Soursop Effective Against Diseases

Soursop Leaf Elixir  

What Diseases is This Fruit Effective Against?

The Soursop leaf and bark have been shown to regulate blood sugar and cure diabetes. This has led to discoveries of the fruit’s effectiveness of disorders of the endocrine system: liver, kidney, thyroid, pancreas, ovary, prostate, intestines, gall bladder and appendix. It has also been shown to fight lung & breast cancer as well as brain tumors. It has been proven effective as an anti-spasmodic and eliminates dust mites that cause asthma and bronchial diseases. The leaf itself can eliminate liver issues, and improves pancreas functioning, while effectively de-worming children, and fixing malaria. Lastly, it has been shown to raise immune defense in chemotherapy patients as well as HIV (AIDS) patients.

Why is This Fruit So Powerful?

In 1976, the anti-cancer activity of graviola leaves was first noted by the National Cancer Institute, stating that “The NCI, or the National Cancer Institute did some research on the guanabana cancer cure [sic] and came up with some interesting results. The study…showed that the leaves and stems of the plant were incredibly efficient at destroying certain cancerous cells in the body.” This study was not publicly released, however, subsequent research on graviola conducted at Purdue University has proven promising results.

Much of Purdue’s research focused on the anti-tumour properties of annonaceous acetogenins. Oberlies, Chang, and McLaughlin (1) found that tumour cells that are resistant to chemotherapy treatment, or, multi-drug resistant (MDR) cells, were effectively destroyed by acetogenins. MDR cells develop resistance to all chemotherapy treatments, leaving the patient at a dead end. MDR cells require incredible amounts of cellular energy (Adenosine triphosphate; ATP) in order to rid themselves of these chemotherapeutic drugs. This made MDR cancer cells prime targets for acetogenins that were found to effectively block ATP transfer into these cells, inhibiting their function in a way that eventually leads to cell death.

It is important to note as well, that researchers who have explored the mechanisms used by graviola are only specific to cancerous cells, and not healthy cells. Why? Because cancer cells have a consistently higher level of cellular activity, and thus produce a much higher level of ATP, and is better recognized and targeted by the acetogenin molecules. This is of benefit to the user since chemotherapy targets BOTH normal (such as stomach and hair cells) and cancerous cells, causing the often devastating side effects of nausea, weight loss, hair loss, and overall low quality of life for cancer patients. Graviola only targets cancerous cells, thus our other cells are left untouched.

One study conducted at the Catholic University of South Korea and published in the Journal of Natural Products stated that graviola was 10,000 times more effective against cancer than the popular chemotherapy drug, Adriamycin. A second study from South Korea showed that graviola had no negative activity on healthy cells (unlike the devastating effects Adriamycin has on the body), as we saw previously.

Is Graviola Safe?

Naturopath Leslie Taylor (2) acknowledges that alkaloids are highest in the seeds and roots of graviola and because of this, have shown neurotoxic effects in tests. She recommends, instead, using the leaves and pulp of the fruit when trying to treat certain illnesses (which is beneficial considering the leaves contain the highest concentration of acetogenins). Pregnant women should not consume large amounts of this fruit or the leaves, barks or seeds, as the fetus produces large amounts of ATP, thus acetogenins could attack the developing fetus.