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Latin Name:	PUNICA GRANATUM
Hindi Name:	ANAAR / ANAR / DAADIM / DADIMA(PANCA AMLA)
English Name:	GROUP OF FIVE SOURS(THREE OF FIVE) / POMEGRANATE




Guna:	SWEET(MADHUR)/SOUR(AMLA)/ASTRINGENT(KASAYA)



Actions:	ASTRINGENT, ALTERATIVE, ANTHELMINTIC, TONIC


Dosha Reducing:	VATA / PITTA / KAPHA
Doshaaggravating:	PITTA
Research On this Medicine
P.granatum, cultivated in tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world
for its fruits.
P. granatum Linn.        POMEGRANATE
D.E.P., VI(1), 368; C.P., 909; Fl..Br. Ind., II, 580; Fl. Malesiana,
Ser. I, 4(3), 226-27, Fig.
HINDI-Anar; BENG.-Dalim; MAR.-Dalimba; GUJ.-Dadam; TEL.-
Danimma; TAM.-Madulai; KAN.-Dalimba; MAL.-Matalam.
A shrub or small tree, 5-10 m. high, considered to be a native of
Iran, Afghanistan and Baluchistan, found growing wild in the warm
valleys and outer hills of the Himalayas between 900 and 1,800 m. and
cultivated throughout India. Bark smooth, dark grey; branchlets
sometimes spiniscent; leaves 2.0-8.0 cm. long, oblong or obovate,
shining above; flowers usually scarlet red, sometimes yellow, 3.7-5.0
cm. long and as much across, mostly solitary or 2-4 together; fruits
globose, crowned by persistent calyx, with a coriaceous woody rind and
an interior septate with membranous walls, containing numerous seeds;
seeds angular with a fleshy testa which is red, pink or whitish.
The pomegranate is a fruit of great antiquity and is known to have
been cultivated in the Middle East more than 5,000 years ago. The
wild or semi-wild pomegranate still exists in the north of Syria, in
Gilead and on Mount Carmel. It is also found in various regions from
Caucasus to Afghanistan, the wild types of Central Asia showing a wide-
range of variation in the size of the fruit, sweetness time of
ripening, juiciness and proportion of seeds to flesh. According to De
Candolle, Vavilov and others, the pomegranate originated in South-West
Asia, probably in Iran and some adjoining countries [Burkill, II, 1839;
Fl. Malesiana, Ser. I, 4(3), 226; Zukovskij, 60; Goor, Econ. Bot.,
1967, 21, 215].
Punica granatum has been classified into two sub-species,chlorocarpa
and porphyrocarpa, each having two varieties. These sub-species have
been established on the basis of the colouring of the ovary, a stable
feature which is retained when they are reproduced by seeds. Sub-species
chlorocarpa is mainly found in the Transcaucasus, whereas the second,
porphyrocarpa is mainly Central Asian in distribution [Rozanov, Izv.
Akad. Nauk. tadzh. SSR, 1963, 2(13), 35]
_____________________
*On the basis of the structure of the ovary and the typical fruit
(the balusta), Punica has been classified as the solitary genus under a
separate family Punicaceae, distinct from Lythraceae, though many
authors still continue to treat the genus as a member of Lythraceae.
__________________
Though mostly found cultivated in manv parts of India, the tree is
also very common and gregarious in the gravel and boulder deposits of
dry ravines and similar places in the outer Himalayas, up to about
l,800 m. In Jammu, it is found growing gregariously on dry limestone
soils in the upper extremities of sub-tropical forests; it is also
found in Chamba, Kangra and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh and
valleys below 1,800 m. in Jaunsar and Tehri-Garhwal districts of Uttar
Pradesh (Troup, II, 610; Information from Director of Agriculture,
Uttar Pradesh, and Y. K. Sarin, Regional Research Laboratory, Jammu;
Gupta, 248).
As a cultivated crop, the pomegranate is grown to a limited extent in
selected localities in almost all States. Maximum area is said to be
devoted to it in Maharashtra, particularly in Poona, Sholapur and
Satara districts. In Gujarat, its cultivation is concentrated in Dholka
taluk. It is cultivated in the districts of Almora, Aligarh, Tehri-
Garhwal, Meerut and Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh; Uthukuli,
Michaelpatti, Vellodu and Dindigul in Madras State; Penukonda and
Madakasira in Andhra Pradesh; Tumkur, Kolar, Bangalore and Mysore
districts in Mysore State (Cheema et al., 270; Naik, 390; lnformation
from Directors of Agriculture, Madras and Mysore).
Several types of pomegranate are cultivated in India, distinguished
by the shape of the fruit, the colour and thickness of rind, and the
taste and colour of thc seeds. The fruits are round, oblate or obovate
in shape and vary in diameter from 8 to 12 cm. The rind may be thick
or thin, the colour varying from pale yellow to crimson. The seed pulp
in superior types is thick, fleshy and very juicy, while in inferior
tvpes it is thin. It ranges in colour from white and transparent in
some to pink and blood red in others; the pulp taste also varies from
sweet and aromatic to sour and insipid. The seed coat varies in
hardness, some of the softer seeded types being known as seedless
(Bedana). Lack of lignification of the testa (outer integument) is
the main cause of so called seedlessness in pomegranate. Among the
numerous types grown, the Bedana and Kandahari are considered
the best. Table 1 gives thc different types of pomcgranate grown
in India (Naik, 390; Hayes, 404; Gopalaswamiengar, 608; Nath &
Randhawa, Indian J. Hort., 1959 16, 191: Kihara in Yamashita, 287).
_______________________________________________________________

