Application Notes:
Punicic acid is a conjugated linolenic acid (CLnA) that is found in high amounts in several natural oils, including
pomegranate and snake guard seed oils. CLnAs contain 3 or 4 double bonds (which can be any combination of cis or trans)
and 9,11,13- and 8,10,12-octadecatrienoic acid positional isomers. Research indicates that CLnAs posses strong antidiabetic,
antiobesity, antiproliferative, and anticarcinogenic activities as well as a significant affect on lipid metabolism.(1) These
physiological effects make CLnAs potential candidates as therapeutic agents, although more research is needed to verify
previous findings.(2) Some studies suggest that punicic acid and other CLnAs can reduce adipose tissue in mouse models,
making it potentially useful as a weight-controlling lipid.(3) CLnAs, including punicic, jacaric, and α-eleostearic acids, have
been shown to suppress tumor cell growth through lipoperoxidation and apoptotic pathways.(4,5) It has been found that some
CLnAs, such as punicic acid and jacaric acid, exert a potent anti-inflammatory effect through the inhibition of TNFα-induced
priming of ROS production and inhibition of cyclooxygenase 1 (COX-1).(6,7) Punicic acid also modulates mucosal immune
responses and ameliorates gut inflammation through PPAR γ and δ-dependent mechanisms.(8) In addition, pomegranate oil
has been demonstrated to inhibit estrogen receptors α and β, with both punicic acid and α-eleostearic acid being identified as
active inhibitors.(9)
References:
1. P. Aruna et al. Health Benefits of Punicic Acid: A Review. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. Vol. 15 pp. 16-27, 2016
2. I. Pereira et al. Pomegranate Seed Oil (Punica Granatum L.): A Source of Punicic Acid (Conjugated α-Linolenic Acid). Journal of Human Nutrition and
Food Science. Vol. 2(1) pp. 1024, 2014
3. Koba et al. Genetically Modified Rapeseed Oil Containing cis-9, trans-11, cis-13-Octadecatrienoic Acid Affects Body Fat Mass and Lipid Metabolism in
Mice. J. Agric Food Chem. Vol. 55(9) pp. 3741-3748, 2007
4. T. Tsuzuki et al. Tumor growth suppression by α-eleostearic acid, a linolenic acid isomer with a conjugated triene system, via lipid peroxidation.
Carcinogenesis. Vol. 25(8) pp. 1417-1425, 2004
5. J. Gasmi and J. Sanderson. Jacaric acid and its octadecatrienoic acid geoisomers induce apoptosis selectively in cancerous human prostate cells: a
mechanistic and 3-D structure–activity study. Phytomedicine. Vol. 20 pp. 734-742, 2013
6. T. Boussetta et al. Punicic Acid a Conjugated Linolenic Acid Inhibits TNFα-Induced Neutrophil Hyperactivation and Protects from Experimental Colon
Inflammation in Rats. PLoS One. Vol. 4(7) pp. e6468, 2009
7. Z. Mashhadi et al. Robust Inhibitory Effects of Conjugated Linolenic Acids on a Cyclooxygenase-related Linoleate 10S-Dioxygenase: Comparison with
COX-1 and COX-2. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. Vol. 1851(10) pp. 1346-1352, 2015
8. J. Bassaganya-Riera et al. Punicic acid modulates mucosal immune responses and prevents gut inflammation through PPAR γ and δ-dependent
mechanisms. FASEB. Vol. 24(1) pp. 926, 2010
9. H. Tran et al. Pomegranate (punica granatum) seed linolenic acid isomers: concentration-dependent modulation of estrogen receptor activity. Endocr. Res.
Vol. 35(1) pp. 1-16, 2010