Pomegranate ellagitannin


The pomegranate ellagitannins, which include punicalagin isomers, are ellagitannins found in the sarcotestas, rind, bark or heartwood of the pomegranate fruit.

Chemistry

As the chemistry of punicalagins became known it was found to be not unique to pomegranate. Punicalagins are present in numerous species of the genus Terminalia, species chebula Retz., myriocarpa, catappa and citrina. They have also been isolated from Cistus salvifolius and Combretum molle.
Pomegranate fruits natural phenols can be extracted with ethyl acetate and fractionation can afford the ellagitannin punicalagins.

Dietary supplementation

A few dietary supplements and nutritional ingredients are available that contain extracts of whole pomegranate and/or are standardized to punicalagins, the marker compound of pomegranate. Extracts of pomegranate are also 'Generally Recognized As Safe' by the United States.

List of compounds

Ellagitannins

Other phenolics

  • Ellagic acid, a constitutive compound of ellagitannins
  • Gallagic acid, a compound found in many ellagitannins
  • 1,2,4,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose, a compound found in the leaves of P. granatum
  • 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose, a compound found in the leaves of P. granatum and the common precursor of gallotannins and the related ellagitannins
  • Brevifolin, a compound found in the leaves of P. granatum
  • Brevifolin carboxylic acid, a compound found in the leaves of P. granatum
  • 3,6-(R)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-(α/β)-C-glucopyranose, a compound found in the leaves of P. granatum
  • 1,2,6-tri-O-galloyl-β-C-glucopyranose, a compound found in the leaves of P. granatum
  • 1,4,6-tri-O-galloyl-β-C-glucopyranose, a compound found in the leaves of P. granatum
  • 3,4,8,9,10-pentahydroxydibenzo-b,d-pyran-6-one|3,4,8,9,10-pentahydroxydibenzopyran-6-one, a compound found in the leaves of ''P. granatum''