Anti-cancer compounds in
guyabano fruit: scientists
BY CELIA E. ACEDO

Scientists have isolated six compounds from the guyabano fruit (scientific name, Annonamuricata Linn.) that are known to fight cancer, diabetes, heart ailment and tuberculosis.

Writing in a recent issue of the Silliman Journal, the researchers identified the six compounds from the guyabano fruit known to have significant medicinal effects as beta-sitosterone, beta-sitosteryl fatty acid ester, beta-sitosterol, alpha-amyrin, beta-amyrin, and squalene.

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the isolation of 1-6 from A. muricata,” wrote Consolacion Ragasa, Oscar Torres and Geneveve Soriano of the Chemistry Department and the Center for Natural Sciences and Ecological Research, De La Salle University Manila, and Chien-Chang Shen of the National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine in Taipei, Taiwan.

The researchers collected the A. muricata fruits from Painaan, Rizal, and had them authenticated at the Bureau of Plant Industry in Manila.

After a series of laboratory tests identifying the six compounds, the researchers then cited earlier studies on the compounds’ medicinal properties:

Beta-sitosterone was reported to fight high blood sugar, irregular heartbeat and tuberculosis, and shown to have inhibited the spread and induced the destruction of colon and breast cancer.

Alpha-amyrin and Beta-amyrin were reported to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties; and squalene was reported to suppress colonic cancer cells and to protect the heart by its ability to prevent the buildup of lipid.

In their review of the literature, the authors cited other anti-cancer substances found in the guyabano plant: “The bioactivities of A. muricata are varied, but the commonly isolated compounds are acetogenins which are known for their anticancer properties.”

The substance called annohexocin, an acetogenin from guyabano leaves, showed “significant inhibitory effect against six human cancer cell lines: lung, breast, colon, pancreatic, kidney and prostate.”

Similarly, the substances muricoreacin and murihexocin C, also found in the leaves of the guyabano plant, “exhibited significant cytotoxicities against six human tumor cell lines,” specifically prostate and pancreatic cancer.

Moreover, annomuricine and muricapentocin “showed significant cytotoxicities” against six types of human tumors, specifically pancreatic and colon cancer lines.

In their own earlier work, the authors reported that they had isolated three acetogenins from guyabano (cis-annoreticuin and sabadelin from the pulp, and annoreticuin-9-one from the seeds) which worked against six types of human tumors in the pancreas, prostate and lungs.

Their latest report was published in the Silliman Journal, Vol. 54, No. 1, January to June, 2013, the official research publication of Silliman University since 1954. It comes out semi-annually and enjoys exchange arrangements with more than 200 academic/research journals in the Philippines and abroad.

back to top

Baby crawling
contest today

The first baby crawling competition will be held by the Bacolod-based Clown Without Borders non-profit group, 1-4 p.m. today at Lopue's East Centre in Bacolod, a press release from organizers said.

It is open to all babies who have begun to walk, and proceeds will go to the soup kitchen project for the benefit of homeless children. Prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third winners, the press release also said.

There will be a registration fee of P350, inclusive of a meal, for each participant, and P75 entrance fee for those who want to watch the competition. Every baby contestant should wear Huggies diaper, and parents should bring a certified true copy of the baby's birth certificate and a 2x2 picture for the registration form.

back to top