Annona muricata (Laxman Phal/ Hanuman phal, Mullatha in Mal) is a sought after plant known for its anticancer and biopesticidal potentials. Many patients collect leaves (found throughout year), boil them in water and drink. When fruits are available (Feb-April) they are eaten raw. Boiling leaves destroys the heat sensitive active compounds (acetogenins) and thus this extract may not give desired results at all (See properties of acetogenins below).
The anticancer activities are due to Acetogenins (also known as THF- tetrahydrofuran acetogenins) which are characterized by a hydrocarbon chain of 35-37 carbons having a -lactone ring on one end and one/two /three tetrahydrofuran rings in the middle (for e.g.. annomuricin, annonacin etc.) Two hundred and twelve bioactive compounds have been reported from A. muricata of which more than 120 are different acetogenins, 30 are alkaloids like annonaine & annomuricine and 35 are phenolics including gallic acid, apigenin and tannins. Leaves contain the maximum acetogenins (43) followed by seeds (35) and pulp (13).
Several studies reported that A. muricata extracts (mainly from leaves and seeds) have an anti-tumor effect on several cell lines of breast, prostate, liver, and lung cancer among others, with the anti-tumor activity attributed to acetogenins. Isolated extracts up-regulate the activity of caspase 3 and 8 (apoptosis effectors), while downregulating the expression of survivin and Bcl-2, thereby enhancing apoptosis. The acetogenin annonacin promotes apoptosis in cancer cells by activating the caspase 3 and Bax pathways (Yuan et al., 2003), while squamocin induces apoptosis through the expression of the proapoptotic genes Bax and Bad, which results in the cleavage of PARP and the enhanced activity of caspase 3 in bladder T24 cancer cells (Yuan et al., 2006). They also lead to cycle arrest, which has implications for the proliferation of tumor cells. Acetogenins regulate the cell cycle in the G1/S transition by inhibiting cyclin D1 expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (Qian et al., 2015). In this context, the A. muricata extract arrests the cell cycle at the G1 phase and decreases the number of cells in the S phase in a concentration-dependent manner by reducing the expression of cyclin D1, an important regulatory protein of the cell cycle (Torres et al., 2012). They can also inhibit the mitochondrial Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) ubiquinone oxidase reductase (Complex I of the respiratory chain), which reduces the production of ATP.
However most of the people who administer this plant do not understand the properties of acetogenins. The acetogenins are low polarity compounds and they decompose at 60ºC and their extraction yields are low using classical organic solvent extraction method. They are readily soluble in most organic solvents but are almost insoluble in water (<1 μg/mL) Therefore the researchers do not recommend boiling the plant material in water. For research purposes, the raw extract of acetogenins is obtained principally by maceration, percolation, or solid–liquid extraction [5,12]. However, these techniques require the use of large volumes of solvents, application of heating, and long extraction times. Extraction using ultra sound also recommended as also Super critical fluid method.
The best way to extract Graveola acetogenins at home is by putting fresh material in a mixer with water, grind it for 10 to 15 minutes, decant/filter the extract. The residue is once again put back in mixer and ground and extract taken and consumed fresh. Otherwise you can have 1 to 2 teaspoonful of leaf/seed powder (dried in shade) 1-2 times a day
For pesticidal preparations, extract leaves or seeds first in kerosene, add soap (to make it miscible with water) and add water.
Main Ref.
Ana V.Coria-TéllezadEfigeniaMontalvo-GónzalezbElhadi M.YahiacEva N.Obledo-Vázquezd Annona muricata: A comprehensive review on its traditional medicinal uses, phytochemicals, pharmacological activities, mechanisms of action and toxicity Arabian Journal of ChemistryVolume 11, Issue 5, July 2018, Pages 662-691.
Mammen Daniel
