Novadri Ayubi, Atika Syafawi, Riska Astin Fitria, Anton Komaini, Junian Cahyanto Wibawa, Ainun Zulfikar Rizki, Alvin Afandi, Aulia Putri Srie Wardani, Joseph Lobo, Dewangga Yudhistira, Muhamad Ichsan Sabillah, Muhammad Firman Halip
Introduction: Increased production of ROS after exercise results in oxidative damage to body cells. Additionally, accumulation of immune cells and increased inflammatory cytokines within muscle tissue lead to intramuscular swelling and activation of nociceptors, which contribute to delayed onset muscle pain. Traditionally pomegranate peel is believed to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In Chinese, pomegranate peel is called Shíliú pí (石榴皮). This study aims to analyze the effects of pomegranate peel supplementation in improving recovery from oxidative stress and inflammation post-exercise through a systematic review of randomized controlled clinical trials. Methods: This study employed a systematic review of randomized controlled clinical trials approach to comprehensively search through international journal databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Science Direct. To ensure data relevance, this study carefully selected articles based on specific inclusion criteria, focusing on topics related to pomegranate peel, inflammation, oxidative stress, and physical exercise. Additionally, only articles published within the last six years were considered (2019–2025). Exclusion criteria involved removing articles from non-reputable journals not indexed by Scopus or Web of Science. A total of 12 articles were selected that fully met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. Due to the small sample size and heterogeneity of studies, a narrative synthesis without meta-analysis is reported. Results: The results showed that subjects who received pomegranate peel showed increased levels of antioxidant enzymes, accompanied by a significant decrease in MDA levels. In addition, in vivo research results have shown that pomegranate peel can inhibit inflammation by regulating the NF-κB signaling pathway and reducing the expression of various pro-inflammatory markers. Discussion: Pomegranate peel contains bioactive compounds, polyphenols including phenolic acids, flavonoids, which show antioxidant effects that can reduce markers of oxidative stress caused by physical activity. Pomegranate peel extract showed increased levels of antioxidant enzymes such as CAT, GPx, GSH, and SOD, along with a significant decrease in MDA levels which are key indicators in the ROS detoxification system. Furthermore, pomegranate peel has anti-inflammatory properties that can inhibit inflammation by regulating the NF-κB signaling pathway and reducing the expression of various pro-inflammatory markers, such as TNF-α, CRP, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ. The reduction of these inflammatory markers may contribute to relieving muscle pain. © 2025 The Author(s)
Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia; Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia; Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia; Universitas Negeri Padang, Padang, Indonesia; STKIP PGRI Trenggalek, Trenggalek, Indonesia; Bulacan State University, Malolos, Philippines
