Pomegranate Peel Bioactive Compounds for Topical Anti-Acne Cosmeceuticals: Phytochemistry, Biological Evidence, and Formulation Challenges—A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Acne vulgaris is a prevalent chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit driven by a multifactorial pathogenesis involving excess sebum production, follicular hyperkeratinisation, Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, oxidative stress, and immune-mediated inflammation. Conventional therapies, such as topical retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, antibiotics, hormonal agents, and isotretinoin, remain the standard of care; however, their clinical utility is frequently limited by local irritation, dryness, poor tolerability, post-treatment relapse, and the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance. In this review, the anti-acne benefits of pomegranate peel as a botanical agent have been discussed with respect to phytochemical composition, biological activities, and formulation difficulties. The phytochemistry of pomegranate peel includes bioactive polyphenols, such as hydrolyzable tannins (e.g., punicalagin and ellagic acid), phenolic acids (e.g., gallic acid), flavonoids, and anthocyanins, with a range of biological properties such as synergistic antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and enzyme-inhibitory activities, which act on different steps involved in the process of acne development. Currently, the biological activity of pomegranate peel extracts includes inhibition of bacteria associated with acne, decreased lipase activity of bacteria, antioxidant action, and modification of inflammatory pathways, thus allowing its use as a multi-targeted botanical agent. However, there are still several formulation difficulties, including emulsion stabilization, prevention of syneresis, efficacy of preservatives, and optimal release of active compounds, which should be taken into account in the development of anti-acne pomegranate formulations.