Annona Species Monograph.pdf - Crops for the Future

Chapter 7. Uses
Seeds contain a reddish oil and caffeine. Flowers of cherimoya are used to
flavour snuff in Jamaica but whether this is used medicinally is not clear.
Some soursop root acetogenins are known to have cytotoxic effects (Gleye et
al., 1998): panatellin, uvariamicin IV, uvariamicin I, reticulatacin,
reticulatacin 10-one and solamin. The bark contains alkaloids. The leaves
have essential oils with parasiticide, anti-diarrhoea, rheumatological and antineuralgic
properties (Moura, 1988). Boiled water infusions of leaves have
anti-spasmodic, astringent, gastric properties (Calzavara et al., 1987; Khan et
al., 1997), help treat diabetes and gastric upsets (Calzavara et al., 1987), and
are used in kidney ailments (Duke, 1970). The cooked flowers and petals are
used for healing eye inflammations; the treatment requires 2-3 washes a day
(Calzavara et al., 1987).
Immature soursop fruits have medicinal properties against dysentery,
cankers, diuretic, scorbutic, anti-thermical processes, skin diseases, rashes,
fever, malaria, peptic ulcers, colic and oedema (Khan et al., 1997). The peel
from immature fruits has constituents that act against atonic dyspepsia,
diarrhoea and chronic dysentery; it is astringent and provokes vomiting
(Calzavara et al., 1987). The acid pulp is used to heal foot parasites and
icteric liver diseases (Calzavara et al., 1987). The fruit also has properties
that act on the biliary vesicle (Calzavara et al., 1987). The seeds have antispasmodic
and anti-parasitic properties (Moura, 1988; Bories et al., 1991;
Philipov et al., 1994). They contain amyloids, oleic acid and steroids
(Kerharo and Adam, 1974; Asolkar et al., 1992).
Wild soursop roots, leaves and bark are also used in folk medicine (FAO,
1983). The roots are used to treat cancer, convulsions, venereal disease,
diarrhoea, dysentery, fever, filariosis and male impotency, and have antineoplasic
and anti-protozoal activities (Fatope et al., 1996). The leaves are
used for diseases of the eye, stomach and intestines (Philipov et al., 1995;
You et al., 1995). Alcoholic leaf extracts have anti-spasmodic and relaxant
activity on the smooth muscles, anti-ulcer activity against indomethacin
induced ulcers and reduce the effect of stress on ulcer induction. These
effects are produced by various compounds, including flavonoids, alkaloids,
tannins and saponins (Langason et al., 1994). Moreover, the leaves contain
compounds that have insecticidal effects and are used to control insect pests
(Abubakar and Abdurahman, 1998). The bark is utilised as a vermifuge and
snakebite treatment (Philipov et al., 1995). The stem bark contains 4-entkaurenoids
that have cytotoxic activity against tumour cell lines (Fatope et
al., 1996). Other wild soursop uses in folk medicine include treatments for
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