TABLE 1-TYPES OF POMEGRANATE GROWN IN INDIA*

Type              Fruit characters

Alandi or Vadki   Fruit medium in size; fleshy testa blood red or deep
pink, with sweet, slightly acidic juice; seeds very
hard

Bedana            Fruit medium to large in size; rind brownish or
whitish; fleshy testa pinkish white, with sweet
juice; seeds soft

Dholka            Fruits large in size; rind greenish white; fleshy
3
testa pinkish white or whitish, with sweet juice;
seeds soft

Kabul             Fruit large in size; rind deep red mixed with pale
yellow, thick; fleshy testa dark red, with slightly
bitter juice

Kandahari         Fruit large in size; rind deep red; fleshy testa
blood red or deep pink, with sweet, slightly acidic
juice; seeds hard

Musket Red        Fruit small to medium in size; rind somewhat thick;
fleshy testa with moderately sweet juice; seeds not
very hard

Paper Shell       Fruit medium in size; rind thick; fleshy testa
reddish to pink, with sweet juice; seeds soft

Poona             Fruit large in size; rind crimson, dark grey or
greyish green, sometimes variously spotted; fleshy
testa deep scarlet or pink and red

Spanish Ruby      Fruit small to medium in size; rind thin; fleshy
testa rose coloured; seeds soft

Vellodu           Fruit medium to large in size; rind moderately
thick; fleshy testa juicy; seeds moderately hard

