NATURA GRAViOLA

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCT.-

Common Name: Graviola, Guanabana, Catuche

Scientific Name: Annona Muricata

Family: Anonaceae

English Name: Graviola

 

 

I.DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT.-

 

It is a small tree, 3 to 10 m (10 to 33 ft) tall, with a narrow and open crown; with large, shiny dark green leaves.  The fruit is similar to cherimoya, another member of the same family of Graviola. It is a collective berry, amply ovoid dark green, 15-40 cm length and 10-20 cm width. It is covered by soft, meaty thorns, 0.3 to 0.5 cm long and turned to the apex. The peel is thin and corollaceous. The fruit weighs between 2 and 4 kilos. The peel is covered by thorns, and looks shiny dark green that turns matte when mature,

 

The pulp of the fruit is soft, meaty texture, creamy and juicy, aromatic and with a taste markedly acid, generally white to yellowish in color. Inside the fruit reside the numerous shiny seeds, easy to dislodge, black or dark brown in color, ovoid and flat in shape, 15 to 20 mm long.

 

HABITAT: This tree has been domesticated in the Amazon basin and in Central America. In the Peruvian coast, it has been cultivated since 1200 BCE. In Peru, it is found in the Departments of Loreto, San Martin and Ucayali. It grows in sub-tropical weather zones with temperatures above 12 degrees Centigrade (54 Fahrenheit), and rain levels above 1,000 mm. In the coast line, it is cultivated under irrigation.

 

  

Graviola

 

II. HISTORICAL OR TRADITIONAL USE.-

 

It has been cultivated in Peru since pre-Columbian times: its fruit has been frequently represented in ceramics of the time along the Peruvian coast. Some examples from the Chimu culture even show the fruit with great detail.

 

All the parts of the plant are utilized in the natural medicine of the tropic regions. Different parts of the Graviola tree: bark, root, leaves, fruit and seeds have medicinal uses in the traditional treatment of diabetes, catarrhs, indigestion, intestinal parasites and even certain types of cancer. It is also used as antispasmodic, anti-dysentery, antipyretic and vulnerary.

 

The fresh pulp of the Graviola fruit, also known as Guanabana, much appreciated for its flavor, is consumed directly or also elaborated into desserts, ice creams, drinks, nectars and marmalades.

 

 

 III. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION.-

 

Active components: Akaloids (Annonaceus Acetogenins), Muricoreacin, Munhexoin C, Mono-tetrahydrofuran,  acetogenins, annomuricin E, Miricapetocin.

 

 

 IV. MEDICINAL PROPERTIES.-

 

Medicinal properties are found in the seeds, fruit, root, leaves and bark of the Graviola tree. Some of these properties of Graviola proven with laboratory evidence are:

• Anti-tumor,

• Anti-carcinogen (prostate)

• Anti-parasite

• Antispasmodic

• Sedative (very mild)

• Reduces symptoms of asthma

• Reduces hypertension

• Reduces symptoms of diabetes

• Reduces symptoms of liver disease

    

 

Anti-carcinogen and anti-parasite:

Graviola has been prove to be 10,000 times more effective than Adriamicyn, used in chemotherapy. Graviola, in contrast, acts selectively, killing only cancerous cells, without damaging the healthy cells. This is not the case with Adriamicyn, as shown by hair loss.

 

It is known through research studies done by Dr. H. Clark (1) that there is a very tight relation between cancer and parasites: cancer patients are also infected with parasites (human as well as feline and canine), which create toxins inside them. Dr. Clark, applying a herbal treatment of Graviola, managed to stop the progress of a certain cancer. This shows the importance of Graviola against cancer though its anti-parasite properties.

 

Natural Anti-tumor:

Researchers from Perdue University in 1977, in their treatment of tumors have conducted research on the inhibiting action of diverse annonaceous compounds in carcinogen cells. With acetogenic annonaceous (only found in the Graviola family) surprising results have been achieved. They registered 4 patents or more on the action of their acetogenic compounds on cancer cells (2).

 

 

 

(1)…Dra. Hulda Clark, libro "The Cure for All Cancers" , (best-selling book)

(2)… Perdue Universidty (USA). Investigación sobre la acción inhibidora de derivados de Annonaceous en células cancerígenas. 1997.

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