Star Apple—Chrysophyllum cainito
This tropical fruit is a tree native to South America, Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and India. When cut transversely there is the appearance of a star and hence the name Star Apple. In addition to being a tasty fruit, this plant and its fruit have medicinal properties, which we will explore in this section.
Composition:
The fruit has a high percentage of glucose, fiber, and a small amount of protein. This fruit has minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and iron and also has vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamin, carotene, niacin, and ascorbic acid. The phytochemical analysis of the plant reveals phenols, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and other compounds. The fruit alone had nine different flavonoids.
Health benefits:
Antioxidant activity:
These flavonoids, phenolics, and alkaloids have strong antioxidant activity that, when included in our diet, can help against oxidative injury and chronic disease processes.
The vitamin C content of the fruit also enhances this antioxidant function. Other parts of the star apple, including the peel, pulp, and even extracts of the leaf, have promising free radical scavenging functions that help prevent oxidative damage in our bodies.
Antidiabetic properties:
It is noted that certain ethnic groups drank extracts of the stem and bark that helped control sugar levels.
This, however, needs to be further studied and should not be embarked on as a treatment for diabetes. These extracts can be toxic when taken in higher doses and therefore should be avoided.
Blood pressure control:
Studies show that extracts from the pulp have the ability to inhibit angiotensin-converting enzymes and thus lower blood pressure.
This same pathway is used to treat high blood pressure in the form of ACE inhibitors and ACE receptor blockers.
There may also be an element of blood vessel wall relaxation that may contribute to the blood pressure lowering effects.
Anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects:
Extracts from the plant may also have anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects and may also help with bone health.
Extracts from the leaves also seem to contribute to better wound healing. The biomarkers of wound healing were found to be increased in the healing tissue of rats treated with this extract.
Antimicrobial/Antiviral effects:
Extracts from the pulp and seed of this plant showed antimicrobial effects against bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
Surprisingly, extracts from the peel also showed anti-HIV viral effects.
From the above discussion, we see that we have merely examined a small fraction of the myriad benefits of this delicious fruit. As emphasized in earlier posts, knowledge is power, but decisions about health and nutrition are best made under the guidance of a trained medical professional. As always, I wish you keep your health in center focus and live long and strong!
