Graviola (Annona muricata)
Last year my Spanish neighbor Miranda told me
that she was diagnosed with stage IV renal cell carcinoma. Her kidneys were infested with
tumors and she was told she had six to nine months to live but had to accept the
classical anti-cancer therapy that included chemotherapy, surgery and
radiation. Her two sisters and a younger brother had the same disease, the conventional cancer therapy, and they did not make it.
Miranda is a diminutive, good-natured lady in her mid-fifties. The
diagnosis did not change much of her outlook on life. A Spanish Catholic, she decided to put her life into God's hands and was playing with the
idea of dying without allowing the horrible chemotherapy to destroy her.
Miranda is a lucky lady. She has at
least three natural health "obsessed" neighbors: a therapeutic masseur
and two herbal medicine aficionados, both using
graviola on regular bases as an "insurance" against cancer.
I see Miranda from time to time, but do not have the courage to ask
about her disease. She still has her wonderfully thick hair and does not
look incredibly sick. In fact, it seems to me that she is somewhat
improving. And always smiling!
A neighbor told me that Miranda decided to completely change her lifestyle. She detoxified her body and changed her nutrition just a bit to begin with. She embraced massage therapy to calm her nerves and reduce the stress. And, after one of the herbs-loving neighbors made a suggestion, she started taking graviola. Her enormous tumor was surgically removed from her left kidney, but the best thing was, the metastases in her lungs disappeared completely and so there was no need for chemotherapy.
Each cancer case is individual, each immune system reacts differently to
stimulation, but Miranda is the first person I have ever met who
recovered from cancer with natural means.
For years I have been drinking graviola infusion made of organic graviola leaves. I kept graviola extract and a few other nature's wonders in the back of my
mind for the horrible eventuality. If I were ever to be diagnosed with
cancer this would be what I would opt for. Knowledge may save your life,
I told myself years ago. It can save the lives of others if you share
it with them. This is what my other neighbor did and saved Miranda a
lot of pain.
I checked the Internet and found that graviola is surrounded by
controversy and I advise caution when you decide to use it as a cure.
But one thing must be said, graviola was used by native people of South
America to cure many ailments and can be still used to improve one's
immune response. Like with anything on the market you must consider
the purity of the product and the real content of the herb before you
buy a supplement or a tincture.
~ Health Benefits of Graviola ~
Graviola (Annona muricata), also known as soursop, is an evergreen plant
native to Central and South America. It grows in Mexico, Cuba, the
Caribbean, Colombia, Brazil, and Venezuela, among others. Graviola is
also cultivated in parts of Africa and in Southeast Asia.
Graviola plant produces fruits with edible white pulp and indigestible
black seeds. The fruit pulp is used to make smoothies, juices and
desserts.
The fruit is rich in Vitamin C; B vitamins including B1, B2, B3, B5, B6
and folate; minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium,
phosphorus, iron, and zinc; and choline.
Indigenous natural medicine uses all parts of the graviola plant: fruit,
bark, leaves, roots, and seeds, and attributes different healing
properties to each.
The fruit, for instance, is used to rid the body of the intestinal
parasites and worms. It is also used to bring down the fever, increase
mother's milk after childbirth, cure diarrhea and dysentery. The bark,
leaves and roots are used as infusion that is considered to be
anti-spasmodic, hypotensive and sedative. Crushed seeds of the fruit are
used against internal and external parasites, including worms and head
lice. A tea made of leaves is used to control diabetes, strengthen the
liver, and calm the inflammation of the mucosa.
Graviola contains many active compounds that have been studied by
scientists since the 1940s. Of great interest to scientists is the group
of chemicals called Annonaceous acetogenins. Graviola produces these
compounds in its leaves, stem, barks and seeds. Three independently
conducted studies demonstrated that these compounds have significant
anti-tumor properties and selective toxicity against various cancer
cells without harming the healthy cells in the body. Many of these
acetogenins were selectively toxic to cancer cells at very low doses.
Studies published in 1998 describe active compounds in graviola as
having strong anti-tumor, anti-cancer, antiviral and antiparasitic
properties.
While ongoing studies produce even more promising results, there are
some who dismiss graviola claiming that there is no successful research
proving graviola's efficacy against cancer. Moreover, inferior graviola
products are being sold all over the Internet and spectacular claims are
being made without much justification by people who take advantage of
those who suffer from cancer.
Like any herb, graviola does not come without side effects and
contra-indications. Graviola should not be taken by pregnant women,
people with low blood pressure. Since graviola is a potent
antimicrobial agent, it can kill off the friendly bacteria in the gut.
Supplementation with probiotics may be necessary with prolonged use of
graviola products.
No interaction with pharmaceutical drugs has been reported so far, but
since graviola is a cardiac depressant and vasodilator, it may potentiate
anti-hypertensive and cardiac depressant drugs.
Supplementation with CoQ10 during the graviola therapy may render
graviola supplements less effective. CoQ10 increases levels of ATP.
Graviola, on the other hand, blocks transfer of ATP to cancer cells. ATP
(adenosine triphosphate) is a primary source of intracellular energy.
In order to survive, reproduce and grow, a cancer cell needs large
amounts of energy. When acetogenins in graviola block the energy flow to
a cancer cell, the cell can no longer grow and is destined to die.
Some alkaloids extracted from the seeds and roots of graviola are
neurotoxic and may cause neuronal dysfunction and degeneration leading
to symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Their use is not recommended.
Many cancer patients and health practitioners are using extracts from leaves
and stems of graviola as a complementary therapy in their cancer
protocols. The suggested therapeutic use is 2000-3000 mg to be taken
three times a day.
Contact certified health care provider, certified herbalist or certified
nutritionist before you choose self medication with graviola supplements.
By Dominique Allmon
Dominique Allmon©2014
*This information is for educational purpose only. It is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure a disease.
P.S. If you want to know what happened to Miranda, here is the latest news. As of November, 2021, Miranda was cancer free. No chemo! She was moving back to Spain.
Interesting information about potential use of graviola for cancer patients at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Selected graviola studies:
- Schultes, R. E. And Raffauf "The Healing Forest: Medicinal and Toxic plants of the Northwest Amazonia." Portand: R. F. Dioscorides Press.1990.
- Branch, L.C. and DaSilva I.M.F. “Folk Medicine of Alter Do Chao, Para, Brazil.” Acta Amazonica 1983; 13 (5/6): 737-797
- Mors, W. B., et. al. "Medicinal plants of Brazil." Algonac, Michigan, Reference Publications, Inc., 2000.
- Morton, J.F. “Caribbean and Latin American Folk Medicine and its Influence in the United States.” Q. J. Crude Drug Res. 1980; 18(2): 57-75.