats (Ismail 2012). In the West, interest in the medical potential of pomegranate began slowly in the 1990s, stimulated by researchers in Israel who reported benefits on cardiovascular health (Longtin 2003).
Pomegranate juice is widely used as a beverage. A survey of patients attending a cancer centre in England revealed that 1.7% (7 out of 422 patients) used pomegranate (Zavery 2010). Another survey, also in the UK, reported use by 13.6% of women with breast cancer (McLay 2012).
