Soursop (graviola)
Synopsis of soursop
Soursop (Annona muricata), also known as graviola, guanábana, or Brazilian pawpaw, is a tropical fruit-bearing tree native to Central and South America, the Caribbean, and parts of Africa and Southeast Asia. Its soft, white pulp is sweet and tangy, while its leaves, bark, roots, seeds, and fruit have long been used in traditional medicine. Soursop contains a rich profile of bioactive compounds, including acetogenins, alkaloids, flavonoids, and vitamins C and B, which give it antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and potentially anticancer properties.
Traditionally, soursop leaves and extracts have been used to support immunity, digestion, pain relief, fever reduction, and sleep. The fruit itself is consumed for its high vitamin C content and hydration benefits. In herbal medicine, the leaves are often made into infusions or decoctions for calming the nerves, reducing inflammation, and relieving ailments like coughs, parasitic infections, and high blood pressure.
One of the most researched compounds in soursop is annonacin, a type of acetogenin found in the leaves and seeds, which has shown cytotoxic activity against cancer cells in laboratory settings. However, concerns remain over its neurotoxicity at high or chronic doses, with some studies linking excessive consumption of soursop extracts (especially the seeds) to atypical Parkinsonian syndromes in certain populations.
Historical Use:
Soursop has a long and respected history in Indigenous, African, Caribbean, and Latin American folk medicine. Native peoples of the Amazon used soursop leaves for treating malaria, parasitic infections, liver ailments, and insomnia. In the Caribbean, graviola tea remains a popular traditional remedy for anxiety, hypertension, and pain, often consumed before bed for its sedative effects.
In African traditional medicine, different parts of the soursop tree are used to treat respiratory infections, dysentery, and fever, and sometimes applied topically for skin conditions and wound healing. Across cultures, the root and bark were used more cautiously due to their stronger medicinal potency.
During colonial times, European interest in soursop grew, particularly as explorers encountered its use in treating fevers and parasitic diseases. Despite its exotic nature, soursop remained a folk remedy rather than entering mainstream Western pharmacopeias—though that has changed in recent decades with research into its anticancer potential, leading to its incorporation into supplements, teas, and extracts worldwide.
Soursop is used for these health conditions
Abdominal Pain (Traditional)
Anxiety (Traditional)
Arthritis (Traditional)
Asthma (Traditional)
Backache (Traditional)
Bronchitis (Traditional)
Cancer (natural therapy for) (Traditional)
Cancer (prevention) (Traditional)
Cancer Treatment (reducing side effects) (Traditional)
Cholesterol (high) (Traditional)
Colds (antiviral) (Traditional)
Congestion (bronchial) (Traditional)
Constipation (adults) (Traditional)
Constipation (children) (Traditional)
Cough (general) (Traditional)
Cough (spastic) (Traditional)
Diabetes (Scientific)
Diarrhea (Traditional)
Digestion (poor) (Traditional)
Fatigue (Traditional)
Fever (Traditional)
Gastritis (Traditional)
Gout (Traditional)
Headache (general) (Traditional)
Headache (sinus) (Traditional)
Hypertension (Traditional)
Inflammation (Scientific)
Insomnia (Traditional)
Kidney Stones (Traditional)
Liver Detoxification (Traditional)
Malaria (Traditional)
Migraine (Traditional)
Nausea and Vomiting (Traditional)
Pain (general remedies for) (Traditional)
Parasites (general) (Traditional)
Parasites (nematodes, worms) (Traditional)
soursop is used to support these body systems
Blood (Traditional)
Digestive System (Traditional)
Gastrointestinal Tract (Traditional)
Heart (Traditional)
Immune System (Traditional)
Intestinal System (Traditional)
Liver (Traditional)
Respiratory System (Traditional)
Skin (Traditional)
Stomach (Traditional)
