Pomegranate as a potential cancer inhibitor
Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) has always been associated with various health benefits making it a largely consumed fruit. Its high antioxidant activities have led to the application of pomegranate juice in functional food ingredients, mainly for heart and prostate health. These properties are due to the presence of biologically active compounds, in particular phytochemicals that are called ellagitannins. Ellagitannins are the major polyphenols found in pomegranate fruit and juice, being punicalagins and punicalins responsible for almost half of the fruit’s antioxidant activity.
Scientists from the University of Florida have recently found that pomegranate ellagitannins bind with gelatin to form self-assembled nanoparticles. These bioactive food components encapsulated in nanoparticles may have increased bioavailability and bioactivities.
The study carried out by this group of researchers showed that only punicalagin forms could bind with the gelatin to form nanoparticles, and that self-assembly between ellagitannins and gelatin was due to hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions.
In addition, when the pomegranate-gelatin nanoparticles were submitted to testing against leukemia cells HL-60, it was seen that they were less effective at inducing programmed cell death of the cancer cells, compared to free pomegranate punicalagins that were delivered as a solution. This fact suggests the future application of pomegranate nanoparticles as an anti-cancer agent.
Source:
- http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Nano-pomegranate-shows-anti-cancer-potential
