Phytochemical composition, biological activities and antioxidant potential of pomegranate fruit, juice and molasses: A review

Pomegranate fruit and its derived products (seeds, juice and mollassess) have been traditionally used in the prevention and treatment of chronic conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's and arthritis. It has also been widely used in folk medicine as a remedy for conditions of the digestive tract, including parasitic worm infections, ulcers, diarrhea and aphthae. The pomegranate health benefits have been attributed to its bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids and tannins. These bioactive compounds were shown to have antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities as well as anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, antimicrobial, anti-diarrheal and neuro-protective properties. These pomegranate products are nowadays considered superfood and commonly used in many recipes in international cuisines. They are highly nutritious products rich in secondary metabolites with potent biological activities, which makes their study of great interest to researchers. The current review aimed to provide an up-to-date summary of findings of studies done to investigate the phytochemical composition biological activities, particularly antioxidant property of pomegranate and its products most importantly pomegranate molasses. In conclusion, this review shed the light on the rich phytochemical composition and many potent biological activities especially the antioxidant potential of pomegranate and its products.