Protective Effects of Pomegranate in Endothelial Dysfunction

Background: Punica granatum L. is an infructescence native of occidental Asia and Mediterranean Europe, popularly referred to as pomegranate. It has been used in ethnomedicine for several applications, including the treatment of obesity, inflammation, diabetes, and the regulation of blood lipid parameters. Thus, pomegranate has been linked to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases that have endothelial dysfunction as a common factor acting mainly against oxidative stress due to its high polyphenol content. Its biocomponents have antihypertensive, antiatherogenic, antihyperglycemic, and anti-inflammatory properties, which promote cardiovascular protection through the improvement of endothelial function. Methods: Different electronic databases were searched in a non-systematic way to uncover the literature of interest. Conclusion: This review article presents updated information on the role of pomegranate in the context of endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases. We have shown that pomegranate, or rather its components (e.g., tannins, flavonoids, phytoestrogens, anthocyanins, alkaloids, etc.), have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, improving parameters such as oxidative stress and the enzymatic antioxidant system, reducing reactive oxygen species formation and acting in an anti-inflammatory way. Thus, this review may contribute to a better understanding of pomegranate's beneficial actions on endothelial function and possibly to the development of strategies associated with conventional treatments of cardiovascular diseases.