title: Evaluation of different extraction methods from pomegranate whole fruit or peels and the antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of the polyphenolic fraction.
abstract: Pomegranate is a functional food of great interest, due to its multiple beneficial effects on human health. This fruit is rich in anthocyanins and ellagitannins, which exert a protective role towards degenerative diseases. The aim of the present work was to optimize the extraction procedure, from different parts of the fruit, to obtain extracts enriched in selected polyphenols while retaining biological activity. Whole fruits or peels of pomegranate cultivars, with different geographic origin, were subjected to several extraction methods. The obtained extracts were analyzed for polyphenolic content, evaluated for antioxidant capacity and tested for antiproliferative activity on human bladder cancer T24 cells. Two different extraction procedures, employing ethyl acetate as a solvent, were useful in obtaining extracts enriched in ellagic acid and/or punicalagins. Antioxidative and antiproliferative assays demonstrated that the antioxidant capability is directly related to the phenolic content, whereas the antiproliferative activity is to be mainly attributed to ellagic acid.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Unità di Ricerca di Scienza dell'Alimentazione e Nutrizione Umana, Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", viale del Policlinico, 155 - 00161 Roma, Italy. Electronic address: alessandra.masci@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masci
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Biotecnologie Medico-Chirurgiche, Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", corso della Repubblica, 79 - 04100 Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coccia
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Biotecnologie Medico-Chirurgiche, Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", corso della Repubblica, 79 - 04100 Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lendaro
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche, Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", piazzale Aldo Moro, 5 - 00185 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mosca
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", piazzale Aldo Moro, 5 - 00185 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paolicelli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", piazzale Aldo Moro, 5 - 00185 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cesa
mesh_terms: D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004610:Ellagic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D047348:Hydrolyzable Tannins / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D029561:Lythraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins; D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D047348:Hydrolyzable Tannins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D059808:Polyphenols; D020011:Protective Agents; D004610:Ellagic Acid; C115642:punicalagin
keywords: Antioxidant capacity; Antiproliferative activity; Ellagic acid; HPLC-DAD; Human bladder cancer T24 cells; Pomegranate