Pomegranate Fruit Extract & Pomegranate Seed Oil (Punica granatum Fruit/Seed Extract/Oil)

The pomegranate plant is a large shrub (or small tree, depending on the variety) that is native to the Middle East, but has been cultivated for thousands of years throughout Mediterranean regions, Africa, India, and other parts of Asia. Since the later 1700's it has also been cultivated in regions of North and South America. It is one of the most ancient fruiting plants cultivated by humans and is mentioned in the scriptures of several of the oldest religions. Needless to say, it has been one of the most important plants used by throughout the history of civilization.

There are over 500 varieties of pomegranates, most carrying fruit roughly the size and shape of a baseball, with yellow to red skin and flesh. The pomegranate fruit has been eaten for countless generations by several cultures where the plant is grown and has also been used medicinally to treat a variety of conditions. In India, the Ayurveda system of traditional medicine specifies the pomegranate fruit and tree bark as a remedy for diarrhea and intestinal parasites while the seeds and juice are considered a treatment for ailments of the throat and heart. Ayurvedic medicine also specifies extracts of the pomegranate fruit are beneficial effects on acne, wounds, and as a firming treatment for sagging skin.

Pomegranate fruit is filled with beneficial phytonutrients, including vitamin B5, vitamin C, catechins, gallocatechins, prodelphinidins, delphinidin, cyanidin, pelargonidin, ellagitannins, and several other strong antioxidant compounds in the polyphenol, anthocyanin, flavonoid, and tannin families. The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) rating of the fruit varies according to variety, with the darker red varieties demonstrating the highest ability to neutralize free radicals in the body and skin.

In skincare formulations the extract of the pomegranate fruit and the oil of the pomegranate seed have been shown to have excellent free radical neutralizing properties and strong anti-inflammatory benefits. It is an excellent treatment for soothing sunburns and there is laboratory evidence that it may stimulate the synthesis of collagen production in the skin. Pomegranate seed oil has excellent moisturizing properties and is perfect for use on mature, dry skin. The oil contains a high amount of conjugated fatty acids, especially punicic acid (which constitutes 62% of the oil content), which have anti-inflammatory and restorative properties. Other factions of the oil include: 15% puninic acid isomers, 10% linoleic acid, 8% oleic acid, 3% palmitic acid, and roughly 2% various other antioxidant constituents.