Pomegranate and Its Bioactive Compounds Ellagic Acid and Gallic Acid in Ischemic Stroke: A Review

Ischemic stroke is one of the major causes of death and serious long-term impairment worldwide. Over the past few decades, anti-ischemic medicines have made substantial progress. However, ischemic stroke remains an extremely challenging condition. Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruits have been widely used in disease treatment since ancient times. Pomegranate is a nutrient-dense fruit that has a variety of phytochemicals, which are responsible for its antioxidative, antiapoptosis, and anti-inflammatory potential. This review provides evidence from experimental and clinical studies regarding the efficacy of pomegranate and some of its bioactives, like ellagic acid and gallic acid for improving neurological performance, memory performance, and reducing brain injury along with preserving brain DNA integrity, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory in ischemic stroke. These findings now indicate the therapeutic potentials of pomegranate and its derivatives in stroke treatment and also hint at the direction further studies on their clinical applications and mechanisms of action should take.