THE PARADISE TREE
Simarouba glauca is a species of flowering tree that is native to Florida in the United States, southern Florida, South America, and the Lesser Antilles.
Common names include Paradise Tree, Aceituno, and Bitterwood. Its seeds produce an edible oil. The tree is well suited for warm, humid, tropical regions.
Its cultivation depends on rainfall distribution, water holding capacity of the soil and sub-soil moisture.
It is suited for temperature range of 10 to 50 °C . It can grow at elevations from sea level to 1,000 m (3,300 ft).
It grows 40 to 50 ft (12 to 15 m) tall and has a span of 25 to 30 ft (7.6 to 9.1 m).
It bears yellow flowers and oval elongated purple colored fleshy fruits.
Simarouba glauca has a long history in herbal medicine in many countries including Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, Peru etc. It is taken internally for diarrhea, dysentery, malaria and colitis and used externally for wounds and sores.
In Brazilian herbal medicine, Simarouba bark has long been the most highly recommended (and most effective) natural remedy against chronic and acute dysentery
. Caceres et al. (1990) and Lidia et al. (1991),reported that the extract of S .glauca have been used in Guatemala for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.
In Cuba, an infusion of the leaves or bark is considered to be astringent, a digestion and menstrual stimulant and an antiparasitic remedy.
The chemicals present in leaf, fruit pulp and seed are known to possess the medicinal properties such as amoebicide, analgesic, anthelmintic,
antibacterial, antidysenteric, antileukemic, antimalarial, antimicrobial, antitumorous, antiviral, astringent, cytotoxic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, skin hydrator, stomachic, sudorific, tonic, vermifuge.
Several studies published in 1970’s and late 90’s reported that extracts from Simarouba possessed antileukemic and antitumorous activities.
An article titled ‘A tree of solace for cancer patients’ published in ‘The New Indian Express’ on 18th January, 2013 reports personal experience of many people who were using decoction of Lakshmitaru leaves got cured
The Lakshmitaru is believed to have power to cure tumours without kemotherapy.So the adverse effects of kemotherapy can be avoided.
Mullaatha
Family: Annonaceae (sugar apple family)
Genus: Annona
Botanical name: Annona muricata
Mullaatha is a small, upright, evergreen tree that can grow to about 4 metres (13 ft) tall. The young branches are hairy. Leaves are oblong to oval, 8 centimetres (3.1 in) to 16 centimetres (6.3 in) long and 3 centimetres (1.2 in) to 7 centimetres (2.8 in) wide.
Glossy dark green with no hairs above, paler and minutely hairy to no hairs below.
The leaf stalks are 4 millimetres (0.16 in) to 13 millimetres (0.51 in) long and without hairs.
Flower stalks (peduncles) are 2 millimetres (0.079 in) to 5 millimetres (0.20 in) long and woody.
They appear opposite from the leaves or as an extra from near the leaf stalk, each with one or two flowers, occasionally a third. Stalks for the individual flowers (pedicels) are stout and woody, minutely hairy to hairless and 15 millimetres (0.59 in) to 20 millimetres (0.79 in) with small bractlets nearer to the base which are densely hairy.
Petals are thick and yellowish. Outer petals meet at the edges without overlapping and are broadly ovate, 2.8 centimetres (1.1 in) to 3.3 centimetres (1.3 in) by 2.1 centimetres (0.83 in) to 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in), tapering to a point with a heart shaped base. Evenly thick, covered with long, slender, soft hairs externally and matted finely with soft hairs within.
Inner petals are oval shaped and overlap. 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) to 2.8 centimetres (1.1 in) by 2 centimetres (0.79 in).
Sharply angled and tapering at the base. Margins are comparatively thin, with fine matted soft hairs on both sides. The receptacle is conical and hairy. Stamens 4.5 millimetres (0.18 in) long and narrowly wedge-shaped. The connective-tip terminates abruptly and anther hollows are unequal. Sepals are quite thick and do not overlap. Carpels are linear and basally growing from one base.
The ovaries are covered with dense reddish brown hairs, 1-ovuled, style short and stigma truncate.
Dark green, prickly (or bristled) fruits are egg-shaped and can be up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long, with a moderately firm texture.
Flesh is juicy, acid, whitish and aromatic.
The fruit contains significant amounts of vitamin C, vitamin B1 and vitamin B2.
Many sites on the internet advertise and promote soursop /graviola capsules as a cancer cure.
According to Cancer Research UK, "there is no evidence to show that graviola works as a cure for cancer" and consequently they do not support its use as a treatment for cancer. A court case relating to the sale in the UK of Triamazon, a soursop product, resulted in convictions on four counts related to selling an unlicensed medical product. The judge said that the drug had not been tested on human beings, was not licenced for use in UK markets and could cause symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease. The Federal Trade Commission in the United States determined that there was "no credible scientific evidence" that the extract of soursop sold by Bioque Technologies "can prevent, cure, or treat cancer of any kind."
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