*Gammie & Patwardhan, Bull. Dep. Agric. Bombay, No. 30, 1908,
521; Thapar, 147; Naik, 391; Cheema et al., 272.
_______________________________________________________________________
Besides those grown for fruit, there are a few ornamental types
planted in gardens, some of them horticulturally named as distinct
forms. A dwarf type and a double-flowered form with red, yellow or
white flowers are the most popular (Bailey, 1947, III, 2751; Rehder,
667; Firminger, 519; Gopalaswamiengar, 284).
CULTIVAIION
Climate and Soil-The pomegranate is a sub-tropical fruit tree, growing
best in semi-arid climate where cool winters and hot summers prevail.
It grows under a wide range of climatic conditions and is planted up to
35°N in U.S.A. It stands considerable frost, and is injured only when
the temperature goes below -11°. It thrives even under desert
conditions. Although it is highly drought-resistant, the pomegranate
bears well only under irrigation (Gopalaswamiengar, 607; Ochse et al.,
I, 720; Hayes, 403, Thapar, 146).
The pomegranate gives very good returns in a deep loamy soil although
it thrives well on comparatively poor soils where other fruits fail to
flourish. It shows a preference to calcareous soil containing lime
nodules and tolerates soil alkalinity to a greater extent than most
other plants (Hayes, 403; Thapar, 146; Venkataratnam, 120).
Propagation and Culture-The pomegranate is propagated by seed in
Bombay, Gujarat and in South India, although the universal method of
propagation is by hard wood cuttings. Propagation by seedlings leads to
wide differences in tree and fruit characters. Vegetative propagation
is found to be more dependable for preserving and multiplying the
selected types. When vegetatively propagated, hard wood cuttings, 25-
50 cm. long, from the previous season's growth are taken. These are
planted in beds leaving only one or two buds exposed. A year after, the
rooted cuttings are lifted out with a ball of earth around their roots
and transplanted to the orchard (Hayes, 403; Naik, 391).
In the generally poor soils of Deccan, the plants are given a spacing
of 3.5-4.5 m. In lighter but deeper soils the distance is increased to
5.5 m. Pits of 60 cm. x 60 cm. x 60 cm. are dug at the required
distance and filled with about 20 kg. of farmyard manure mixed with
fine soil. Seedlings or cuttings are planted in these pits (Cheema et
al., 274).
Manuring-Well-rotted, old farmyard manure, mixed with ashes, is
usually applied to pomegranate plants at the rate of about 20 kg. per
seedling, while planting. After this 3-6 baskets of old cattle manure
is given to each plant every year at the break of the monsoon. When the
fruits are fairly well developed an application of 2.0-2.5 kg. of
groundnut cake is advantageous. Application of small quantities of
ammonium sulphate, wood ash and lime along with farmyard manure is also
recommended [Cheema et al., 275; Katyal & Chadha, Fertil. News, 1962,
7(4), 25].
Irrigation-Pomegranate responds well to irrigation. In Gujarat and
Maharashtra, the bed or basin system of irrigation is practised. In
this, small round basins are made at the base of each tree and these
are filled with water. Monsoon showers are supplemented by irrigation
during May and June. Copious and regular irrigation is essential during
fruiting season, as irregular moisture conditions result in the
cracking of fruits (Cheema et al., 275).
Pruning-Pomegranate does not usually require pruning except for
removing the suckers and giving a shape to the tree. The tree should be
allowed to grow a clean main stem by pruning the side branches. Fruits
are borne terminally on short spurs emerging from mature wood. Every
year the bearing region is pushed farther away from the base. The
interior of the plant also becomes devoid of fruits. For securing
shapely trees and getting a good crop, a set of new shoots should be
allowed to grow every year on all sides of the tree. The pruning should
be confined to a shortening of the past season's growth (Cheema et al.,
275; Naik, 391-92).
Diseases and Pests-The fruits are subject to fruit rot especially
