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PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES - TOXICOLOGY - DRUG INTERACTIONS

Punica granatum (Pomegranate)

Cortex et Pericarpium Punicae Granati are documented in pharmacopoeias and well established
documents for their use in the treatment of intestinal parasites (WHO, 2009). Cortex Punicae
Granati has properties and actions similar to those of Pericarpium Punicae Granati. Cortex
Punicae Granati is used orally for the treatment of intestinal parasites such as tapeworms and
roundworms (Bensky & Gamble, 1993). Pelletierine, an alkaloid constituent of Cortex Punicae
Granati has been found to be active against tapeworms. At a concentration of 1:10 000,
pelletierine hydrochloride exerts taenicidal effect within 5-10 minutes. This alkaloid acts by
causing the tapeworm to relax its grip on the intestinal walls and thereby making it possible
to be expelled by cathartics (Bensky & Gamble, 1993; Iwu, 1993). Aqueous extract of
Pericarpium Punicae Granati weakly inhibited the growth of Ascaris galli, Ascaris lumbricoides,
Pheretima posthuma, and Taenia solium (Hukkeri et al., 1993; Raj, 1975).

Toxicity for Cortex et Pericarpium Punicae Granati has not been documented in dogs and cats when administered
orally in therapeutic doses.

The intraperitoneal LD of Pericarpium Punicae Granati extract was found to be 1,321 ± 15 mg/kg of body
50
weight in mice (Qnais EY et al., 2007). The LD of Fructus Punica Granati extract, determined in mice of
50
both sexes after intraperitoneal administration was 731 mg/kg of body weight (Vidal et al., 2003). Acute and
subchronic toxicity of Fructus Punica Granati standardized extract containing 30% punicalagins, acute oral
TOXICOLOGY (NOAEL) was determined as 600 mg/kg (Patel et al. 2008).
LD in rats and mice was >5,000 mg/kg of body weight, and the subchronic no-observed-adverse-effect level
50

In animal experiments, intragastric administration of very large doses of the alkaloids isolated from Cortex
Punicae Granati caused respiratory arrest and death (Bensky & Gamble, 1993). Ingestion by humans of more than
80 g of Cortex Punicae Granati may cause severe vomiting with blood, dizziness, fever, tremor, and collapse.
After 10 hours to 3 days temporary blindness may occur, this usually resolves after several weeks (WHO, 2009).

Equivalent toxic dose in 20 kg dog: 26,420 mg IP of Pericarpium Punicae Granati extract.
Equivalent toxic dose in 5 kg cat: 6,605 mg IP of Pericarpium Punicae Granati extract.

DRUG Validated interactions studies do not exist for Cortex et Pericarpium Punicae Granati
INTERACTIONS preparations. Clinical interactions with other drugs have not been reported.

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