Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Fruit Oils: Chemistry and Functionality pp 691–709Cite as

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Seed Oil

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

Pomegranate is an earliest and holy fruit affectionately known as the “jewel of winter” belongs to the Punicaceae family. Throughout the world, ~500 known pomegranate varieties available which reveal different quality characteristics of fruit such as size, shape, color, flavor and taste and seed hardness. The pomegranate seeds contain approximately 3% of total fruit weight, which contains typically oil in the range of 12–20%. Conjugated fatty acids are present in many plant oils with varying concentrations including pomegranate seed oil. Conjugated fatty acids are the geometric and positional isomers of polyunsaturated fatty acids with alternate double bonds. These fatty acids received remarkable interest due to valuable physiological effects on various diseases. The pomegranate seed oil contains higher concentration (>70%) of conjugated fatty acids in the form of punicic acid (9cis, 11trans, 13cis-conjugated linolenic acid). In the present chapter, chemistry and functionality of pomegranate fruit and seed oil especially conjugated fatty acids are reviewed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Abbreviations

CLA:

Conjugated linoleic acid

CLNA:

Conjugated linolenic acid

E. coli :

Escherichia coli

EA:

Ellagic acid

ED:

Erectile dysfunction

ETs:

Ellagitannins

LDL:

Low density lipid

NO:

Nitric oxide

PA:

Punicic acid

PFLE:

Pomegranate flower leaf extract

PJ:

Pomegranate juice

PPAR:

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor

UV:

Ultraviolet

α-EA:

Ellagic acid

References

  • Abbasi, H., Rezaei, K., & Rashidi, L. (2008). Extraction of essential oils from the seeds of pomegranate using organic solvents and supercritical CO2. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, 85, 83–89.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Maiman, S. A., & Ahmad, D. (2002). Changes in physical and chemical properties during pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruit maturation. Food Chemistry, 76, 437–441.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Amakura, Y., Okada, M., Tsuji, S., et al. (2000). High-performance liquid chromatographic determination with photodiode array detection of ellagic acid in fresh and processed fruits. Journal of Chromatography A, 896, 87–93.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Amri, Z., Lazreg-Aref, H., Mekni, M., et al. (2017a). Oil characterization and lipids class composition of pomegranate seeds. Biomed Research International, 2037341, 8 pp. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/2037341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amri, Z., Zaouay, F., Lazreg-Aref, H., et al. (2017b). Phytochemical content, fatty acids composition and antioxidant potential of different pomegranate parts: Comparison between edible and non edible varieties grown in Tunisia. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 104, 274–280.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Aviram, M., Dornfeld, L., Rosenblat, M., et al. (2000). Pomegranate juice consumption reduces oxidative stress, atherogenic modifications to LDL, and platelet aggregation: Studies in humans and in atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 71, 1062–1076.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Aviram, M., Volkova, N., Coleman, R., et al. (2008). Pomegranate phenolics from the peels, arils, and flowers are antiatherogenic: Studies in vivo in atherosclerotic apolipoprotein e-deficient (E 0) mice and in vitro in cultured macrophages and lipoproteins. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 56(3), 1148–1157.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Banihani, S., Swedan, S., & Alguraan, Z. (2013). Pomegranate and type 2 diabetes. Nutrition Research, 33, 341–348.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barzegar, M., Fadavi, A., & Azizi, M. (2004). An investigation on the physico-chemical composition of various pomegranates (Punica granatum L.) grown in Yazd. Iranian. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 1, 9–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bopitiya, D., & Madhujith, T. (2012). Antioxidant potential of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars grown in Sri Lanka. Tropical Agricultural Research, 24, 71–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouroshaki, M. T., Sadeghnia, H. R., Banihasan, M., et al. (2010). Protective effect of pomegranate seed oil on hexachlorobutadiene-induced nephrotoxicity in rat kidneys. Renal Failure, 32, 612–617.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boussetta, T., Raad, H., Lettéron, P., et al. (2009). Punicic acid a conjugated linolenic acid inhibits TNFα-induced neutrophil hyperactivation and protects from experimental colon inflammation in rats. PLoS One, 4, e6458.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Çam, M., Hışıl, Y., & Durmaz, G. (2009). Classification of eight pomegranate juices based on antioxidant capacity measured by four methods. Food Chemistry, 112, 721–726.

