Physico-chemical characterization and bioactivity of cultivated and wild pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seed oils

The aims of this study were to determine and compare the basic physico-chemical quality parameters of cultivated and wild pomegranate seed oils (CPSO and WPSO, respectively), along with their antioxidant, antihyperglycemic, antiproliferative, and antimicrobial activities. Both cultivated and wild pomegranate seed oils displayed a similar physico-chemical composition, with eicosapentaenoic acid being the predominant fatty acid, accounting for approximately 80 % in both oils. The carotenoid content was higher in cultivated pomegranate seed oil (7.53 mg β-carotene/kg), whereas wild pomegranate seed oil had a greater total chlorophyll content (0.21 mg pheophytin-a/kg). The total phenol contents (0.47 and 0.50 mg GAE/g), flavonoids (0.03 mg Qc/g for both), flavonols (0.55 mg Qc/g for both), and flavan-3-ols (20.03 and 25.00 mg CAT/g) in CPSO and WPSO, respectively, were comparable between the two oil samples. Both oils exhibited strong antioxidant activity against DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) free radicals and demonstrated good antihyperglycemic activity. However, neither oil showed antimicrobial activity against Salmonella enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes, or antifungal activity on yeast Candida albicans. Antiproliferative activities were observed for both CPSO and WPSO on HeLa (epithelioid carcinoma of the cervix), MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), and MRC-5 (normal fetal lung fibroblasts) cell lines, with IC50 values below 200 μg/ml. For the HT-29 cell line, the IC50 values were 652.04 µg/ml for CPSO and 414.88 µg/ml for WPSO, indicating stronger antiproliferative activity of WPSO. The inhibitory activities (IC50) correlate with the ability of the sample to inhibit cell proliferation by 50 %, with lower IC50 values indicating a stronger antiproliferative effect.