Alchemica Posted February 15, 2018 (edited) I'm a polyphenol fiend. While I started off buying some pomegranate juice which is high in natural sugars with 170mg polyphenols a dose, today I met the tree and connected with the fruit. Using the whole fruit, the peel of the pomegranate is now being recognised to contain up to three times the polyphenols as the arials. This is symbolic of Nurturing through Death, Rebirth and Major Transitions. Pomegranates figure in some way in virtually every religion known to man. The pomegranate, Punica granatum, is an ancient, mystical, unique fruit borne on a small, long-living tree cultivated throughout the Mediterranean region, as far north as the Himalayas, in Southeast Asia, and in California and Arizona in the United States. In addition to its ancient historical uses, pomegranate is used in several systems of medicine for a variety of ailments. It has antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties and very beneficial effects on the brain. In Ayurvedic medicine the pomegranate is considered “a pharmacy unto itself ” There are strong esoteric traditions that pomegranate juice can absorb and counteract negative energy. This spiritual use is suggested by some of legends associated with pomegranate in world religion and mythology. Mohammed urged the eating of pomegranate to combat envy and hatred. The Buddha was said to have used pomegranates to calm a cannibal demon. The pomegranate fruit is often used to signify that it is now the “fruit of the Spirit” that controls our lives rather than the lust of the flesh Pomegranate is a potent antioxidant, superior to red wine and equal to or better than green tea. In addition, anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties suggest its possible use as a therapy or adjunct for prevention and treatment of several types of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Pomegranate juice contains anthocyanins. ascorbic acid, ellagic acid, gallic acid, caffeic acid; catechin, EGCG, quercetin, rutin, numerous minerals, particularly iron, and amino acids A prominent researcher on the medicinal properties of pomegranate, cautions against focusing on ellagic acid standardisation to the exclusion of other therapeutically important pomegranate constituents as there may be potent synergies. Some polyphenols showing promise for depression include dihydromyricetin, amentoflavone, apigenin, chlorogenic acid, curcumin, ferulic acid, hesperidin, rutin, quercetin, naringenin, resveratrol, ellagic acid, nobiletin, anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins. I'll focus on pomegranate's ellagic acid. In humans, ellagic acid prevents cognitive deficits through normalisation of lipid metabolism, increase in plasma BDNF level, and reduction of saliva cortisol concentration. It may be a useful memory restorative agent and ellagic acid may be used in functional foods or medicines to help treat CNS dysfunction, neurodegenerative disease and aging. Dietary pomegranate produces brain antiinflammatory effects that may attenuate disease progression. Acute and chronic administration of ellagic acid to mice has produced antianxiety-like effect through an involvement of GABAergic system. Ellagic acid may be a natural selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM). Ellagic acid displays neuroprotective properties against oxidative and inflammatory damages after brain injury. It can improve brain injury outcomes and increase the proliferation of neural stem cells through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In models of brain injury, it can restore neurological symptom severity, cognitive and LTP deficits and prevent brain inflammation may by restore BBB permeability as well as lowering brain content of TNF-α. Through it's actions on myelination, it is a suitable therapeutic agent for moderate brain damage in neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis. It has other neuroprotective potential in Parkinson's via amelioration of apoptosis and oxidative stress, suppression of MAO-B, and its favorable influence is partly reliant on ERβ/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling cascade. In models of cognitive decline, it could dose-dependently improve learning and memory deficits via neuronal protection and at molecular level through mitigation of oxidative stress and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and modulation of NF-κB/Nrf2/TLR4 signaling pathway. Other potential applications include brain ischemia, male infertility, Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, and obesity. Edited February 15, 2018 by Alchemica 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alchemica Posted March 5, 2018 (edited) I've used pomegranate leaf and brewed some up with my pomegranate peels. This morning a strong brew of pomegranate peels, blueberry, hibiscus and lots of spearmint For holistic health, even in pathology, I still think you can't go past what many people would consider 'not medicine'. Today in the shamanic mug is a nice broad-spectrum, chunky style with the spearmint brew, cocktail of polyphenols etc. Saved up lots of local pomegranate peel. It makes quite a tanniny tasting healing tea with a broad spectrum of healing polyphenols which can enhance cognitive/functional recovery in CNS injury. Tonnes of Spearmint. Added some Hibiscus and a solid dose of blueberry goodness. These tools I think I find healthier and at times more effective than something considered 'more medicinal' All of these constituents are to me nicely uplifting, the anthocyanins improve mood/positive affect even acutely have solid pro-cognitive effects, improving memory aspects and executive functioning etc. These are looking really promising for CNS things: Pomegranate supplementation improves cognitive and functional recovery following ischemic stroke: A randomized trial. These also contains beneficial phenolics and flavonoids I use the whole fruit, the peel of the pomegranate is now being recognised to contain up to three times the polyphenols as the arials. Pomegranate includes: punicalagins condensed tannins catechins gallocatechins prodelphinidins "Use young leaves as a salad green. Use young leaves in a green smoothie or juice. Use young leaves as a spinach alternative – curries, pasta sauces, soups … Make a leaf tea – fresh or dried. Make a paste from the leaf and put it on eczema directly." Edited March 6, 2018 by Alchemica 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
