Abstract

Pomegranate components have properties that could promote oral health, including reducing the risk of gingivitis. The present study examined young adults (n = 32, split evenly among both genders), for the effects of 4 weeks of thrice daily mouth rinsing with the pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) extract PomElla dissolved in water. This treatment changed salivary measures relevant to oral health including gingivitis. The changes were: reduced total protein (which can correlate with plaque forming bacteria readings), reduced activities of aspartate aminotransferase (an indicator of cell injury), reduced alpha-glucosidase activity (a sucrose degrading enzyme), increased activities of the antioxidant enzyme ceruloplasmin (which could give better protection against oral oxidant stress) and increased radical scavenging capacity (though this increase was significant only by nonparametric statistical analysis). A placebo of cornstarch in water did not affect these measures. These data raise the possibility of using pomegranate extracts in oral health products such as toothpaste and mouthwashes.

Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.