So many people have known Soursop (Graviola, Annona muricata) fruits for treating cancers, but so little about the numerous health benefits of Soursop bitters, made from the leaves, the stem or the roots. If you have licked Soursop fruits before, you sure would appreciate the sweet taste.
But do you know that Soursop isn’t just there for the taste? It is way beyond just giving you the feeling of satisfaction but goes into your body systems, armed with numerous antioxidants that scavenge free radicals released into your body from oxidative stress and respirations.
The reason for several illnesses is sometimes traced to free radicals. Your body would age slowly and maintain a youthful stature, even at 50 years, if you are conscious of flushing out free radicals from your systems through the administration of antioxidants. And Soursop bitters are there to supply you with numerous antioxidants.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Soursop Bitters?
Since every parts of the Soursop tree possess several health benefits, we shall consider their individual as well as collective roles, where necessary. The health benefits of Soursop is beyond suppressing cancer cell growth; it is also used, in traditional medicines , to cure several other health conditions such as diabetes, convulsion, kidney and heart problems, gastritis and many others, which we shall consider in this article, hoping that you would find great values in reading through this article.
Soursop Bitters Are Strong Remedies For Treating Several Forms Of Cancers
If you are looking for a home remedy for the treatment of cancer; be it breast cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, prostate cancer, name them, Soursop bitters are the best bet options. Armed with several anticancer bioactive compounds such as Annomuricin A, B, C, E, Muricatocin A, B, C, E, Muricapentocin, Annohexocin and so many others which we may not cover in this article.
These several natural compounds exert cytotoxicity on several cell lines of most cancerous tumors. Therefore, drinking any form of Soursop bitters would surely give you an experience you would remember, always.
For such cancers as breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon/colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer and others, prepare Soursop bitters and drink to get quick relief.
Soursop Bitters Are Very Good For Your Heart Health
One of the several heart diseases is hypertension, which is a major contributor to cardiovascular diseases. It has been reported by World Health Organization that 1.13 billion adults were affected by hypertension in 2015, and there is a projection that the number may exceed 1.5 billion adults by 2025.
Finding alternative remedies to hypertension, therefore, becomes imperative. Luckily, graviola bitters offers a great potential for managing hypertension effectively.
Soursop bitters reduces your blood pressure without affecting the normal heart pumping rate. This is a good news, therefore. And if everyone could subscribe to taking Soursop bitters, we may reduce the projected possible number of deaths as a result of hypertension.
Read also (Avocado seed tea: Enjoy 13 amazing health benefits)
(12 Health Benefits of Black Oil Sunflower Seeds)
The Bitters Are Used In The Treatment Of Diabetes
In Cameroon, Soursop bitters have been used to treat diabetes, and scientists have proved that the leaves of Soursop possess anti-diabetic activity due to its antioxidants and bioactive compounds, which lowered the lipid levels of diabetic patients such as cholesterol, low density lipoproteins, very low density lipoproteins, and triglyceride levels.
The leaf extracts also were shown to lower the glucose levels and offered protection to the β-cells of the pancreas.
Aside the leaves, the stem bark also demonstrated hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic properties in ethanolic extracts, against diabetic rats. This showed that Soursop bitters could be a great remedy against diabetes
The Bitters Possess Anticonvulsant Activity
In African countries, the decoction of Soursop leaves has been traditionally used to control fever and convulsive seizures. This property of Soursop bitters has also been proved scientifically, making graviola a scientifically proven remedy for convulsion ad possibly, for treating epilepsy.
Has Been Used In The Treatment Of Arthritis And Rheumatism
Soursop bitters have been effectively used in traditional medicines to treat inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatism, osteoarthritis and several forms of pains. The effectiveness of the herbal medicines has been attributed to the suppression of TNF-α and IL-1β expressions in local tissues and also the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
To gain a better effect from the bitters, you should drink it once a day for two weeks or more, that’s if the arthritis persists after two weeks.
