Pharmacological Activities of Soursop (Annona muricata Lin.)

Abstract

Soursop (Annona muricata Lin.) is a plant belonging to the Annonaceae family that has been widely used globally as a traditional medicine for many diseases. In this review, we discuss the traditional use, chemical content, and pharmacological activities of A. muricata. From 49 research articles that were obtained from 1981 to 2021, A. muricata’s activities were shown to include anticancer (25%), antiulcer (17%), antidiabetic (14%), antiprotozoal (10%), antidiarrhea (8%), antibacterial (8%), antiviral (8%), antihypertensive (6%), and wound healing (4%). Several biological activities and the general mechanisms underlying the effects of A. muricata have been tested both in vitro and in vivo. A. muricata contains chemicals such as acetogenins (annomuricins and annonacin), alkaloids (corex-imine and reticuline), flavonoids (quercetin), and vitamins, which are predicted to be responsible for the biological activity of A. muricata.