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Soursop

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For the herbaceous plant, see Oxalis pes-caprae.
Soursop fruit and cross section

Soursop is the fruit of Annona muricata, a broadleaf, flowering, evergreen tree native to Mexico, Cuba, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America: Colombia, Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela. Soursop is also produced in Somalia. Today, it is also grown in some areas of Southeast Asia, as well as in some Pacific islands. It was most likely brought from Mexico to the Philippines by way of the Manila-Acapulco Galleon trade.[citation needed] It is in the same genus as the chirimoya and the same family as the pawpaw.

Fruit and leaves of Annona muricata

The soursop is adapted to areas of high humidity and relatively warm winters; temperatures below 5 °C (41 °F) will cause damage to leaves and small branches, and temperatures below 3 °C (37 °F) can be fatal. The fruit becomes dry and is no longer good for concentrate.

Annona muricata var.subonica

Other common names include: Evo (Volta Region, Ghana),Aluguntugbui(Ga Greater Accra Region Ghana) guanábana (Spanish), graviola (Brazilian Portuguese, pronounced [gɾɐviˈɔlɐ]), anona (European Portuguese), corossol (French),කටු අනෝදා (Sinhalese), sorsaka (Papiamento), adunu (Acholi), Brazilian pawpaw, guyabano, guanavana, toge-banreisi, durian benggala, nangka blanda, sirsak, zuurzak and nangka londa.[1] In Malayalam, it is called mullaatha, literally thorny custard apple. The other lesser-known Indian names are shul-ram-fal and Lakshmana Phala. and in Harar (Ethiopia) in Harari language known for centuries as Amba Shoukh (Thorny Mango or Thorny Fruit). In the Ga language of Ghana, it is called aluguntugui.

The flavour has been described as a combination of strawberry and pineapple, with sour citrus flavour notes contrasting with an underlying creamy flavour reminiscent of coconut or banana.

Cultivation and uses

The plant is grown as a commercial crop for its 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in) long, prickly, green fruit, which can have a mass of up to 15 lb (6.8 kg),[2] making it probably the second biggest annona after the junglesop.

Away from its native area, some limited production occurs as far north as southern Florida within USDA Zone 10; however, these are mostly garden plantings for local consumption. It is also grown in parts of Southeast Asia and abundant on the Island of Mauritius. The soursop will reportedly fruit as a container specimen, even in temperate climates, if protected from cool temperatures.[citation needed]

A. muricata flower

The flesh of the fruit consists of an edible, white pulp, some fiber, and a core of indigestible, black seeds. The species is the only member of its genus suitable for processing and preservation.[citation needed] The sweet pulp is used to make juice, as well as candies, sorbets, and ice cream flavorings.

In Mexico, Colombia and Harar (Ethiopia), it is a common fruit, often used for dessert as the only ingredient, or as an agua fresca beverage; in Colombia, it is a fruit for juices, mixed with milk. Ice cream and fruit bars made of soursop are also very popular. The seeds are normally left in the preparation, and removed while consuming.

In Indonesia, dodol sirsak, a sweetmeat, is made by boiling soursop pulp in water and adding sugar until the mixture hardens. Soursop is also a common ingredient for making fresh fruit juices that are sold by street food vendors. In the Philippines, it is called guyabano, obviously derived from the Spanish guanabana, and is eaten ripe, or used to make juices, smoothies, or ice cream. Sometimes, they use the leaf in tenderizing meat. In Vietnam, this fruit is called mãng cầu Xiêm in the south, or mãng cầu in the north, and is used to make smoothies, or eaten as is. In Cambodia, this fruit is called tearb barung, literally "western custard-apple fruit." In Malaysia, it is known in Malay as durian belanda and in East Malaysia, specifically among the Dusun people of Sabah, it is locally known as lampun. Popularly, it is eaten raw when it ripens. Usually the fruits are taken from the tree when they mature and left to ripen in a dark corner, whereby they will be eaten when they are fully ripe. It has a white flower with a very pleasing scent, especially in the morning. While for people in Brunei Darussalam this fruit is popularly known as "Durian Salat", widely available and easily planted.

Health

Nutritionally, the fruit is high in carbohydrates, particularly fructose.[citation needed] The fruit also contains significant amounts of vitamin C, vitamin B1, and vitamin B2.[3]

Preliminary In Vitro laboratory research suggests that Graviola may have potential to treat some infections.[4][5][6][7][8]

Research carried out in the Caribbean has suggested a connection between consumption of soursop and atypical forms of Parkinson's disease due to the very high concentration of annonacin.[9][10][11][12]

According to Cancer Research UK, Annona muricata is an active principle in an unlicensed herbal remedy marketed under the brand name Triamazon.[13][14] Triamazon is not licensed for medicinal use and the sale of the product resulted in a conviction on four counts of selling unlicensed medical products, and other charges, for a vendor in the United Kingdom.[15]

Toxicology

Annonacin is a neurotoxin found in soursop seeds

The compound annonacin contained in the seeds of soursop is a neurotoxin and it seems to be the cause of a neurodegenerative disease. The only group of people known to be affected live on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe and the problem presumably occurs with the excessive consumption of plants containing annonacin. The disorder is a so-called tauopathy associated with a pathologic accumulation of tau protein in the brain. Experimental results demonstrated for the first time that the plant neurotoxin annonacin is responsible for this accumulation.[16]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Annona muricata.

