Th Best Antioxidant: Pomegranate

Antioxidants provide our bodies with numerous health benefits, and it’s only logical to include fruits and foods that contain antioxidants in our daily diet.

 

Pomegranates have just that… a high level of antioxidants. Aside from its rich flavor and the number of ways to eat and drink it, studies have shown that pomegranate contains more antioxidants than green tea, cranberries and even red wine!

 

By including pomegranate in your daily diet you can improve your blood flow and, in so doing… help prevent heart diseases such as heart attacks, stroke or clogged arteries.

 

Pomegranate also promotes healthy blood pressure levels and low cholesterol. Pomegranate juice can be helpful for men as well… as studies have concluded that it may help prevent prostate cancer and growth.

 

The pomegranate fruit contains many antioxidants for our bodies and eating it daily is beneficial for your health. However remember to always mix plenty of different fruits in your diet. While pomegranate is great, you should always include other fruits and juices as well.

The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing to between five and eight metres tall. The pomegranate is native to Southwest Asia and has been cultivated and naturalized over the whole Mediterranean region and the Caucasus since ancient times. It is widely cultivated throughout Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, India, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey, the drier parts of southeast Asia, Peninsular Malaysia, the East Indies, and tropical Africa. Introduced into Latin America and California by Spanish settlers in 1769, pomegranate is now cultivated in parts of California and Arizona for juice production.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the fruit is typically in season from September to February.^[3] In the Southern Hemisphere, it is in season from March to May.

 

Pomegranate flowers and leaves

The leaves are opposite or sub-opposite, glossy, narrow oblong, entire, 3–7 cm long and 2 cm broad. The flowers are bright red, 3 cm in diameter, with four to five petals (often more on cultivated plants). Some fruitless varieties are grown for the flowers alone. The edible fruit is between a lemon and a grapefruit in size, 5–12 cm in diameter with a rounded hexagonal shape, and has thick reddish skin and around 600 seeds. The seeds and surrounding pulp, ranging in color from white to deep red, called arils, are edible as the fruit of the pomegranate is a berry. There are some cultivars which have been introduced that have a range of pulp colors such as purple.

Punica granatum nana is a dwarf variety of P. granatum popularly used as Bonsai trees and as a patio plant. The only other species in the genus Punica is the Socotran pomegranate (Punica protopunica), which is endemic to the island of Socotra. It differs in having pink (not red) flowers and smaller, less sweet fruit. Pomegranates are drought tolerant, and can be grown in dry areas with either a Mediterranean winter rainfall climate or in summer rainfall climates. In wetter areas, they are prone to root decay from fungal diseases. They are tolerant of moderate frost, down to about −10°C (14°F).

Pomegranate aril juice provides about 16% of an adult's daily vitamin C requirement per 100 ml serving, and is a good source of vitamin B₅ (pantothenic acid), potassium and antioxidantpolyphenols.^]

The most abundant polyphenols in pomegranate juice are the hydrolyzable tannins calledpunicalagins which have free-radical scavenging properties in laboratory experiments. Punicalagins are absorbed into the human body and may have dietary value as antioxidants, but conclusive proof of efficacy in humans has not yet been shown.

Other phytochemicals include beta-carotene,^] and polyphenols catechins, gallocatechins, and anthocyanins such as prodelphinidins, delphinidin, cyanidin, and pelargonidin. TheORAC (antioxidant capacity) of pomegranate juice is considered moderate when compared to other herbs and spices. The ORAC of pomegranate juice is measured at 2,860 units per 100 grams.

Many food and dietary supplement makers have found advantages of using pomegranate phenolic extracts as ingredients in their products instead of the juice. One of these extracts is ellagic acid which may become bioavailable only after parent molecule punicalagins are metabolized. However, ingested ellagic acid from pomegranate juice does not accumulate in the blood in significant quantities and is rapidly excreted.  Accordingly, ellagic acid from pomegranate juice does not appear to be biologically important in vivo.

In preliminary laboratory research and human pilot studies, juice of the pomegranate was effective in reducing heart disease risk factors, including LDL oxidation, macrophage oxidative status, and foam cell formation, all of which are steps in atherosclerosis andcardiovascular disease.

Pomegranate juice has also been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure by inhibiting serum angiotensin-converting enzyme, may inhibit viral infections, and may have antibacterial effects against dental plaque.