    Google Scholar 

  • Celik, I., Temur, A., & Isik, I. (2009). Hepatoprotective role and antioxidant capacity of pomegranate (Punica granatum) flowers infusion against trichloroacetic acid-exposed in rats. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 47, 145–149.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dadashi, S., Mousazadeh, M., Emam-Djomeh, Z., et al. (2013). Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seed: A comparative study on biochemical composition and oil physicochemical characteristics. International Journal of Advanced Biological and Biomedical Research, 1, 351–363.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson, M. H., Maki, K. C., Dicklin, M. R., et al. (2009). Effects of consumption of pomegranate juice on carotid intima-media thickness in men and women at moderate risk for coronary heart disease. The American Journal of Cardiology, 104, 936–942.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eikani, M. H., Golmohammad, F., & Homami, S. S. (2012). Extraction of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seed oil using superheated hexane. Food and Bioproducts Processing, 90, 32–36.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Elfalleh, W., Tlili, N., Nasri, N., et al. (2011). Antioxidant capacities of phenolic compounds and tocopherols from tunisian pomegranate (Punica granatum) fruits. Journal of Food Science, 76(5), C707–C713.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • El-Nemr, S., Ismail, I., & Ragab, M. (1990). Chemical composition of juice and seeds of pomegranate fruit. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 34, 601–606.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ercisli, S., Agar, G., Orhan, E., et al. (2007). Interspecific variability of RAPD and fatty acid composition of some pomegranate cultivars (Punica granatum L.) growing in southern Anatolia region in Turkey. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 35, 764–769.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fadavi, A., Barzegar, M., Azizi, M., et al. (2005). Note. Physicochemical composition of ten pomegranate cultivars (Punica granatum L.) grown in Iran. Food Science and Technology International, 11, 113–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fadavi, A., Barzegar, M., & Azizi, M. H. (2006). Determination of fatty acids and total lipid content in oilseed of 25 pomegranates varieties grown in Iran. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 19, 676–680.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galaverna, G., Di Silvestro, G., Cassano, A., et al. (2008). A new integrated membrane process for the production of concentrated blood orange juice: Effect on bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. Food Chemistry, 106, 1021–1030.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gil, M. I., Tomás-Barberán, F. A., Hess-Pierce, B., et al. (2000). Antioxidant activity of pomegranate juice and its relationship with phenolic composition and processing. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 48, 4581–4589.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grossmann, M. E., Mizuno, N. K., Schuster, T., et al. (2010). Punicic acid is an ω-5 fatty acid capable of inhibiting breast cancer proliferation. International Journal of Oncology, 36, 421–426.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Habibnia, M., Ghavami, M., Ansaripour, M., et al. (2012). Chemical evaluation of oils extracted from five different varieties of Iranian pomegranate seeds. Journal of Food Biosciences and Technology, 2, 35–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heber, D., Seeram, N. P., Wyatt, H., et al. (2007). Safety and antioxidant activity of a pomegranate ellagitannin enriched polyphenol dietary supplement in overweight individuals with increased waist size. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 55(24), 10050–10054.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hiwale, S. S. (2009). The pomegranate. New Delhi: New India Publishing Agency.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holland, D., Larkov, O., & Bar Ya akov, I. (2008). The pomegranate: New interest in an ancient fruit. Chronicle Horticulture, 48, 12–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holland, D., Hatib, K., & Bar-Ya’akov, I. (2009). Pomegranate: Botany, horticulture, breeding. Horticultural Reviews, 35, 127–191.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ignarro, L. J., Byrns, R. E., Sumi, D., et al. (2006). Pomegranate juice protects nitric oxide against oxidative destruction and enhances the biological actions of nitric oxide. Nitric Oxide, 15, 93–102.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jahfar, M., Vijayan, K., & Azadi, P. (2003). Studies on a polysaccharide from the fruit rind of Punica granatum. Research Journal of Chemistry and Environment, 7, 43–50.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaiswal, V., DerMarderosian, A., & Porter, J. R. (2010). Anthocyanins and polyphenol oxidase from dried arils of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.). Food Chemistry, 118, 11–16.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaufman, M., & Wiesman, Z. (2007). Pomegranate oil analysis with emphasis on MALDI-TOF/MS triacylglycerol fingerprinting. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 55, 10405–10413.