during the rainy season. They get soft in some portions and rot. Fruit
rot can be controlled by spraying with Bordeaux mixture (Venkataratnam.
123).
In Punjab, pomegranate suffers from the dieback of twigs, caused by
Pleuroplaconema punicae Petrak. Aspergillus castaneus Patterson causes
discolouration of the fruits and seeds, while in Mysore a disfigurement
of the fruits is caused by Sphaceloma punicae. A dry rot of pomegranate
fruits caused by Phomopsis sp. resulted in 80 per cent loss of fruits
in Bulandshahr district (Uttar Pradesh) in l950. Spraying Perenox with
Albolinium sticker reduces the fruit rot to a manageable extent. Dry
rot of the fruits caused by Zythia versoniana Sacc. can be greatly
reduced by spraying with Bordeaux mixture (Nirvan, Sci. & Cult.,
1956-57, 22, 395; Mehta, Plant Prot. Bull., New Delhi, 1951, 3, 7;
Chem. Abstr., 1940, 34, 5110).
Other minor diseases are leaf and fruit spot caused by species of
Cercospora and Gloeosporium which can be controlled by spraying with
Bordeaux mixture. Besides these, canker and dieback caused by
Ceuthospora phyllosticta, and leaf spot caused by Pestalotia sp. have
also been reported [Hayes, 405; Hort. Abstr., 1966, 36, 637].
The most common pest of pomegranate is the fruit borer, which is the
grub of the pomegranate butterfly Virachola isocrates Fb. The butterfly
lays eggs on flower buds and the calyx cup of the developing fruits.
The eggs hatch out in about 5-7 days and the caterpillars bore through
the calyx cup and enter the fruits. Sometimes the entire crop may get
affected by the borers, with considerable loss to the grower. This
insect can be controlled by periodically spraying the plants with
Endrin on the developing flowers. Two sprayings done at monthly
intervals will keep the borer away [Srivastava, Indian Fmg, N.S., 1960-
61, 10(1), 9].
Paper bags, plastic covers, wire cages and tin cases are also used to
protect the developing fruits. These covers protect the crop from the
borer, as well as from birds, bats and squirrels [Gopalaswamiengar,
610; Srivastava, Gardening, 1956-59, 1(2), 41].
The stem borer is another common insect found in neglected orchards.
The caterpillar makes a hole and bores through the branches. The hole
can be cleaned and petrol inserted into it by means of a cotton plug.
The petrol vapours kill the insect (Venkataratnam, 122-23).
Besides loss caused by pests and diseases, considerable damage is
done to the crop by the cracking of fruits. This is caused by unequal
moisture content of the soil. It is not known whether any causal
organism is also associated with the cracking. Adequate and regular
irrigation and interculture throughout the bearing period may reduce
cracking (Cheema et al., 279).
Harvesting and Yield-Normally, the pomegranate starts fruiting in
about 4 years after transplantation. Fruits ripen in about 6-7 months
from the time of flowering. According to seasonal changes, there are
three flowering seasons in Deccan, viz. June-July (Mrig bahar)
coinciding with the break of monsoons, February-March (Ambe bahar) and
September (Hatti bahar). Although the pomegranate may be induced to
bear fruit in any of the seasons, the usual harvesting season is
October-December [Cheema et al., 277; Pandit et al., Indian Fd Packer,
1960, 14(4), 16].
The fruits are harvested when the skin turns slightly yellow and the
fruit gives out a metallic sound when tapped. Each tree bears about
100 fruits. In Bombay, trees bearing up to 200 fruits have been
recorded. The harvested fruits can be stored for a few weeks and
actually they improve on keeping. The fruits are wrapped in paper
and sent in bamboo baskets of 50-60 fruits to the city markets
(Venkataratnam, 122).
Storage-Pomegranates keep well for a long time. Experimental
trials showed that fruits stored at 0° and 4.5° at 80-85 per cent R.H.
did not undergo any shrinkage or spoilage for seven months. They may
be sprayed with a 2 per cent Lypol solution and aerated properly
before using. In bulk storage, they are packed in layers in wooden
crates each containing 16-18 kg. of fruits and stored at 0° and 80
per cnt R.H. Rice straw and paper are used as packing material
