Annona muricata L., soursop (graviola)-nature's gift to mankind with amazing medicinal benefits Rethinam P.1,*, Sundararaj P.2 1Former Executive Director, APCC &Former Chairman, Coconut Development Board, Government of India 2Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641046 *Email: palms02@hotmail.com
Online published on 4 December, 2019. Abstract Annona muricata L., popularly known as Graviola, Soursop, Guanabana, Mundla etc., has been used by the people in African and South American countries to treat infections with viruses or parasites, rheumatism, arthritis, depression, and sickness. In many countries, people use the bark, leaves, root, and fruits of this tree for traditional remedies. The soursop originated in the lowlands of Central America and is grown primarily at altitudes lower than 900 m above sea level. it is grown in many tropical countries like Angola, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, India, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Porto Rico and Venezuela. It grows in a wide variety of soils, from sandy to clay loams, but prefers deep soils with good aeration. It is usually grown from seeds. The fruit is heart-shaped to oval, ranging in size from a few inches to over one foot in length. This plant has great benefits for human life which is full with nutrition. In the food industry soursop can be processed into jam, fruit juice, syrup. The leaves contain flavonoid, tannin, alkaloid, saponin, calcium, phosphor, carbohydrate, vitamin a, b and c, phytosterol and calcium oxalate. It also has potassium, calcium, zinc, phosphorous and magnesium. The stem, bark and leaves are rich in antioxidants particularly coenzyme q10 to fight inflammation, eliminate free radicals, and ensure that the body functions properly. Soursop leaf can kill malignant cells of 12 types of cancer, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreatic cancer. Soursop is 10, 000 times stronger in slowing the growth of cancer cells compared to adriamycin and chemotherapy. Soursop leaves is very effective for on prostate, pancreas and lung cancer and attacks cancer cells effectively but it does not harm healthy cells. This article gives the glimpses about the various uses of soursop in the food industries and its pharmaceutical properties in curing many diseases including cancer. Top Keywords Cancer cure, Graviola, Guanabana, Mundla, Pharmaceutical properties, Soursap. Top |