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kaur, G., Jabbar, Z., Athar, M., et al. (2006). Punica granatum (pomegranate) flower extract possesses potent antioxidant activity and abrogates Fe-NTA induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 44, 984–993.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kohno, H., Suzuki, R., Yasui, Y., et al. (2004). Pomegranate seed oil rich in conjugated linolenic acid suppresses chemically induced colon carcinogenesis in rats. Cancer Science, 95, 481–486.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laghari, Z. H., Mahesar, S. A., Sherazi, S. T. H., Memon, S. A., Sirajuddin, Mugheri, G. A., Shah, S. N., Panhwar, T., & Chang, A. S. (2018). Quality evaluation of pomegranate waste and extracted oil. International Food Research Journal, 25(3), 1295–1299.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lan, J. Q., Lei, F., Hua, L., et al. (2009). Transport behavior of ellagic acid of pomegranate leaf tannins and its correlation with total cholesterol alteration in HepG2 cells. Biomedical Chromatography, 23, 531–536.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lansky, E. P., & Newman, R. A. (2007). Punica granatum (pomegranate) and its potential for prevention and treatment of inflammation and cancer. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 109, 177–206.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lansky, E. P., Harrison, G., Froom, P., et al. (2005). Pomegranate (Punica granatum) pure chemicals show possible synergistic inhibition of human PC-3 prostate cancer cell invasion across Matrigel™. Investigational New Drugs, 23, 121–122.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li, Y., Guo, C., Yang, J., et al. (2006). Evaluation of antioxidant properties of pomegranate peel extract in comparison with pomegranate pulp extract. Food Chemistry, 96, 254–260.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mackler, A. M., Heber, D., & Cooper, E. L. (2013). Pomegranate: Its health and biomedical potential. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 903457, 2 pp. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/903457.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marwat, S. K., Khan, M. A., Khan, M. A., et al. (2009). Fruit plant species mentioned in the Holy Qura’n and Ahadith and their ethnomedicinal importance. American-Eurasian Journal of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, 5, 284–295.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melgarejo, P., & Artes, F. (2000). Total lipid content and fatty acid composition of oilseed from lesser known sweet pomegranate clones. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 80, 1452–1454.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Melo, I. L.P., Carvalho, E. B. T., & Filho, J. M. (2014). Pomegranate seed oil (Punica granatum L.): A source of punicic acid (conjugated α-linolenic acid). Journal of Human Nutrition & Food Science, 2(1), 1-11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melo, I. L.P., Carvalho, E. B. T. D., Silva, A. M. O., et al. (2016). Characterization of constituents, quality and stability of pomegranate seed oil (Punica granatum L.). Food Science and Technology, 36, 132–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mena, P., Vegara, S., Martí, N., et al. (2013). Changes on indigenous microbiota, colour, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of pasteurised pomegranate juice. Food Chemistry, 141, 2122–2129.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mirdehghan, S. H., & Rahemi, M. (2007). Seasonal changes of mineral nutrients and phenolics in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruit. Scientia Horticulturae, 111, 120–127.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mousavinejad, G., Emam-Djomed, Z., Rezaei, K., et al. (2009). Identification and quantification ofphenolic compounds and their effects on antioxidant activity in pomegranate juices of eight Iranian cultivars. Food Chemistry, 115, 1274–1278.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mukherjee, C., & Bhattacharyya, D. (2006). Oxidative stability of some seed oils containing conjugated octadecatrienoic fatty acids isomers. Journal of Lipid Science and Technology, 32, 225–227.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neuhofer, H., Witte, L., Gorunovic, M., et al. (1993). Alkaloids in the bark of Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) from Yugoslavia. Pharmazie, 48, 389–391.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ozgen, M., Durgaç, C., Serçe, S., & Kaya, C. (2008). Chemical and antioxidant properties of pomegranate cultivars grown in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. Food Chemistry, 111(3), 703–706.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Özgül-Yücel, S. (2005). Determination of conjugated linolenic acid content of selected oil seeds grown in Turkey. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, 82, 893–897.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pande, G., & Akoh, C. C. (2009). Antioxidant capacity and lipid characterization of six Georgia grown pomegranate cultivers. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 57, 9427–9436.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Parashar, A. (2010). Lipid content and fatty acid composition of seed oils from six pomegranate cultivars. International Journal of Fruit Science, 10(4), 425–430.