Study on antioxidant activities of extracts from different parts of Korean and Iranian pomegranates

Abstract

This study analyzed the functional components and antioxidant activities of pomegranate juice and pomegranate husk, endocarp and seed extracts by comparing Korean and Iranian pomegranates. Korean pomegranate husk (KPH) had the highest total polyphenol content among the pomegranate extracts, and total phytoestrogen content was highest in Korean pomegranate endocarp (KPE). Iranian pomegranate endocarp (IPE) and Iranian pomegranate husk (IPH) showed the highest flavonoid levels. Overall, Korean pomegranate had more functional components than those in Iranian pomegranate. KPE had the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity and superoxide dismutase like-activity among all of the extracts, and KPH had the highest nitrite scavenging activity. IPE showed the highest superoxide anion scavenging activity. The ABTS + assay also indicated that IPH had the highest antioxidant activities. This study also showed that the more total polyphenols, flavonols, and phytoestrogens the pomegranate contained, the higher antioxidant activities. A positive correlation was observed between total polyphenol, flavonol and phytoestrogen levels and antioxidant activities. Korean pomegranates contained more functional components and had higher antioxidant activity than those of Iranian pomegranates. Additionally, pomegranate endocarp and seed extracts were better than pomegranate juice in terms of functional components and antioxidant activity. These results suggest that pomegranate husk, endocarp and seed extracts as well as pomegranate juice may have value as natural antioxidants with their high quality functional components and antioxidant activity.