(Mukerjee, Sci. & Cult.,1958-59, 24, 94; Food Sci., 1959, 8, 130).
Trade-Pomegranates arc imported into India mainly from Afghanistan
and West Pakistan. In 1965-66, 155,000 kg. of fruit worth Rs. 177,000
was imported from Afghanistan, while 35,000 kg. of the fruit worth Rs.
14,000 was imported from West Pakistan. In 1966-67, there was a sharp
decline in imports with l,053 kg. of fruit worth Rs. 1,243 being
imported from Afghanistan while imports from West Pakistan ceased
altogether. Exports of the fruit from India to Nepal and other
countries during 1965-66 and 1966-67 amounted to 4,216 kg. worth Rs.
21,574 and 3,853 kg. worth Rs. 8,345, respectively..
UTILISATION AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITI0N
Pomegranate is largely used as a dessert. Thc seeds along with the
fleshy portions are dried and commercially marketed as Anardana and are
widely used as condiment. The source of anardana of commerce is said to
be the wild trees, covering vast tracts of hill slopes in Jammu, and
parts of Chamba, Kangra and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh, and
Punjab. The main areas from where anardana is collected are the Riasu,
Udhampur, Ramban, Kishtwar and Bhadarwah Forest Divisions. In these
areas, fruits are hand-picked towards the middle of October, when they
are ripe and brown red in colour. Seeds with the pulp are separated by
hand from the rind and are dried in the sun for about 10-15 days when
the colour of the seeds turns reddish brown. The main assembling centre
for anardana is Udhampur from where distribution is done all over the
country. About 350 tonnes of anardana are reported to have been
marketed from Udhampur in 1963-64 (Sarin, Indian For., 1965, 91, 559;
Information from Shri Y. K. Sarin, Regional Research Laboratory,
Jammu)
Analysis of the edible portion (68%) of pomegranates from Coonoor
gave: moisture, 78.0; protein, 1.6; fat, 0.l; fibre, 5.1; other
carbohydrates, 14.5; and mineral matter, 0.7%; calcium, l0; magnesium,
12; oxalic acid, 14; phosphorus, 70.0; iron, 0.3; sodium, 0.9;
potassium, 133.0; copper, 0.2; sulphur, 12.0;  chlorine, 2.0; carotene,
0; thiamine, 0.06; riboflavin, 0.l0; nicotinic acid, 0.30; and vitamin
C, 14 mg./l00 g. The fruit is a good source of sugars and vitamin C,
and a fair sourcc of iron but is poor in calcium. The sugar content
increases with the age of the fruit and of the tree. The fruit contains
0.27 per cent of pectin (as calcium pectate). During ripening, the
insoluble pectin changes into soluble pectin. The concentration of
vitamin C is said to increase with maturity and ripening of the fruit,
and in most cases the maximum amount is observed in the nearly ripe
fruit (Nutritive Value of Indian Foods, 73, l08, 137; Brown, 1946, III,
51; Chem. Abstr., 1960, 54, 13484: Trehan & Ahmad, J. sci. industr.
Res., 1947, 6B, 16; Gonzalez et al., Philipp. J. Sci., 1963, 92,
17; Sinha, Indian J. appl. Chem., 1959, 22, 32).
A delicious juice is prepared from the fruits. Fully ripe fruits
yield a sweet, deep-coloured juice with a rich flavour. For obtaining
the juice, the fruits are cut into quarters and pressed under moderate
pressure in a rack and cloth hydraulic press (yield 360-405
litres/tonne of fruits). According to another process, the grains may
be separated from the quarters and processed in a basket press, but
this way the juice recovery is considerably less. The extraction of
the juice may also be carried out by pressing the whole fruit, without
crushing or other previous treatment. The excess of dissolved tannin in
the juice arising from the fruit rind can be precipitated out by the
addition of a suitable quantity of gelatin solution. The juice after
filtration is clarified by heating in a flash pasteurizer to 79-82°,
cooling at once, settling for 24 hours, racking and filtering. It is
preserved either by pasteurization or by addition of sodium benzoate.
The preserved juice has an excellent keeping quality (Siddappa, Indian
Fmg, 1943, 4, 196; Tressler & Joslyn, 712-13; Girdhari Lal et al.,
131; Cruess, 384).
The quality of pomegranate juice is determined to a great extent by