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parashar, A., Gupta, C., Gupta, S., et al. (2009). Antimicrobial ellagitannin from pomegranate (Punica granatum) fruits. International Journal of Fruit Science, 9, 226–231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poyrazoğlu, E., Gökmen, V., & Artιk, N. (2002). Organic acids and phenolic compounds in pomegranates (Punica granatum L.) grown in Turkey. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 15, 567–575.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prashantha, M. A. B., Premachandra, J. K., & Amarasinghe, A. D. U. S. (2009). Composition, physical properties and drying characteristics of seed oil of Momordica charantia cultivated in Sri Lank. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, 86, 27–32.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saha, S., & Ghosh, M. (2009). Comparative study of antioxidant activity of α-eleostearic acid and punicic acid against oxidative stress generated by sodium arsenite. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 47, 2551–2556.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sassano, G., Sanderson, P., Franx, J., et al. (2009). Analysis of pomegranate seed oil for the presence of jacaric acid. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 89, 1046–1052.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seeram, N. P., Schulman, R. N., & Heber, D. (2006). Pomegranates: Ancient roots to modern medicine. Boca Raton: CRC/Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinha, S., Thakur, D. S., Mishra, P. K., et al. (2016). D2-analysis suggests wider genetic divergence in pomegranate genotypes. The Bioscan, 11(2), 1011–1015.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soetjipto, H., Pradipta, M., & Timotius, K. (2010). Fatty acids composition of red and purple pomegranate (Punica granatum L) seed oil. Journal of Cancer Chemoprevention, 1, 74–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spilmont, M., Léotoing, L., Davicco, M.-J., et al. (2013). Pomegranate seed oil prevents bone loss in a mice model of osteoporosis, through osteoblastic stimulation, osteoclastic inhibition and decreased inflammatory status. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 24, 1840–1848.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki, R., Noguchi, R., Ota, T., Abe, M., Miyashita, K., & Kawada, T. (2001). Cytotoxic effect of conjugated trienoic fatty acids on mouse tumor and human monocytic leukemia cells. Lipids, 36(5), 477–482.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Syed, D. N., Afaq, F., & Mukhtar, H. (2007). Pomegranate derived products for cancer chemoprevention. Seminars in Cancer Biology, 17(5), 377–385.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tabaraki, R., Heidarizadi, E., & Benvidi, A. (2012). Optimization of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel antioxidants by response surface methodology. Separation and Purification Technology, 98, 16–23.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tanaka, T., Hosokawa, M., Yasui, Y., et al. (2011). Cancer chemopreventive ability of conjugated linolenic acids. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 12(11), 7495–7509.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Tezcan, F., Gültekin-Özgüven, M., Diken, T., et al. (2009). Antioxidant activity and total phenolic, organic acid and sugar content in commercial pomegranate juices. Food Chemistry, 115, 873–877.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van Elswijk, D. A., Schobel, U. P., Lansky, et al. (2004). Rapid dereplication of estrogenic compounds in pomegranate (Punica grantum) using on-line biochemical detection coupled to mass spectrometry. Phytochemistry, 65, 233–241.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Verardo, V., Garcia-Salas, P., Baldi, E., et al. (2014). Pomegranate seeds as a source of nutraceutical oil naturally rich in bioactive lipids. Food Research International, 65, 445–452.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Viuda-Martos, M., Fernández-López, J., & Pérez-Álvarez, J. (2010). Pomegranate and its many functional components as related to human health: A review. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 9, 635–654.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, L., & Martins-Green, M. (2014). Pomegranate and its components as alternative treatment for prostate cancer. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 15, 14949–14966.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan

    Sarfaraz Ahmed Mahesar, Abdul Hameed Kori, Syed Tufail Hussain Sherazi & Zahid Husain Laghari

  2. Dr. M.A. Kazi Institute of Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan

    Aftab Ahmed Kandhro

Authors
  1. Sarfaraz Ahmed Mahesar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Abdul Hameed Kori
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Syed Tufail Hussain Sherazi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Aftab Ahmed Kandhro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zahid Husain Laghari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Agricultural Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt

    Mohamed Fawzy Ramadan

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Mahesar, S.A., Kori, A.H., Sherazi, S.T.H., Kandhro, A.A., Laghari, Z.H. (2019). Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Seed Oil. In: Ramadan, M. (eds) Fruit Oils: Chemistry and Functionality. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-12473-1_37

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation