THERAPEUTICS, PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGY OF AN IMPORTANT UNANI DRUG PUNICA GRANATUM LINN: A REVIEW

Ansari Shaiqua, *Wasim Ahmad, Fahmeeda Zeenat and Rizwan Mohiyuddin Khan

ABSTRACT

Punica granatum Linn is deciduous, glabrous large shrub or a small and long-living tree. Pomegranate (Punica granatum fruit) is a mystical, unique fruit and very famous from ancient era. It is an oldest known edible fruit, mentioned in Bible and Quran and is often associated with fertility. Prophet Mohammad (SAWS) called it the ‘purgative of hate, jealousy and envy’. In ancient Egyptian culture, it is regarded as a symbol of prosperity and ambition. Gulnar is the flower of wild variety, which does not have fruits. It is also known as Ward-e-Ruman. It is of various types but mostly red in colour, sour or bad in taste. Gulnar Farsi is best in all other types. Entire tree of pomegranate is of great economic importance. Apart from its demand for fresh fruits and juice, the processed products like wine and candy are also gaining importance in world trade. The plant is found growing wild in the warm valley and outer hills of the Himalayas between 900 and 1,800 meter and cultivated throughout the India. The different parts of the plant have various pharmacological activities. Gulnar (Punica granatum flower) has been used in Unani Medicine (Tibb-e-Unani) and other Traditional Systems of Medicine since centuries. Keeping in view the medicinal importance of it, an attempt has been made in the present paper to review the available literature on traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of flower of Punica granatum.

Keywords: Anar, Gulnar, Punica granatum.