Protect Your Live And Treat Jaundice
In Ghana, the extracts of graviola are used in treating jaundice. The bitters possess bilirubin-lowering potential, which makes Soursop leaves great remedies for jaundice and hepatitis complications.
Also, the bitters will protect your liver from harmful effects of toxic substances and from the damaging effects of free radicals.
Due to the central role the liver play in metabolism of foods and drugs, including toxic substances, it is daily exposed to harmful substances capable of destroying the hepatocellular matrices and to free radicals released by lipid peroxidation.
They Possess Antioxidants
One of the many banes of human and animal lives has been oxidative stress and its attended free radicals. Much of the ill health we experience on daily basis may be traced to the harmful effects of free radicals. Although the glutathione, which is the body’s natural antioxidant are manufactured in the body to scavenge and clear free radicals from our systems, in most cases, it is overwhelmed or produced in smaller quantities, thereby exposing our cells to the damaging effects of free radicals.
Free radicals damage our DNA and induce cellular apoptosis and deaths. They are, in most cases the cause of such diseases as diabetes and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. They are the reason we grow old and sick quickly.
The strong antioxidants present in Soursop bitters would protect your body from the aforementioned free radical related diseases, and even much more. It will nourish your skin and give your body that youthful touch and glow.
They Possess Anti-plasmodial Activity
Malaria is one of the devastating diseases ravaging the tropical and subtropical zones, especially the sub-Saharan Africa. The more worrisome is the r=increasing rate at which malaria causing organism, plasmodium has continually grown resistance against most effective malarial medications.
The resistance of malarial drugs by plasmodium falciparum has necessitated the search for alternative medicines against malaria. And Soursop biters presents itself as one effective remedy against chloroquine- sensitive and resistance strains of plasmodium falciparum, making it indeed a good home remedy for the treatment of malaria infection.
Used In The Treatment Of Gastrointestinal Diseases And Ulcer
Soursop bitters have been used in treating several intestinal diseases such as gastritis, ulcer, intestinal pains and diarrhea. It also possesses anthelmintic, antiparasitic and antimicrobial properties which may be attributed to its suppression of the growth of bacterium pylori and other intestinal disease causing organisms. The bitters are also effective against gastric cancers and dysentery.
Boost Your Immunity
Soursop bitters boost will boost your immunity and strengthen your defense mechanisms against infectious diseases. The leaves of Soursop plant contains zinc element, which is an important component of enzymes regulating our immune systems.
Apart from the role it plays in the pathways involved in our immune systems, zinc possesses antiviral, anticancer and antiplasmodic activities, making it an essential element in our body, and Soursop bitters as one of the many sources of zinc elements.
Can Lower Your Cholesterol Level
Soursop bitters are good remedies for lowering bad cholesterols such as total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterols, very low density lipoprotein, and triglyceride levels. These bad cholesterols are risk factors for arteriosclerosis and cardiac arrest. They are also implicated in ischemic stroke.
In addition to lowering bad cholesterol in your body, the bitters also increases the level of high density lipoproteins, which are referred to as the good cholesterol.
Reduces body weight and Obesity
The bitters are excellent remedy for lowering your body weight. It also possesses hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, making it an good remedy for lowering obesity and belly fats.
Do Soursop Bitters Have Any Side Effects
As much as the bitters possess several health benefits, there are certain side effects which may be does-dependent such as:
Eye inflammation
Soursop fruits and leaves possess some toxic compounds such as anonaine, hydrocyanic acid, and muricine, which may cause eye inflammation
Neurodegneration
The bitters contain some compounds which affects the brain when taking too much for a longer period. Therefore, treat herbal mixtures as medicines and not as a daily drink. However, these compounds are also in the fruits, which means it does not affect the human brain when taking in proper proportion and discontinued once it has served its purpose.
May affect pregnancy and infants
Pregnant women and nursing mothers should not drink the bitters, as it may affect their fetal or infant brain functions or become toxic to their cells.