its acid and sugar contents. The acidity of the juice is reported to
vary from 0-45 to 3.47 g./l00 ml. and the reducing sugars from 7.8 to
13.7 g.,100 ml. The juice extracted from some types of pomegranates
grown in Maharashtra contained 0.37-0.78 per cent of acids and 5.1-14.6
per cent of reducing sugars. Fruits of the Kandahari type produce a
purplish red juice with a mildly acid-sweet taste; analysis of a sample
gave: acid (as citric), 0.8l-1.23; tannin in juice from whole fruit,
0.17; and tannin in juice from grains, 0.12%. Glucose and fructose are
the principal sugars in pomegranate juice, whereas sucrose is usually
absent; maltose is also reported. The acids consist primarily of citric
(c. 95% of the total acids), with malic as the minor component. Among
the amino acids, aspartic acid and glutamine have been identified in
the juice (Hayes, 404; Winton & Winton, II, 802; Nadkarni, I, 1032;
Siddappa, loc. cit.; Siddappa & Bhatia, Indian J. Hort., 1954, 11,
19; Srivastava, J. sci. industr. Res., 1953, 12B, 363; Rao et al.,
ibid., 1956, 15C, 39; Kalyankar et al., Curr. Sci., 1952, 21, 220).
Pomegranate juice blends well with other juices. Because of high
acidity, its palatability is greatly improved after sweetening. It
finds use in the preparation of true granadine, but the commercial
beverage is mostly of synthetic origin. Pomegranate juice may be
converted into an excellent syrup. Anar rub is a product locally
prepared from the juice by adding sugar and heating to a thick, viscous
consistency (total solids, 70-75%). It keeps well and is used like
tomato sauce or ketchup (Tressler & Joslyn, 713; Winton & Winton, II,
799; Siddappa, loc. cit.).
The fruit juice easily ferments and may be used for the production of
wines. The juice of the wild pomegranates in Azerbaijan (U.S.S.R.) is used
in the manufacture of citric acid and sodium citrate for medicinal use
(Jacobs, III, 2400; Chem. Abstr., 1950, 44, 2181; 1959, 53, 17483;
1944, 38, 5359).
The seeds (minus juicy coat) contain: moisture, 35.0; fat, 6.9;
nitrogenous substances, 9.4; starch, 12.6; crude fibre, 22.4; and ash,
1.5%. Estrone has been reported in the seeds (1.7 mg./l00g.). The
seeds yield a drying oil (iod. val., 163) which contains punicic acid
forming up to 72 per cent of the fatty acids. Punicic acid is
conjugated triene and a geometrical isomer of elaeostearic acid. The
oil possesses antibacterial properties (Wehmer, II, 817; Heftmann et
al, Phytochemistry, 1966, 5, 1337; Hilditch, 1956, 205, 535; Earle
et al, J. Amer. Oil Chem. Soc., 1960, 37, 440; Ahlers & Mc Taggart,
J. Sci. Fd Agric, 1954, 5, 75; Chopra et al., J. Amer. pharm. Ass.,
sci. Edn, 1960, 49, 780).
The fresh rind of the fruit contains: wax, 0.8; resins, 4.5;
mannitol,1.8; non-crystallized sugars, 2.7; gums, 3.2; inulin, 1.0;
mucilage, 0.6; tannin, 10.4; gallic acid, 4.0; and calcium oxalate,
4.0%. Pectin occurs to the extent of 2-4 per cent (Thorpe, X, 128;
Chem. Abstr, 1958, 52, 14027).
Tannin occurs in all parts of the tree, particularly in fruit rind
(up to 26% in dried rind), stem bark (10-25%), root bark (28%), and
leaves (11%) The fruit rind and the bark of the stem and root have been
widely used as tanning material from early time in the Mediterranean
countries and the East. The bark was once much used for production of
Morocco leather. The leaves may also be employed for tanning (Howes,
1953, 285; Chem. Abstr, 1942, 36, 2438).
The fruit rind constitutes one of the important tanning materials in
Jammu and Kashmir State, where it is obtained as a by-product of
anardana prepared from wild fruits. Its annual availability in the
State is estimated at 40,000 kg. The dried rind contains: moisture, 8-
14; tannins, 18-22; and soluble non-tannins, 16-23%. The tannin is of
the myrobalan type. Solid tan extract (yield, c. 55% of the rind)
prepared by aqueous extraction of the rind is dark brownish black in
colour and contains: total tannins, 32.8; hydrolysable tannins, 22.1;
sugars, l0.l; and ash, 11.3%. In laboratory trials, the rind extract
either alone or in blend (1:2) with Acacia arabica bark extract
(containing c. 42% tannin) produced leather which was smooth and did