Containing polyphenols which inhibit estrogen synthesis, pomegranate seed oil was effective against proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro.

Metabolites of pomegranate juice ellagitannins localize specifically in the prostate gland, colon, and intestinal tissues of mice. leading to clinical studies of pomegranate juice or fruit extracts for efficacy against several diseases.

In 2008, 17 clinical trials were underway to examine the effects of pomegranate juice consumption on diseases shown below.

§  prostate cancer

§  prostatic hyperplasia

§  diabetes

§  lymphoma

§  rhinovirus infection (completed, July 2008)

§  common cold (completed, June, 2007)

§  oxidative stress in hemodialysis

§  atherosclerosis

§  coronary artery disease (completed, September, 2005)

Pippali- Pipper Longum

It is one of the herbs mentioned in all ancient scriptures of Ayurveda. In Sanskrit, it possesses various synonyms, describing its properties and specialities, like usana –pungent, capala – quickly acting, krsna – black, magadhi – from Magadha region, upakulya – growing near water resources, kola improving the test sensation etc. The great sage Caraka has categorized it as dipaniya – an appetizer, kanthya – beneficial for the throat, uptighna – anti-saturative, asthapanao-paga – an adjunct to decoction enema, sirovirecaniya – a cleansing nasal therapy, purisa sangrahaniya – give form to the faeces, purisa virajaniya – give color to the stool, sita prasamana – relieve cold sensation on the skin, sulaghna – anti colic, rasayana – a rejuvenator, kasahara-anti-tussive, vamaka- emetic, hikka nigrahana – mitigates hiccup. The root of pippali, pippal mula is cited as dipaniya – an appetizer and sulaghna – anti colic. Pippali is on of the ingredients of trikatu – three pungents viz. sunthi, marica and pippali, which is the most commonly, used combination for the remedy of kapha dosha. Trikatu is anti-cold, anti tussive an well as anti-asthmatic in its properties. Pippali is a specially recommended rasayana for respiratory system (Pranavaha srotasa) and is the best rasayana rejuvenative to kapha dosha.

The plant grows all over India, in evergreen forests and is cultivated in Assam, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. A small shrub with a large woody root and numerous creeping, jointed stems, thickened at the nodes. The leaves are alternate, spreading, without stipules and blade varying greatly in size. The lowest leaves are 5-7 cm long, whereas, the uppermost 2-3 cm long. The flowers are in solitary spikes. The fruits, berries, in fleshy spikes 2.5-3.5 cm long and 5 mm thick, oblong, blunt and blackish green in color. The mature spikes collected and dried, form the commercial form of pippali and the root radix is known as pippalimula.

The botanical name of pippali is piper longum and it belongs to family piperaceae. The fruits contain 1% volatile oil, resin, a waxy alkaloid, a terpenoid substance and alkaloids piperine and piperlongumine. The roots contain piperine, piperlongumine or piplartine. The seeds contain sylvatin, sesamin and diaeudesmin. Two new alkaloids piperlongumine (piplartine) and piperlonguminine – from roots and stem bark, isolated. Piperlingumine, piperlonguminine, piperine and sesamin isolated from roots. Two new piperidine alkaloids – pipermonaline and piperundecalidine-isolated from fruit and their structure determined. Isolation and structure determination of three new pyrrolidides-brachyamide A, brachyamide B and brachystine .

Pippali, when fresh and wet, is sweet in taste, sweet in the post digestive effect and has cold potency and heavy attribute. On drying, it is pungent in the taste, pungent in the post digestive effect and semi-hot in potency. It possesses light, sharp and fresh pippali, alleviates pitta but aggravates vata and kapha doshas. On the contrary, the dry pippali, which is commonly used, alleviates vata but aggravates pitta dosha. It is an appetizer, digestant, rejuvenative, febrifuge and a brain tonic and alleviates all the three dosas .

