title: The bioactivity of pomegranate: impact on health and disease.
abstract: The aim of the present review is to discuss the cumulative evidence that suggests that pomegranate consumption possesses a diverse array of biological actions and may be helpful in the prevention of some inflammatory-mediated diseases including cancer. The pomegranate fruit can be divided into at least three parts-seeds, peel, and juice. All these components have been studied for their antioxidant properties in a chemoprevention approach. Pomegranate exerts antiproliferative, anti-invasive, and antimetastatic effects, induces apoptosis through modulation of Bcl-2 proteins, increases p21 and p27, and downregulates cyclin-cdk network. In addition, pomegranate inhibits the activation of inflammatory pathways including, but not limited to, the NFκ-B pathway. Anti-cancer effects with the most impressive data have been demonstrated so far in prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal. anafaria@med.up.pt
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.forename: Conceição
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calhau
mesh_terms: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001628:Beverages / Q000032:analysis; D018890:Chemoprevention; D018565:Food-Drug Interactions; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D029561:Lythraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts