This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Researchers have identified a broad range of biological properties of pomegranate with potential medical applications, including antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, liver-supporting and wound-healing effects. According to a new comprehensive review published in the journal Veterinary Sciences, the evidence supports the particular relevance of these properties in veterinary medicine, where antimicrobial and anthelmintic resistance, oxidative stress, metabolic disorders and growing demand for sustainable alternatives to synthetic products represent major challenges.
The review, titled "Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) in Veterinary Medicine: A Comprehensive Review of Pharmacological Activities and Species-Specific Therapeutic Applications," provides an extensive synthesis of current scientific evidence concerning the use of pomegranate and its derivatives. The authors examined evidence from poultry, ruminants, swine, fish, companion animals and laboratory models, with particular attention to the pharmacological properties of pomegranate peel, peel extracts, seed oil, juice and other plant-derived preparations. The literature search covered studies published between 1990 and June 2026 and incorporated evidence from PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar.
Pomegranate has attracted considerable scientific interest because of its exceptionally rich phytochemical composition, which includes punicalagins, ellagic acid, anthocyanins, flavonoids, alkaloids and punicic acid. The study involves investigators affiliated with the Local Health Authority of Foggia (ASL Foggia), Temple University, the University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, the University of Siena and the Sbarro Health Research Organization (SHRO), located at the Center for Biotechnology at Temple University's College of Science and Technology. The collaboration reflects an international and interdisciplinary effort at the interface of veterinary medicine, biomedical research and translational science.
Pomegranate peel products show promising evidence in poultry, demonstrating improvements in production performance, antioxidant status, humoral immunity and anticoccidial activity when incorporated into the diet. In ruminants, pomegranate preparations have demonstrated promising antiparasitic effects against gastrointestinal nematodes, while evidence also indicates potential benefits in preserving semen quality during cryopreservation. In aquaculture, pomegranate-derived preparations have shown antiparasitic activity against gill monogeneans, together with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
Emerging evidence in companion animals further suggests potential applications in conditions such as leishmaniasis, inflammatory diseases and wound management. An important aspect of the review is its focus not only on the biological activities of pomegranate but also on its potential contribution to sustainable veterinary medicine. Pomegranate byproducts, particularly the peel, are abundant agricultural and food-processing residues that retain substantial concentrations of bioactive compounds.
Their valorization as phytobiotic ingredients could therefore contribute to the development of alternative strategies for animal health while simultaneously supporting principles of resource efficiency and the circular economy. The authors highlight the relevance of this perspective in the context of increasing interest in natural alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters and synthetic antiparasitic agents. "Pomegranate represents a particularly compelling example of how traditional knowledge can be investigated through modern biomedical and veterinary science," says co-author Antonio Giordano, M.D., Ph.D., professor at Temple University and founder and director of SHRO.
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