Soursop or Graviola is native to the Amazon rainforest; a small tree
growing up to 15 feet (5 meters) tall, it is much sought after for its delicious fruit. However, Graviola bark, leaves,
root, and fruits have been used as traditional remedies in South America for centuries. There is ongoing
cancer-research on this plant concerning the specific phytochemicals (Annonaceous acetogenins) that are demonstrating
the strongest anticancer and antiviral properties.
Extracts have been shown to have antiviral, antiparasitic, antirheumatic, astringent, emetic, antileishmanial and cytotoxic effects.
Graviola has also been shown to be effective against multi-drug resistant cancer cells line. Graviola
seems to effectively target and kill malignant cells in more than 10 different types of cancer, including colon,
breast, prostate, lung, and pancreatic cancer. It is believed to be far stronger in killing colon cancer cells
than Adriamycin® (Doxorubicin hydrochloride), a chemotherapy given as treatment for certain types of
cancer. It may be a natural alternative as such for cancer treatment. Graviola hunts down selectively - and kill cancer cells
without harming healthy cells; unlike chemotherapy that indiscriminately seeks and destroys all actively reproducing
cells - (even normal, healthy ones).
Research on this plant has focused on its anti-cancerous effect but the plant has been used for a long time in traditional
medicine in Surinam to treat a number of ailments, such as: hypertension, ringworm, influenza, scurvy, rashes,
malaria, neuralgia, dysentery, arthritis, palpitations, rheumatism, nervousness, high blood pressure, insomnia,
diarrhea, fever, nausea, boils, dyspepsia, and muscle spasm.
General uses: cancer treatment, herpes, infections, parasitic infections, sedation.
Methanolic extract of Annona muricata (Annonaceae) seeds was tested for antiparasitic
activity against E. histolytica, N. brasiliensis, M. dessetae and A. salina.
The acetogenins (natural chemicals)
are found to be responsible for the important activity.
In a plant screening program by the National Cancer
Institute, the leaves and stem of Graviola showed active cytotoxicity against cancer cells.
Focus of the research was on a novel set of phytochemicals (annonaceous acetogenins).
Fractionation of the leaves resulted in the isolation of two new Annonaceous acetogenins, muricoreacin and murihexocin C.
These compounds showed significant cytotoxicities among six human tumor cell lines with selectivities to the prostate
adenocarinoma (PC-3) and pancreatic carcinoma (PACA-2) cell lines.
The antitumor, properties of these annonaceous acetogenins have been reported.
Researchers reported that the
Annonaceous acetogenin, bullatacin, preferentially killed multi-drug resistant cancer cells because it blocked
production of adenosine triphosphate, ATP (the chief energy-carrying compound).
Some of the Annonaceous acetogenins
are not only effective in killing tumors that have proven resistant to anti-cancer agents, but also seem to have
a special affinity for such resistant cells.
Surviving cancer cells from chemotherapy may develop resistance
to the agent originally used against them as well as to other, even unrelated, drugs (multi-drug resistance or MDR).
The fruit and the leaves of Annona muricata are used in traditional medicine for their tranquillizing and sedative properties.
Extracts of the plant have been shown results that imply that the fruit possesses anti-depressive effects, possibly
induced by three alkaloids, annonaine (1), nomuciferine (2) and asimilobine (3), isolated from the fruit.
Fractionation of the leaves resulted in the isolation of annopentocins A B and C and cis- and trans-annomuricin-D-ones.
Compound 1 was selectively cytotoxic to pancreatic carcinoma cells (PACA-2), and 2 and 3 were selectively cytotoxic
to lung carcinoma cells (A-549); the mixture of 4 and 5 was selectively cytotoxic for the lung (A-549), colon (HT-29),
and pancreatic (PACA-2) cell lines with potencies equal to or exceeding those of Adriamycin.
Dosage
The leaves are used for the herbal dietary supplement. Tincture: 1 - 4 ml. daily (1 - 4 full droppers) Infusion: 1 - 3 cups daily
Precaution & contra-indications
Not be used during pregnancy due to possible uterine stimulant activity.
Contraindicated
for people with low blood pressure (it may posses' hypotensive, vasodilator, and cardio depressant activities).
It may also potentiate antidepressant drugs and interfere with MAO-inhibitor drugs.
References
Titre du document / Document title
Isoquinoline derivatives isolated from the
fruit of Annona muricata as 5-HTergic 5-HT[1A] receptor agonists in rats : Unexploited antidepressive (lead) products. Auteur(s) / Author(s)
HASRAT J. A.(¹); DE BRUYNE T.(¹); DE BACKER J.-P.(²); VAUQUELIN G.(²);
VLIETINCK A.(¹) Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)
(¹) Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, BELGIQUE.
(²) Department of Protein Chemistry,
Free University of Brussels, Paardenstraat 65, 1640, St Genesius Rode, BELGIQUE.
Two New Mono-Tetrahydrofuran Ring Acetogenins, Annomuricin E and Muricapentocin, from the Leaves of Annona muricata.
Geum-soog Kim, +§Lu Zeng, +Feras Alali, +Lingling L. Rogers, +Feng-E. Wu, +Jerry L. McLaughlin,*+ and Soelaksono Sastrodihardjo±
Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmacal Sciences, Purdue University,
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, and Department of Education and Culture, Center of Interuniversities, Biology Division, Bandung
Institute of Technology, 10 Yanesba St., Bandung 40132, Indonesia Received November 26, 1997.
Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmacal Sciences, Purdue University,
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, and Department of Education and Culture, Center of Interuniversities, Biology Division,
Bandung Institute of Technology, 10 Yanesba St., Bandung 40132, Indonesia Received November 26, 1997.
Annona muricata L. USDA, NRCS. 2008. The PLANTS Database http://plants.usda.gov/ , Nov, 2008).
National Plant Data Center , Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
Wu FE, Zeng L, Gu ZM, et al. Muricatocins A and B, two new bioactive monotetrahydrofuran Annonaceous acetogenins
from the leaves of Annona muricata. J Nat Prod. 1995;58(6):902-908.
The above presentation is for informational and educational purposes only.
It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage.
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