Acerola

Malpighia punicifolia L.

Acerola is small tree that grows in areas of the Caribbean and Central and South America. In traditional medicine, its fruit has been used to treat diarrhea, arthritis, fever, and kidney, heart, and liver problems. Other important substances found in acerola include bioflavonoids, anthocyanins, magnesium, pantothenic acid and vitamin A making it a true "functional food."

Acerola is primarily known as an important source of vitamin C, containing more than fifty times that of oranges. Thanks to its constituents, it manifests interesting antioxidant properties. Like many other plants, acerola has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Recent experiments with various acerola preparations have suggested several biological activities including anti-carcinogenic inhibitory action against nitric withproduction of oxides (Wakabayashi et al. 2003), anti-hyperglycemic and in the prevention of dyslipidemia and its complications.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hassimotto NM, Genovese MI, Lajolo FM, et al. Antioxidant activity of dietary fruits, vegetables, and commercial frozen fruit pulps. J Agric Food Chem . 2005;53:2928-35.

Motohashi N, Wakabayashi H, Kurihara T, et al. Biological activity of barbados cherry (acerola fruits, fruit of Malpighia emarginata DC) extracts and fractions. Phytother Res . 2004;18:212-23.

Hanamura T, Hagiwara T, Kawagishi H. 2005. Structural and functional characterization of polyphenols isolated from acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) fruit. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 69:280-6.

Nagamine I, Akiyama T, Kainuma M, Kumagai H, Satoh H, Yamada K, Yano T, Sakurai H. 2002. Effect of acerola cherry extract on cell proliferation and activation of Ras signal pathway at the promotion stage of lung tumorigenesis in mice. J.Nutr.Sci.Vitaminol. 48(1):69-72

Hanamura T, Mayama C, Aoki H, Hirayama Y, Shimizu M. 2006. Antihyperglycemic effect of polyphenols from Acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) fruit. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 70(8):1813-20.

Barbalho SM, Damasceno DC, Spada APM, Palhares M, Martuchi KA, Oshiiwa M, Sazaki V, Da Silva, VS. 2011. Evaluation of glycemic and lipid profile of offspring of diabetic Wistar rats treated with Malpighia emarginata Juice. Experimental Diabetes Res doi:10.1155/2011/173647.