Pomegranate as a Potential Alternative of Pain Management: A Review
José Antonio Guerrero-Solano,
Osmar Antonio Jaramillo-Morales,
Claudia Velázquez-González,
Minarda De la O-Arciniega,
Araceli Castañeda-Ovando,
Gabriel Betanzos-Cabrera,
Mirandeli Bautista
Affiliations
José Antonio Guerrero-Solano
Academic Area of Pharmacy, Institute of Health Sciences, Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, San Agustin Tlaxiaca, Hidalgo 42160, Mexico
Osmar Antonio Jaramillo-Morales
Academic Area of Pharmacy, Institute of Health Sciences, Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, San Agustin Tlaxiaca, Hidalgo 42160, Mexico
Claudia Velázquez-González
Academic Area of Pharmacy, Institute of Health Sciences, Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, San Agustin Tlaxiaca, Hidalgo 42160, Mexico
Minarda De la O-Arciniega
Academic Area of Pharmacy, Institute of Health Sciences, Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, San Agustin Tlaxiaca, Hidalgo 42160, Mexico
Araceli Castañeda-Ovando
Academic Area of Food Chemistry, Institute of Basic Sciences and Engineering, Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, Pachuca- Tulancingo km 4.5 Carboneras, Pachuca de Soto, Hidalgo 42184, Mexico
Gabriel Betanzos-Cabrera
Academic Area of Nutrition, Institute of Health Sciences, Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, San Agustin Tlaxiaca, Hidalgo 42160, Mexico
Mirandeli Bautista
Academic Area of Pharmacy, Institute of Health Sciences, Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, San Agustin Tlaxiaca, Hidalgo 42160, Mexico
The use of complementary medicine has recently increased in an attempt to find effective alternative therapies that reduce the adverse effects of drugs. Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) has been used in traditional medicine for different kinds of pain. This review aims to explore the scientific evidence about the antinociceptive effect of pomegranate. A selection of original scientific articles that accomplished the inclusion criteria was carried out. It was found that different parts of pomegranate showed an antinociceptive effect; this effect can be due mainly by the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, or fatty acids. It is suggested in the literature that the mechanisms of action may be related to the activation of the L-arginine / NO pathway, members of the TRP superfamily (TRPA1 or TRPV1) and the opioid system. The implications for the field are to know the mechanisms of action by which this effect is generated and thus be able to create alternative treatments for specific types of pain, which help alleviate it and reduce the adverse effects produced by drugs. The results propose that pomegranate and secondary metabolites could be considered in the treatment of inflammatory, nociceptive, and neuropathic pain.
