Source : http://www.naturalnews.com/041685_guyabano_cancer_superfruit.html

The guyabano, or otherwise known as the custard apple or sour sop fruit, is deemed as one of the miracle cures for cancer. There have been various websites and claims that say that guyabano, from the tree, to its leaves, bark, and fruit, is capable of killing cancer cells naturally. A research that was conducted back in 1976 says that one chemical found in guyabano is about 10,000 times more powerful and potent than a drug used for chemotherapy called Adriamycin. This is why the Department of Science and Technology of the Philippines developed a supplement that is made from the guyabano fruit. Read on to find out more about this plant called guyabano.

What is the guyabano?

The guyabano (Anona muricata) is a tree that grows about five to seven meters high. It bears a pear-shaped fruit that is green in color and has soft spines. This tree is native to the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and African countries in the sub-Saharan area. The tree is also able to adapt to the tropical climate and could be found in most countries in Southeast Asia.

The matured fruit usually weighs about two to five kilograms and is ovoid in shape. The skin is thin and it has a whitish pulp that is soft, fleshy, and fibrous. The taste is distinct, with a tangy citrus taste. The fruits are harvested when they are mature, when the skin of the fruit is yellowish or shiny green in color.

The benefits of taking guyabano

The guyabano has been found to possess a lot of medicinal properties that a lot of people would definitely benefit from.

One article from 2008 in the African Journal of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine reported that a study done on diabetes-mellitus afflicted rats that were fed with guyabano actually showed a significant lowering of their blood sugar levels. Separate studies conducted also showed the ability of guyabano in reducing alleviation, fever, asthma, arthritis, and skin infections. There are also studies that claim guyabano to be good for those who are suffering from herpes simplex infections, liver problems, and even hypertension.

Guyabano and cancer

There have also been studies that showed that those who took guyabano extract had better immune systems. The extract was shown to be helpful in targeting and killing cancer cells in about 12 types of cancer, including prostate, colon, pancreatic, breast, and lung cancer. The compounds in the extract have been proven to help in slowing down the growth of malignant cells, even better than the strong and commonly used chemotherapeutic agent, Adriamycin.

When people undergo chemotherapy, all the body systems suffer alongside the malignant cells. The guyabano extract's compound will selectively track and kill only the cancerous cells. The healthy cells are left alone. There have been studies conducted since 1976 that indicate guyabano is indeed a very good killer of cancer cells.

The claims still need to be backed by more studies, according to a lot of experts. There are a lot of people claiming that they have benefited from the extract, but there are still no recorded therapeutic claims from the use of guyabano extract.