Pomegranate
Punica granatum L.Lythraceae // fruit juice · peel · seed
Overview
Plant parts
fruit juice, peel, seed
Known constituents
ellagitannins, punicalagins, anthocyanins
Research corpus coverage
Chemistry notes
- CHEMISTRY: Relevant reported constituents include ellagitannins; punicalagins; anthocyanins; constituent presence alone does not establish clinical efficacy.
Uses & Evidence
Traditional / historical use
Documented traditional use — not a claim of established efficacy.
TRADITIONAL: Pomegranate has been used for digestive complaints; cardiovascular health; this records historical/traditional use and does not establish efficacy.
MODERATE · evidence synthesis/fact sheet · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance
Modern evidence
EVIDENCE: For the major use set (digestive complaints; cardiovascular health), the evidence assessment is limited/mixed: Limited/mixed meta-analyses for blood pressure and metabolic markers.
MODERATE · systematic review/meta-analysis · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance
Mixed findings, product heterogeneity, or indirect evidence are preserved in the detailed profile.
Preparation
Forms used traditionally
A listed form does not imply it suits every plant part, or that one preparation is interchangeable with another — see the plant’s own notes below.
PREPARATION: The medicinal material is fruit juice; peel; seed; traditional and modern forms include infusion/tea, tincture, powder/capsule, extract. No dose or potency is specified.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph · EMA European Union herbal monographs and list entries
Preparation-specific evidence should not be generalized across extracts, teas, oils, or whole herb.
Safety
Additional safety notes (general, unstructured)
Free-text safety notes carried from their source — not broken out by species, route, or hazard type, and not equivalent to the structured records above. Each note names the kind of source it came from.
SAFETY: Major issues include GI upset; allergy; peel/root contain more tannins/alkaloids. Contraindications/cautions include Known allergy.
MODERATE · evidence synthesis/fact sheet · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance
SAFETY: Clinically relevant interaction concerns include Possible CYP interactions and additive BP effects; clinical relevance uncertain.
MODERATE · evidence synthesis/fact sheet · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance
Some interactions are theoretical or based on case reports/pharmacokinetics rather than outcome trials.
SAFETY: Pregnancy/lactation reference: Food use common; concentrated-extract pregnancy/lactation data limited.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph or evidence synthesis · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance
Absence of evidence is not evidence of safety.
Preparation × species risk matrix
Unknown means insufficient evidence was located — not that a form is safe.
Cats
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Dogs
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Identity
- Synonym
GBIF resolves Punica nana L. as a synonym of Punica granatum. The older name still appears in herbal and taxonomic literature.
HIGH · GBIF Species Match API
Botanical synonym
Punica nana L.
Taxonomic identity note
- Pomegranate is treated here as Punica granatum L. in the family Lythraceae; recorded older names include Punica nana L..
Sources
Research records are source-linked but may not yet be editorially reviewed.
- NCCIH Herbs at a Glance5 claims
NCCIH fact sheet
- Plants of the World Online1 claim
botanical taxonomy database
EMA monograph
WHO monograph
- GBIF Species Match API1 claim
authoritative taxonomic database