Skin Photoaging, Inflammation and Skin Pathogenic Bacteria Clinical Trial
Official title:
Clinical Trial to Determine the Efficacy of Pomegranate for Skin Inflammation and Aging
The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of pomegranate extract and
pomegranate juice on skin inflammation and aging. The information gained from this study may
lead to the development of a pomegranate product that can decrease the effects of aging,
inflammation and harmful bacteria on the skin.
In this study, two pomegranate products (extract and juice) will be compared with a placebo,
a study product that looks like pomegranate extract, but contains no active ingredients.
Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is grown commercially in the Near East, India, Spain,
Israel and the United States (California) where it is of significant economic importance1.
Pomegranate fruits and products, including juice, tea, wine and extracts are widely consumed
and recognized for their health benefits. Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruit possesses
strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties. In recent years,
most health advantages of pomegranate have been attributed to the presence of ellagitannins,
mainly punicalagins and ellagic acid. Punicalagin is unique to pomegranate and is part of a
family of ellagitannins. The ellagitannins are hydrolyzed to ellagic acid in the gut, and
further metabolized by the colon microflora to form urolith A and B. Investigations using
pure bacterial cultures have shown that pomegranate by-products and punicalagins
significantly inhibited the growth of pathogenic Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
clostridia and Staphylococcus aureus.
Oral feeding of pomegranate fruit extract to mice afforded protection to mouse skin against
the adverse effects of ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation by modulating UVB-induced signaling
pathways.5 Hydroalcoholic extract based-ointment from pomegranate was reported improving
wound healing in vivo. Pomegranate ellagitannins have been demonstrated to have
antimicrobial activity. Punicalagin is unique to pomegranate and is part of a family of
ellagitannins. The ellagitannins are hydrolyzed to ellagic acid in the gut, and further
metabolized by the colon microflora to form urolith A and B. Investigations using pure
bacterial cultures have shown that pomegranate by-products and punicalagins significantly
inhibited the growth of pathogenic Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, clostridia and
Staphylococcus aureus.
Pomegranate Extract (POMx) is made from pomegranate fruit as a byproduct of pomegranate
juice (PJ) production. A second pressing of the fruit liberates a complex mixture of
hydrolysable polyphenolic compounds normally ingested with pomegranate juice, and these are
purified by spray drying. POMx powder is encapsulated for oral administration, with each
capsule containing 1,000 mg of pomegranate polyphenols. The present study will determine
whether a pomegranate product (POMx or PJ) can decrease skin photoaging, inflammation and
skin pathogenic bacteria.
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