Comparative Evaluation of Antioxidant and Enzyme Inhibition Activities of Pomegranate Vinegars and Extracts

In this study, antioxidant potential and enzyme inhibitory activities of pomegranate vinegars and extracts were investigated. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using ABTS, DPPH, and CUPRAC assays. Total phenol and flavonoid contents were also determined spectrophotometrically. The enzyme inhibition analysis comprised the assessment of anticholinesterase, anti-urease, and anti-aging (tyrosinase, elastase, and collagenase) targets. Pomegranate vinegars showed significantly higher total phenolic and total flavonoid contents with respect to crude extracts. The antioxidant activity of vinegar samples was higher, and one of the investigated vinegars (vinegar 2) exerted the highest radical-scavenging ability (DPPH IC₅₀: 2.21±0.01 μg/mL). Enzyme inhibition assays demonstrated that vinegars showed a broad-spectrum activity against several targets. The maximum anticholinesterase activity (AChE: 96.53±1.47%; BChE: 94.35±0.74%) was observed by one of the vinegars (vinegar 1), exceeding that of galantamine. Another vinegar sample (vinegar 3) had remarkable elastase (96.57±1.80%) and collagenase inhibition. All vinegars exhibited potent inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase (up to 110.97±3.01%), significantly higher than acarbose. On the other hand, ethanolic extracts displayed weak or no inhibitory activities. Fermentation markedly improved the phenolic profile and multifunctional bioactivities of pomegranate products, providing vinegars with potent antioxidant, neuroprotective, anti-aging, and anti-urease activities. These results reveal pomegranate vinegar as a new functional food candidate with potent nutraceutical activities.