Latin (Botanical) Name: Punica granatum
Plant Family: Punicaceae
Common Extraction Method: Cold press
Typically Used Plant Part: Seed
Color: Yellow / pale amber
Aromatic Characteristic: Fruity sweet aroma
The name pomegranate is derived from the medieval Latin words pōmum "apple" and grānātum "with seeds". The homeland of the pomegranate is considered to be the region from present-day Iran to northern India. It is known to have been cultivated for several thousand years in the Middle East, South Asia and Mediterranean regions. It is thought to have been domesticated as early as 5000 BC, as it was one of the first fruit trees to be domesticated in the eastern Mediterranean region.
Mesopotamian cuneiform records mention pomegranates from mid-3000 BC. In ancient Egypt, the dead were buried with pomegranates in the hope of a second life. A large number of pomegranates were found in Hatshepsut's tomb (1470 BC). Nineteen votive pomegranates were found in the tomb of Amenhotep II (1450-1415 BC). The silver pomegranate-shaped vessel found in Tutankhamun's tomb is an interesting example because of the rare use of silver in Egypt. Ancient Egyptians viewed the pomegranate as a symbol of prosperity and ambition.
In the Hittites, one of the oldest cultures of Anatolia, the god of agriculture was depicted with wheat and pomegranate. The fact that a large number of pomegranates were found in the cargo of the Uluburun Shipwreck in the 14th century BC is important in terms of showing that it was traded in the Mediterranean at that time. One of the symbols of the city of Side is the pomegranate.
Herodotus, one of the famous writers of the ancient period, mentions that during the Greco-Persian Wars, Persian soldiers carried spears with silver and gold pomegranates on their ends.
It is widely cultivated in southern China and Southeast Asia, as it was spread along the Silk Road route or brought by sea traders. It is widely used for bonsai in Korea and Japan because of its flowers and unusual twisted bark.
Spanish colonists introduced the fruit to the Caribbean and Americas (Spanish America) in the late 16th century.
Today it is widely cultivated in the Middle East and Caucasus, northern and tropical Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, the drier parts of Southeast Asia, and the Mediterranean Basin.
Pomegranate seed oil, which is obtained from the seeds of the pomegranate by cold pressing method, offers many health benefits thanks to the fatty acids such as punicic acid and polyphenols it contains.
KEY COMPONENTS / ACTIVE INGREDIENTS
BENEFITS
Pomegranate seed oil can be used directly in skin care due to its rich content of vitamin E and polyphenols. The antioxidants it contains such as vitamin E and punicic acid help reduce cellular damage in the body. It is a good moisturizer and emollient. It can be used in applications for dry or irritated skin or aging skin. It helps to reduce the incidence of age spots and wrinkles. It contributes to the skin texture to look more radiant and elastic. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6].
Touted as a superfood in recent years, pomegranate has grown in popularity as a fruit that can reduce inflammation and improve your overall health. Studies have shown that pomegranate seed oil helps protect joint health with its anti-inflammatory characteristic [3] [9] [10].
WARNINGS
ACADEMIC STUDIES
[1] Mertens-Talcott SU, Jilma-Stohlawetz P, Rios J, et al. Absorption, metabolism, and antioxidant effects of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) polyphenols after ingestion of a standardized extract in healthy human volunteers. J Agric Food Chem 2006;54:8956-61.
[2] Afaq F, Mukhtar H. Botanical antioxidants in the prevention of photocarcinogenesis and photoaging. Exp Dermatol 2006;15:678-84.
[3] Jurenka JS. Therapeutic applications of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.): a review. Altern Med Rev 2008;13:128-44.
[4] Zhaoping Li. The Effect of Pomegranate on Aging and Inflammation of the Skin (PomSkin). ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02258776.
[5] Boroushaki, H. Mollazadeh, A. R. Afshari (2016). Pomegranate Seed Oil: A Comprehensive Review on its Therapeutic Effects. M. T. Boroushaki et al., IJPSR, 2016; Vol. 7(2): 430-442.
[6] M. A. Shabbir, M. R. Khan, M. Saeed, I. Pasha, A. A. Khalil, N. Siraj (2017). Punicic acid: A striking health substance to combat metabolic syndromes in humans. Lipids Health Dis. 2017; 16: 99.
[7] S. Bassiri-Jahromi (2018). Punica granatum (Pomegranate) activity in health promotion and cancer preventioni. Oncol Rev. 2018 Jan 30; 12(1): 345.
[8] Lansky EP, Harrison G, Froom P and Jiang WG: Pomegranate (Punica granatum) pure chemicals show possible synergistic inhibition of human PC-3 prostate cancer cell invasion across Matrigel™. Investigational new drugs 2005; 23:121-122.
[9] S. Ahmed, N. Wang, B. B. Hafeez, V. K. Cheruvu, T. M. Haqqi (2005). Punica granatum L. extract inhibits IL-1beta-induced expression of matrix metalloproteinases by inhibiting the activation of MAP kinases and NF-kappaB in human chondrocytes in vitro. J Nutr. 2005 Sep;135(9):2096-102.
[10] Z. Rasheed, N. Akhtar, T. M. Haqqi (2010). Pomegranate extract inhibits the interleukin-1β-induced activation of MKK-3, p38α-MAPK and transcription factor RUNX-2 in human osteoarthritis chondrocytes. Arthritis Res Ther. 2010;12(5):R195.
