Health Tips # 18 - The wonder fruit called Sour Sop

A good old friend of mine sent me these pieces of info to share with all on the Blog - this is about a fruit called Sour Sop which is claimed to be highly effective for cancer treatments.

Apparently, this is the same fruit that is called Mullan Chakka or Lakshmana Pazham in Malayalam, and is grown in Kerala. The fruit is in high demand and supposedly very difficult to get, owing to its medicinal properties.

Here are some insights into the medical facts - please take note and forward to people who are affected by cancer.

PLANT DESCRIPTION

A small erect tree grows up to 6 meters in height. Leaves simple alternate, acute, oval-oblong, glossy dark green colored, glabrous above and hairy below. Flowers arises from main stem and from tender stems, thick petellate, greenish yellow and heart shaped. Fruits large, with abundant prickles or bristles, containing numerous long brown colored seeds embedded in the whitish pulp.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, constipation, burning sensation, bacterial infections, parasites, hypertension, depression, fever, viral infections, malignancy and general tonic. Root decoction is a powerful purgative. Powdered seed kills body and hair lice on external application.

Useful part : Leaves, Fruit, Root, Bark, Seed.

PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

English : Soursop tree

Hindi : Lakshman phal

Sanskrit: Lakshmanaphala

Malayalam : Mullan chakka, Lakshmanapazam.

Botanical name : Annona muricata Linn (Annona macrocarpa Wercklé)

Family : Annonaceae

Distribution – Cultivated throughout warmer parts of India, as well as growing wild.

For further details, please visit these links:

http://ayurvedicmedicinalplants.com/plants/125.html

http://www.chinese-herbs.org/graviola/