not show tendency to crack. The leather tanned with pure rind extract
was rather soft, and had slight greenish brown appearance whereas the
blend produced a satisfactory leather with a light grey colour. When
tried as a substitute for myrobalan, the pomegranate extract produced a
darker leather and had to be given a chemical pretreatment (Sarin &
Kapoor, Bull. reg. Res. Lab., Jammu, 1963,1, Sharma & Rao, Res. &
Ind., 1962, 7, 212; Kedlaya et al, Leath. Sci, 1963, lO, 305;
Kedlaya & Selvarangan, Bull. cent. Leath. Res. Inst, Madras, 1961-62,
8, 434).
The rind of pomegranate is also the source of a dye which gives
yellowish brown to khaki shades and has been used for dyeing wool and
silk. It is largely employed to dye wool in Almora district (Uttar
Pradesh). The rind extract has been tried as a substitute for basic
dyestuffs in the dyeing of jute, but the results have been
unsatisfactory (Shroff & Trivedi, Bull. Dep. Ind. Comm., United
Provinces, N.S, No. 8, 1940, 7; Saha, J. Indian chem. Soc., industr.
Edn, 195O, l3, 235).
The flowers yield a light red dye said to have been used in India for
dyeing cloth. They contain the pigment pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside.
The pigment in the edible portion of the fruits of Californian origin
is reported to be delphinidin diglycoside. Examination of a type of
pomegranate from Delhi showed the presence of malvidin pentose
glycoside in the juice, and a mixture of pentose glycosides (malvidin
derivative along with some petunidin derivative) in the rind. The rind
also contains isoquercetrin (Harborne, Phytochemistry, 1963, 2, 85;
Ponniah & Seshadri, J. sci. industr. Res, 1953, 12B, 605; Sharma &
Seshadri, ibid., 1955, 14B, 211; Rajadurai et al., Leath. Sci, 1963,
10, 141).
The bark of the stem and root contains a number of alkaloids
belonging to the pyridine group. The proportion of total alkaloids in
different samples varies widely, ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 per cent in
root bark. The alkaloid content of root samples from Poona was as
follows: fresh bark of young roots, 0.38; fresh bark of old roots,
0.44; and fresh wood of young roots, 0.ll%. Fresh root contained
higher amounts of alkaloids than the stored root (U.S.D., 1955, 1798;
Chilton & Partridge, J. Pharm., Lond, 1950, 2, 784).
The following alkaloids have been reported as occurring in the bark:
pelletierine (C8H15ON, b.p./21 mm., l06°),isopelletierine [a-
(2- piperidyl)-propan-ß-one, C8H15ON, b.p./1l mm., 102-07°],
pseudopelletierine (C9H15ON, m.p. 53-54°), methyl pelletierine
(C9H17ON, b.p./45 mm., l06-08°),and methyl isopelletierine [a-
(2-N-methylpiperidyl)-propan-ß-one, C9H17ON, b.p./26 mm., 114-17°].
Of these, only iso-, methyl iso-, and pseudo-pelletierines have been
synthesized. Later work showed that pelletierine, which was earlier
assigned the structure of ß-(2-piperidyl)-propanol, is identical with
isopelletierine and that methyl pelletierine is probably the same as
methyl isopelletierine. According to a more recent investigation, the
bark contains, besides the iso-, methyl iso-, and pseudo-pelletierines,
new bases designated A0, A1 (C9H17O2N), A2 (C10H19O2N),
A3 and A4 (C7H9ON); bases A0 and A3 are possibly artefacts. A
sample of the bark from Egypt was free of alkaloids (Henry, 55-58; Manske
& Holmes, I, 176-80; VI, 125-26; Chem. Abstr, 1961, 55, 12414; 1964,
61, 6046).
The dried bark, of both the root and stem, has long been used in the
treatment of tapeworms. The active principles are the alkaloids of
which isopelletierine is the most potent as taenicide. The bark is used
usually in the form of a decoction. The tannate of alkaloids, known as
Pelletierine Tannate, is however considered to be the most effective
and least harmful form of the remedy because of its insolubility which
prevents its rapid absorption and thus enables a prolonged contact with
the worms. For its preparation, the ground bark is mixed with lime and
extracted with chloroform. After conversion of the alkaloids to
sulphate and solution in water, they are precipitated by tannic acid as
