Bioactive compounds and health benefits of pomegranate: An updated narrative review

Pomegranate is one of the most popular fruits worldwide, and contains many bioactive compounds, such as punicalagin, ellagic acid, and gallic acid. Pomegranate and its bioactive compounds possess varieties of health benefits, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities, as well as the prevention and treatment of some chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, kidney disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and so on. Pomegranate has been widely utilized in the food industry, such as juice and gluten-free cake production, and its extract for extending the shelf life of food. This review paper summarizes the bioactive compounds and health benefits of pomegranate, with special attention paid to related mechanisms of action. This narrative review can provide people with an updated knowledge of the health benefits of pomegranate, and also can be helpful for the development of pomegranate into functional food and nutraceuticals.