The fruit, commonly known as pippali itself and its root, called as pippali mula are used for medicinal purpose. Pippali is seldom used externally, in case of painful and swollen conditions, wherein its paste is applied. Though it has mild antiseptic property, it is an irritant to the skin and manifistates allergic reactions. Internally, pippali is invaluable in vast range of diseases. Pippali is the best drug recommended in the disorders of the spleen. It is a powerful stimulant for the digestive and respiratory systems. It is strongly heating and removes cold, congestion and ama – the undigested toxic elements and revives the weakened organic functions. It is also a rejuvenative to lungs and kapha dosha. Trikatu is the most popular formulation used to mitigate the diseases due to kapha dosha, to digest ama and also it increases the bioavailability of the drug, when it is used as a complementary medicine.
Pippali effectively reconciles the digestive functions and is used with benefit in anorexia, indigestion, flatulence, abdominal pain, hyperacidity, piles etc. It works well with honey to combat hyperacidity. The decoction or its medicated milk can be used for the same. Pippali is beneficial, when given with amalaki in the treatment of anemia. For treating any type of fever, the medicated ghee of pippali is very useful. In chronic fever and tuberculosis, the preparation Vardhamana pippali is more effective. In fact, Vardhamana pippali is a regimen, praised in ancient scriptures in which the doses of pippali are increased gradually. On the first day, an infusion of 3 pippalis, boiled for a few minutes in a mixture of milk and water is taken (4:1). Then for 10 successive days the dose is increased by 1 pippali everyday. After 10 days, the dose is gradually decreased by 1 pippali daily. During this regimen only milk is consumed as a diet. This method is useful in treating chronic respiratory ailments, anemia, recurrent fevers, piles and digestive problems. It strengthens the immune system of the body.

Pippali is beneficial as a brain tonic and in the diseases of vata. The decoction is effectively used in sciatica and hemiplegia. Being the best rejuvenative, pippali sidda ghrta is useful in tuberculosis, cough and with the ghee and honey, it reduces the frequency of paroxysms in bronchial asthma. It also helps controlling hiccup, when given with honey. It boosts the reproductive system too, hence, is used as an aphrodisiac. It also works well in amenorrhea. Causasti pippali is one of the unique preparations, which is prepared by fortifying the pippali powder by triburating it with the decoction of pippali itself, for the duration of 8 days (64 prahara). It makes pippali very potent and fortified, so used in very small doses. Pippali mula, the root of pippali is used in the respiratory ailments, flatulence and to induce sleep and relieve abdominal colicky pain.

Kantakari - Solanum Xanthocarpum

Kantakari is a prickly, branches perennial herb with yellow, shining prickles of about 1.5 cm in size. It has very prickly, sparsely hairy, egg shaped leaves; purple flowers, round fruits, yellow in color with green veins and numerous smooth seeds. The branches are densely covered with minute star shaped hairs. Kantakari is also known as Indian solanum. The fruit of the plant constitutes the drug. The drug is bitter in taste and a mild purgative. Experiments have shown that the fruits and shoots of the plant possess antibacterial properties.The fruit of the plant yield carpersteral, glucoside-alkaloids and solanocarpine. It also yields glucoside-alkaloids, solamine-S. On hydrolysis it yield alkaloid solanidine-S.

Botanical Name: Solanum xanthocarpum

Indian Name: Kateli

Kantakari is beneficial in clearing catarrh and phlegm from the bronchial tubes. It is therefore used in the treatment of respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchitis and cough.

- Kantakari is a valuable remedy in the treatment of dropsy, a disease marked by an excessive collection of fluids in the tissues and cavities or natural hollows of the body. The drug helps increase the secretion and discharge of urine.

- It is also effective in throat disorders like sore throat and tonsillitis. An extract of the plant should be used as a gargle in such cases. This is prepared by continuously boiling the plant in about 2 liters of water after washing it thoroughly, till it reduces to half its volume and it should be filtered.

- It is useful in the treatment of constipation and flatulence. It strengthens the stomach and promotes its action. It corrects disordered processes of nutrition by which the organization ingests, digests, absorbs, utilizes and excretes food substances and restores normal function of the system. The drug also possesses anthelminitic (worm destroying) property and is useful in eliminating intestinal worms.

- The extract of kantakari, prepared as for throat disorders, is also very beneficial in gum diseases. For better results, black mustard should be boiled along with the plant.- The drug is also effective in treating several other diseases like heart disease, chest pain, certain types of fever, gonorrhea, dysuria, enlargement of the liver, muscular pains and spleen and stone in the urinary bladder. The fruit of the plant is also considered useful in treating sore throat, bronchitis, muscular pains and fevers.

- Kantakari root has been traditionally used in snake and scorpion bites. A paste of the root can be prepared by grinding it on a stone with lemon juice and applying to the affected part. The patient should be taken to the doctor immediately.