References

  1. ^ "Graviola (Soursop)". Blackherbals. Retrieved 30 January 2012.[unreliable source?]
  2. ^ http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/soursop.html
  3. ^ Morton, Julia F. (1987). "Soursop (Annona muricata)". Fruits of warm climates. Purdue University. pp. 75–80. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ Oberlies, NH; Chang, CJ; McLaughlin, JL (1997). "Structure-activity relationships of diverse Annonaceous acetogenins against multidrug resistant human mammary adenocarcinoma (MCF-7/Adr) cells". Journal of Medical Chemistry. 40 (13): 2102–6. doi:10.1021/jm9700169. PMID 9207950.
  5. ^ Jaramillo, MC; Arango, GJ; González, MC; Robledo, SM; Velez, ID (2000). "Cytotoxicity and antileishmanial activity of Annona muricata pericarp". Fitoterapia. 71 (2): 183–6. doi:10.1016/S0367-326X(99)00138-0. PMID 10727816.
  6. ^ Padma, P; Pramod, NP; Thyagarajan, SP; Khosa, RL (1998). "Effect of the extract of Annona muricata and Petunia nyctaginiflora on Herpes simplex virus". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 61 (1): 81–3. doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(98)00013-0. PMID 9687085.
  7. ^ Dai, Y; Hogan, S; Schmelz, EM; Ju, YH; Canning, C; Zhou, K (2011). "Selective growth inhibition of human breast cancer cells by graviola fruit extract in vitro and in vivo involving downregulation of EGFR expression". Nutrition and cancer. 63 (5): 795–801. doi:10.1080/01635581.2011.563027. PMID 21767082.
  8. ^ Liaw, CC; Chang, FR; Lin, CY; Chou, CJ; Chiu, HF; Wu, MJ; Wu, YC (2002). "New cytotoxic monotetrahydrofuran annonaceous acetogenins from Annona muricata". Journal of Natural Products. 65 (4): 470–5. PMID 11975482.
  9. ^ Lannuzel, A; Michel, P.P; Höglinger, G.U; Champy, P; Jousset, A; Medja, F; Lombès, A; Darios, F; Gleye, C (2003). "The mitochondrial complex i inhibitor annonacin is toxic to mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons by impairment of energy metabolism". Neuroscience. 121 (2): 287–96. doi:10.1016/S0306-4522(03)00441-X. PMID 14521988.
  10. ^ Champy, Pierre; Melot, Alice; Guérineau Eng, Vincent; Gleye, Christophe; Fall, Djibril; Höglinger, Gunter U.; Ruberg, Merle; Lannuzel, Annie; Laprévote, Olivier (2005). "Quantification of acetogenins inAnnona muricata linked to atypical parkinsonism in guadeloupe". Movement Disorders. 20 (12): 1629–33. doi:10.1002/mds.20632. PMID 16078200.
  11. ^ Lannuzel, A.; Höglinger, G. U.; Champy, P.; Michel, P. P.; Hirsch, E. C.; Ruberg, M. (2006). "Is atypical parkinsonism in the Caribbean caused by the consumption of Annonacae?". Journal of Neural Transmission. Supplementa. 70 (70): 153–7. doi:10.1007/978-3-211-45295-0_24. ISBN 978-3-211-28927-3. PMID 17017523.
  12. ^ Caparros-Lefebvre, Dominique; Elbaz, Alexis (1999). "Possible relation of atypical parkinsonism in the French West Indies with consumption of tropical plants: A case-control study". The Lancet. 354 (9175): 281–6. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(98)10166-6. PMID 10440304.
  13. ^ "Cancer Research UK Confirm an element of Graviola in Triamazon Kills Cancer Cells" (Press release). Triamazon. September 10, 2010. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  14. ^ "Can graviola cure cancer?". Cancer Research UK.
  15. ^ Bell, Jessica (September 29, 2010). "Suspended sentence for 'miracle cure' cancer drug man Andrew Harris from Partington". Messenger.
  16. ^ "Tauopathie durch pflanzliches Nervengift: Junior Award für Marburger Doktorandin" (Press release) (in German). Thilo Körkel. May 4, 2007. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
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