Development of analytical method for the quality control of the fruit bark of Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) and antichemotatic activity of extract and rich fraction in punicalagins

• Published in: Biomedical chromatography 2019-02, Vol.33 (2), p.e4393-n/a
• Main Authors: Sleifer, Bruno Alonso, Schwanz, Melissa, Danielli, Leticia Jacobi, Apel, Miriam Anders, Henriques, Amélia Teresinha
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cells, Cultured; Chemotaxis - drug effects; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid - methods; Fruit - chemistry; Fruit - standards; HPLC; Hydrolyzable Tannins - analysis; Hydrolyzable Tannins - pharmacology; Limit of Detection; Linear Models; Male; neutrophil chemotaxis; Neutrophils - drug effects; Plant Extracts - analysis; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; pomegranate; Punicaceae - chemistry; punicalagin; Quality Control; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reproducibility of Results
• ISSN: 0269-3879; 1099-0801
• DOI: 10.1002/bmc.4393

Pomegranate is of current interest owing to the existing potential for industrial uses of fruit peels. This includes its availability as a raw vegetable material, a byproduct that constitutes residue in the use of the species and is recognized as a functional product, and beneficial health properties, as will be demonstrated in the studies cited. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure its effectiveness and safety. Toward this end, the aim of this study was to develop and validate an analytical method for the separation and quantification of total punicalagin present in the bark of the fruit of Punica granatum by HPLC. Purity tests such as water determination and total ashes were also performed. The ability of the extract and enriched fraction of punicalagin to inhibit leukocyte migration in vitro was determined by the Boyden's chamber method. The developed HPLC method demonstrated good separation and quantification of the punicalagin α and β anomers. The method is efficient and reliable, and can ultimately be used for the analysis of the extract of pomegranate. The crude extract and the fraction of punicalagins significantly inhibited leukocyte migration at concentrations of 1 and 10 μg/mL in relation to the negative control, indicating potential antichemotactic action.