Properties and Benefits of Graviola

Graviola is a flowering evergreen tree native to South and Central America, as well as some tropical sub-Saharan African countries. Latin American and Asian grocery stores sometimes identify it as soursop or custard apple. Recently, this plant has received a lot of press as a medicinal herb. Some even claim that it can cure cancer. While there is no evidence that graviola is a cancer cure, it could have some health benefits.

In Vitro

• While data on the usage of graviola as a treatment against diseases is minimal, scientists know that the extract does kill some infections in test tubes. Graviola extract has been shown to be effective against cancer cells, herpes virus, some bacteria, and some kinds of parasites. Only further testing will tell whether it has these same effects when administered to humans.

Digestive

• Graviola is also a traditional remedy for some digestive problems in South America and the Caribbean. The unripe fruit is given to people suffering from dysentery and diarrhea, while the leaves are eaten by those suffering from worms and other parasites. Fruit and fruit juice from graviola are also used against parasites in some cases.

Fevers

• Graviola is sometimes used to counter fevers and other illnesses. According to Raintree Nutrition's Tropical Plant Database, graviola fruit and juice are used against fever in the West Indies, Haiti and Jamaica. In the Andes of Peru, a tea is made of the leaves to help with mucus membrane inflammation. In some areas, the bark from the roots is also used against fevers and sickness.

Sedative

• People in the Peruvian Amazon use the leaves, bark, and roots of the graviola as a sedative and an antispasmodic. A tea of the leaves or bark is used for similar purposes in Guyana, as well as for heart problems. The bark and leaf are also used as a sedative and antispasmodic treatment in Haiti, Jamaica, and other parts of the Caribbean. No experimental information currently exists on this use of graviola, though.