tannates. Pelletierine tannate is a mixture with varying proportions of
tannates of the bark alkaloids, and should contain the amount of
alkaloids equivalent to not less than 20 per cent as hydrochloride.
Commercial drug is highly variable in its alkaloid content and may not
contain the active constituents in adequate amounts (U.S.D., 1955,
1798; Chem. Abstr, 1957, 5l, 11364; Chilton & Partridge, loc. cit.;
Claus, 1961, 299).
In sufficient dose, isopelletierine (pelletierine of literature)
produces complete paralysis; pharmacological studies by different
investigators have given highly divergent results as to its mode of
action. The chief symptoms from overdoses of the decoction of the bark
or pelletierine are muscular weakness and sometimes dizziness.
Excessive doses produce mydriasis, amblyopia, vomiting, diarrhoea, and
extensive muscular weakness, followed by paralysis (U.S.D., 1955, 1798;
Chopra et al, I, 394-95).
A process for the production of an insecticidal preparation from
the bark has been patented in Japan; the product includes the alkaloids
and their tannates. D-Mannitol occurs abundantly in the stem bark and
in lesser amounts in root bark, seeds, and leaves; biological tests
indicate that mannitol possesses mild antispasmodic and anthelmintic
properties. Friedelin and betulic acid are reported in the bark,
betulic and ursolic acids in the leaves, and ursolic acid in the fruit
rind. Leaves of young plants contain an unstable alkaloid [C8H13N; 2-
(2-propenyl)-D'-piperideine, m.p. of hydrochloride l12-14°]
(Chem. Abstr, 1953, 47, 1890; 1964, 61, 6046; 1955, 49, 5782;
Roberts et al., Phytochemistry, 1967, 6, 711).
Extracts of different parts of the tree exhibited antibiotic
activity. Extracts of the whole fruit were highly active against
Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa. They were also very effective against intestinal pathogenic
bacilli such as Salmonella typhosa, S. montevideo, S. schottmuelleri,
Shigella paradvsenteriae B.H. and S. paradysenteriae III-Z. Alcoholic
extracts of the fruit rind and root bark showed activity against
Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus. Aqueous extract of the root was
found to inhibit completely the activity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis607.
The leaf and fruit gave a positive haemolysis test (Bushnell et al.,
Pacif. Sci, 1950, 4, 167; George et al., J. Sci. industr. Res, 1947,
6B, 42; Masilungan et al., Philipp. J. Sci, 1959, 88, 245;  Watt &
Breyer-Brandwijk, 876).
Extracts of the fruit rind at a concentration of l0 g./litre are
reported to show like other tanninbearing plants, positive inhibition
against the fungi Piricularia oryzae Cav. and Colletotrichum falcatum
Went (Physalospora tucumanensis Speg.), the causal agents of rice blast
and red rot of sugarcane, respectively. Pressed leaf juice showed a
powerful inhibitory action upon tobacco mosaic virus infection
(Janardhanan et al., Curr. Sci, 1963, 32, 226; Chem. Abstr., 1955,
49, 8402).
The fresh pomegranate juice is used as an ingredient of cooling and
refrigerant mixtures and of some medicines for dyspepsia. The rind is
valued as an astringent in cases of diarrhoea and dysentery. The
expressed juice of the leaves and the young fruit, and the decoction of
the bark are used in dysentery. In Java, an ink is sometimes made from
infusion of the leaves in native vinegar. The sweet types of
pomegranate are said to be mildly laxative, while the less sweet types
are believed to be good in inflammation of stomach and in heart pain.
The powdered flower buds are used in bronchitis. The seeds are
considered to be stomachic and the pulp cardiac and stomachic [Burkill,
II, 1842; Katyal & Chadha. Fertil News, 1962, 7(4), 25; Hayes, 405;
Kirt. & Basu, II, l085].
The plant is sometimes grown as an attractive hedge. The wood is hard
(wt., 897 kg./cu.m.) and can be used for small objects. The wood might
be tried as a substitute for boxwood [Katyal, Indian Fmg, N.S., 1955-
56, 5(12), 39: Hayes, 405; Burkill, II, 1843; Gamble, 377].
No information available during the period 1989 to 1993.
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