17 A. A. Khalil1 M. R. Khan M. A. Shabbir K. U. Rahman Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences JAPS 20172017/04/01 27 2 522-527 1018-7081 N/A <p>Pomegranate peel has been traditionally used as folk medicine owing to rich source of polyphenolic compounds. Aim of present research was to assess total phenolics (TPC), total flavonoids (TFC) &amp; punicalagin contents (PC) of pomegranate peels obtained from three different varieties for their application as nutraceutical ingredient in food preservation industry. Phytogenic rich fractions were extracted from&nbsp;<em>Punica granatum&nbsp;</em>L. (pomegranate) peel using solvent methanol. Moreover, methanolic extracts were characterized&nbsp;<em>in vitro&nbsp;</em>to evaluate their antioxidative potential using DPPH assay. Kandhari peel polyphenols inhibited 78.23% free radicals; though extracts of Badana peel displayed least antioxidant potential. Maximum phenolics and flavonoids were documented in Kandhari peel extracts as 289.40 mg/g GAE and 58.63 mg/g RE, correspondingly, however punicalagin (118.60 mg/g) was the most predominant ellagitannin quantified. Significant correlation (<em>r</em>&thinsp;=&thinsp;0.999, 0.987;&nbsp;<em>N</em>&thinsp;=&thinsp;3) was noticed amongst total phenolics, total flavonoids and antioxidative capacity of experimented varieties. Correlation analysis (<em>r</em>&thinsp;=&thinsp;0.975;&nbsp;<em>N</em>&thinsp;=&thinsp;3) proposed that punicalagin might be the bioactive compound responsible for antioxidant potential of extracts. Conclusively, the study illuminated the therapeutic and nutraceutical prospective &amp; potential use of pomegranate peel as a cache of natural antioxidant.</p> Phytogenic compounds, Antioxidants, Punicalagin, High performance liquid chromatography, Nutraceuticals Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum https://thejaps.org.pk/AbstractView.aspx?mid=2017-JAPS-66