Amir, R.; Glazer, I.; Tzulker, R.; Gutmacher, O.

The traditional importance of the pomegranate as a medicinal plant is now supported by data obtained from modern science showing that the fruit contains anti-carcinogenic, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-microbial and anti-viral compounds. These activities are attributed to the pomegranate's high content of total polyphenols.In order to gain better knowledge about the chemical nature of the compounds that contributes to the health benefit of pomegranates, we screened 29 accessions grown in Israel that differ in aril and peel colors, as well as in taste. Two fruit sections were analyzed, the aril juices and homogenates prepared from the peels. The results showed that the antioxidant activity in aril juice correlated with the total polyphenol and anthocyanin contents. The homogenates prepared from the peels exhibited an approximately 40-fold higher antioxidant activity than the aril juices, as well as a higher ability to inhibit the proliferation of prostate and breast cancer cells lines. The antioxidant activity of homogenates correlated with the content of several hydrolysable tannins, of which punicalagin was the predominant, but not with the level of anthocaynins. By using HPLC Q-TOF the chemical nature of about 40 compounds found in the metabolic profile of the peel's homogenate was revealed. By using statistic and several bioassyas methods, we identify several compounds that contributed to the antioxidant activity and other compounds that have antifungal and antibacterial abilities.