Abstract
- Introduction
Increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) following strenuous physical exercise frequently results in acute oxidative damage to body cells. Furthermore, the localized accumulation of immune cells and elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines within skeletal muscle tissue induce intramuscular swelling and the activation of nociceptors, which directly contribute to delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and pain. Traditionally, pomegranate peel—known in Chinese as Shíliú pí (石榴皮)—has long been recognized for its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study was designed to systematically analyze and review the therapeutic effects of pomegranate peel supplementation in improving physiological recovery from post-exercise oxidative stress and systemic inflammation.
- Methods
This study employed a systematic review methodology of randomized controlled trials, conducting comprehensive electronic searches across major international scientific journal databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. To ensure strict data relevance and contemporary accuracy, articles were carefully selected based on specific inclusion criteria focusing on topics related to pomegranate peel, exercise-induced inflammation, oxidative stress, and physical exercise, restricting the publication timeline to the last six years (2019–2025). Exclusion criteria involved removing articles originating from non-reputable journals lacking indexation in Scopus or Web of Science. A final total of 12 peer-reviewed articles fully meeting the inclusion criteria were selected. Due to the inherent small sample sizes and methodological heterogeneity across the included studies, a narrative synthesis without meta-analysis was performed.
- Results
The synthesized findings revealed that human and animal subjects receiving pomegranate peel interventions demonstrated significantly increased systemic levels of key antioxidant enzymes, accompanied by a marked decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Furthermore, in vivo research results confirmed that pomegranate peel effectively inhibits inflammation by regulating the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-$\kappa$B) signaling pathway and down-regulating the expression of diverse pro-inflammatory markers.
- Discussion
Pomegranate peel is exceptionally rich in bioactive compounds and polyphenols—including phenolic acids and flavonoids—which exhibit robust antioxidant capacities capable of attenuating biomarkers of oxidative stress induced by physical activity. Specifically, pomegranate peel extract administration elevated the levels of major endogenous antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), reduced glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), alongside significantly decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, which serve as key indicators in the ROS detoxification system. Additionally, pomegranate peel possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties capable of suppressing inflammation through the regulation of the NF-$\kappa$B signaling pathway and the reduction of various pro-inflammatory cytokines and markers, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-$\alpha$), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-1 alpha (IL-$1\alpha$), interleukin-1 beta (IL-$1\beta$), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interferon-gamma (IFN-$\gamma$). The substantial reduction of these inflammatory mediators directly contributes to alleviating exercise-related muscle pain and accelerating athletic recovery.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667142525001034