Pomegranate Juice CONCENTRATE (Jarrow) Each bottle, 12 oz (355 ml) of 100% pomegranate juice concentrate. This is one of the most powerful sources of antioxidants, with an ORAC higher than blueberries and strawberries. Derived from a California variety, this juice is concentrated to a level of 4 times that of ordinary pomegranate juice...it is thick! The antioxidant found in the juice include ellagic and gallic acid, anthocyanins and tannins, and punicalagin. Punicalagin is perhaps the most powerful. Various studies suggest that this may help to improve the level of glutathione in cells (see the entries on NAC and glutathione), particularly macrophages. It may have benefit for maintaining platelet levels, lowering LDL and sustaining vascular tone. Suggested use is to take 1 to 2 tablespoons of Pomegranate Juice Concentrate per day. Best when mixed in cold water, juice, tea, or other beverage of choice.

WARNING: Pomegranate juice, like grapefruit juice, may interact with a number of medications. People on any medication, especially on anti-hypertensive or cholesterol lowering medications, or people who are allergic to many plants, should consult their physician before taking pomegranate juice or pomegranate products.

Note that sometimes, these types of interactions can be used to one's advantage. One case was reported of a woman who used pomegranate juice 2-3 times per week while taking warfarin (coumadin). When she stopped using the pomegranate, her INR levels declined and she had to increase the dose of this toxic drug (see Pharmacotherapy 2009 Aug;29(8):1002-1006). Thus, it may be that carefully working with your physician, you can adjust med dosages. However, this is all the more reason to take care with the use of this.

Refrigerate after opening. To extend shelf life, this product would be best kept refrigerated at all times. Use within 60 days after opening.

See also:
Neurath AR, Strick N, Li YY, Debnath AK. Punica granatum (pomegranate) juice provides an HIV-1 entry inhibitor and candidate topical microbicide. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2005 Nov;1056:311-327.
New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. arneurath@att.net

For approximately 24 years the AIDS pandemic has claimed approximately 30 million lives, causing approximately 14,000 new HIV-1 infections daily worldwide in 2003. About 80% of infections occur by heterosexual transmission. In the absence of vaccines, topical microbicides, expected to block virus transmission, offer hope for controlling the pandemic. Antiretroviral chemotherapeutics have decreased AIDS mortality in industrialized countries, but only minimally in developing countries. To prevent an analogous dichotomy, microbicides should be acceptable, accessible, affordable, and accelerative in transition from development to marketing. Already marketed pharmaceutical excipients (inactive materials of drug dosage forms) or foods, with established safety records and adequate anti-HIV-1 activity, may provide this option. Therefore, fruit juices were screened for inhibitory activity against HIV-1 IIIB using CD4 and CXCR4 as cell receptors. The best juice was tested for inhibition of: (1) infection by HIV-1 BaL, utilizing CCR5 as the cellular coreceptor, and (2) binding of gp120 IIIB and gp120 BaL, respectively, to CXCR4 and CCR5. To remove most colored juice components, the adsorption of the effective ingredient(s) to dispersible excipients and other foods was investigated. A selected complex was assayed for inhibition of infection by primary HIV-1 isolates. The results indicate that HIV-1 entry inhibitors from pomegranate juice adsorb onto corn starch. The resulting complex blocks virus binding to CD4 and CXCR4/CCR5 and inhibits infection by primary virus clades A to G and group O. Therefore, these results suggest the possibility of producing an anti-HIV-1 microbicide from inexpensive, widely available sources, whose safety has been established throughout centuries, provided that its quality is adequately standardized and monitored.