Drastic weight loss
Drinking the bitters may drastically reduce your body weight. This is a good news for those seeking to lower their body weights; however, for someone hoping to add weight, Soursop bitters may be a bad idea.
Soursop Bitters Recipes
There are several methods for preparing Soursop bitters; you may prepare as follows
- With fresh leaves only
- With dried leaves only
- With fresh leaves, stem bark and roots to the leaves
- With dried leaves, stem bark and roots
The above methods can further be prepared in different solvents such as
- Water only
- Alcohol only
- Water And Alcohol In Equal Proportion.
Soursop bitters with leaves only
Ingredients
- Fresh Soursop leaves
- Ginger or turmeric (optional)
- Clean water
Direction
- Blend your Soursop leaves and ginger in a blender
- Add 1 cup of water and strain
- Drink the liquid raw
Soursop Bitters With The Leaves, Bark And Roots
Ingredients
- The Soursop leaves, bark and roots
- Clean waters
Direction
- Wash your Soursop leaves, bark and roots
- Put in a big clean pot and top water to 2/3 the volume of the pot
- Heat to boil for 45 minutes to 1 hour
- Bring down the heat and allow cooling
- Drink a cup of the mixture once a day for a week
Alcoholic Soursop bitters recipes
You may want to prepare your bitters using alcohol. This is because some of the bioactive compounds are only soluble in alcoholic medium whereas some are soluble in water only or in both media.
Ingredients
- Soursop leaves, bark and roots
- Ginger (optional)
- 1 liter of ethanol
- Water
Direction
- Wash the Soursop leaves, bark or/and roots
- Ginger (optional)
- Add a liter of water to ½ a liter of the ethanol
- Put the leaves, bark and/or roots in a container that has cover
- Pour the alcoholic mixture and make it up to 2 liters
- Allow to stay for 24 hours
- Drink a cup of the decoction once a day for a week or two.
REFERENCES
Abdullah, M., Syam, A. F., Meilany, S., Laksono, B., Prabu, O. G., Bekti, H. S., et al. (2017). The value of caspase-3 after the application of Annona muricata leaf extract in COLO-205 colorectal cancer cell line. Gastroenterol. Res. Pract. 2017:4357165. doi: 10.1155/2017/4357165
PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Chan, P., Ah, R., and Mh, K. (2010). Anti-arthritic activities of Annona muricata L. leaves extract on complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA)–induced arthritis in rats. Planta Med. 76:P166. doi: 10.1055/s-0030-1264464
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Chan, P., Ah, R., and Mh, K. (2010). Anti-arthritic activities of Annona muricata L. leaves extract on complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA)–induced arthritis in rats. Planta Med. 76:P166. doi: 10.1055/s-0030-1264464
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Coria-Téllez, A. V., Montalvo-Gónzalez, E., Yahia, E. M., and Obledo-Vázquez, E. N. (2016). Annona muricata: a comprehensive review on its traditional medicinal uses, phytochemicals, pharmacological activities, mechanisms of action and toxicity. Arabian J. Chem. doi: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2016.01.004
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Fofana, S., Keita, A., Balde, S., Ziyaev, R., and Aripova, S. (2012). Alkaloids from leaves of Annona muricata. Chem. Nat. Comp. 48, 714–714. doi: 10.1007/s10600-012-0363-5
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Gavamukulya, Y., Wamunyokoli, F., and El-Shemy, H. A. (2017). Annona muricata: is the natural therapy to most disease conditions including cancer growing in our backyard? A systematic review of its research history and future prospects. Asian Pac. J. Trop. Med. 10, 835–848. doi: 10.1016/j.apjtm.2017.08.009
PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Hamid, R. A., Foong, C. P., Ahmad, Z., and Hussain, M. K. (2012). Antinociceptive and anti-ulcerogenic activities of the ethanolic extract of Annona muricata leaf. Rev. Bras. Farmacogn. 22, 630–641. doi: 10.1590/S0102-695X2012005000001
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
