Soursop

{{short description|Tropical fruit tree}} {{For|the herbaceous plant|Oxalis pes-caprae{{!}}''Oxalis pes-caprae''}} {{Use American English|date=November 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}} {{cs1 config|name-list-style=vanc|display-authors=3}} {{speciesbox |image = Soursop, Annona muricata.jpg |image2 = Annona muricata 1.jpg |image2_alt = A spiy green fruit growing on a tree |image2_caption = Soursop fruit on its tree |status = LC |status_system = IUCN3.1 |status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn|author1=Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) |author2=IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group |year=2019 |title=''Annona muricata'' |article-number=e.T143323191A143323193 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T143323191A143323193.en |access-date=30 November 2025}}</ref> |genus = Annona |species = muricata |authority = L. |synonyms = *''Annona bonplandiana'' {{small|Kunth}} *''Annona cearaensis'' {{small|Barb.Rodr.}} *''Annona muricata'' var. ''borinquensis'' {{small|Morales}} *''Annona muricata'' f. ''mirabilis'' {{small|R.E.Fr.}} |synonyms_ref = <ref name = powo>{{cite web |title=''Annona muricata'' L. |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:14308-2 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=30 March 2026}}</ref> }}

'''Soursop''' (also called '''graviola''', '''guyabano''', and in Hispanic America '''{{lang|es|guanábana}}''') is the fruit of ''Annona muricata'', a broadleaf, flowering, evergreen tree.<ref name="cabi">{{cite web|title=''Annona muricata'' (soursop)|url=https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/5812|publisher=CABI|access-date=25 May 2018|date=3 January 2018|archive-date=May 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526041524/https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/5812|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="morton">{{cite web|author1=Julia F. Morton|title=Soursop, ''Annona muricata''|url=https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/soursop.html|publisher=New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops & Plant Products, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University|access-date=25 May 2018|location=West Lafayette, IN|date=1987|archive-date=April 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425202833/https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/soursop.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It is native to the tropical Americas and is widely propagated.<ref name=IUCN/><ref name=morton/> It is in the same genus, ''Annona'', as cherimoya and is in the Annonaceae family.

The soursop is adapted to areas of high humidity and relatively warm winters; temperatures below {{convert|5|°C|abbr=on}} will cause damage to leaves and small branches, and temperatures below {{convert|3|°C|abbr=on}} can be fatal. The fruit becomes dry and is no longer good for concentrate.

With an aroma similar to pineapple,<ref name=morton/> the flavor of the fruit has been described as a combination of strawberries and apple with sour citrus flavor notes, contrasting with an underlying thick creamy texture reminiscent of banana.

Soursop is widely promoted (sometimes as graviola) as an alternative cancer treatment, but there is not enough reliable medical evidence that it is effective for treating cancer or any disease.<ref name=canuk/>

Soursop leaves, skin, flesh, and seeds contain annonacin, a compound under preliminary research for its potential neurotoxicity.

==''Annona muricata''==

''Annona muricata'' is a species of the genus ''Annona'' of the custard apple tree family, Annonaceae, which has edible fruit.<ref name=cabi/><ref name=morton/> The fruit is usually called soursop due to its slightly acidic taste when ripe. ''Annona muricata'' is native to Mexico and Central America but is now widely cultivated – and in some areas, becoming invasive – in tropical and subtropical climates throughout the world, such as India.<ref name=IUCN/><ref name=cabi/><ref name=morton/>

==Botanical description==

''Annona muricata'' is a small, upright, evergreen tree that can grow to about {{cvt|10|m|ft|0}} tall.<ref name="FoC">{{cite web | title=''Annona muricata'' in Flora of China| website=eFloras.org Home | url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200008507 | access-date=2025-07-01}}</ref><ref name=cabi/><ref name=morton/>

Its young branches are hairy.<ref name="FoC"/> The leaves are oblong to oval, {{cvt|8|to|16|cm|in}} long and {{cvt|3|to|7|cm|in}} wide. They are a glossy dark green with no hairs above, and paler and minutely hairy to no hairs below.<ref name="FoC"/> The leaf stalks are {{cvt|4|to|13|mm|in}} long and without hairs.<ref name="FoC"/>

Flower stalks (peduncles) are {{cvt|2|to|5|mm|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.<ref name="FoC"/> Stalks for the individual flowers (pedicels) are stout and woody, minutely hairy to hairless and {{cvt|15|to|20|mm|in}} with small bractlets nearer to the base which are densely hairy.<ref name="FoC"/>

The petals are thick and yellowish. Outer petals meet at the edges without overlapping and are broadly ovate, {{cvt|2.8|to|3.3|cm|in}} by {{cvt|2.1|to|2.5|cm|in}}, tapering to a point with a heart shaped base. They are evenly thick, and are covered with long, slender, soft hairs externally and matted finely with soft hairs within. Inner petals are oval shaped and overlap. They measure roughly {{cvt|2.5|to|2.8|cm|in}} by {{cvt|2|cm|in}}, and are 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. The stamens are {{cvt|4.5|mm|in}} long and narrowly wedge-shaped. The connective-tip terminate 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.<ref name="FoC"/> Its pollen is shed as permanent tetrads.<ref>Walker JW (1971) Pollen Morphology, Phytogeography, and Phylogeny of the Annonaceae. Contributions from the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University, 202: 1–130.</ref>

The fruit is oval, dark green when immature, with a leathery, inedible skin that turns yellow-green during maturity.<ref name=morton/> They grow to {{cvt|10|–|35|cm|in}} long,<ref name="FoC"/> with a moderately firm texture, and typically weigh around {{cvt|4|kg}}, up to a maximum of {{cvt|10|kg}}.<ref name="Okoye">{{cite book | last1=Okoye | first1=Theophine Chinwuba | last2=Uzor | first2=Phillip F. | last3=Onyeto | first3=Collins A. | last4=Okereke | first4=Emeka K. | title=Toxicological Survey of African Medicinal Plants | chapter=Safe African Medicinal Plants for Clinical Studies | publisher=Elsevier | year=2014 | isbn=978-0-12-800018-2 | doi=10.1016/b978-0-12-800018-2.00018-2 | pages=535–555}}</ref> Their flesh is juicy, acidic, whitish, and aromatic somewhat like pineapple, although with a unique earthy aroma.<ref name=morton/> Most of the immature segments are seedless, whereas mature fruit may contain as many as 200 seeds.<ref name=morton/>

<gallery class=center mode=nolines widths=180 heights=180> File:Annona muricata fleur2.jpg|Flower File:Soursop fruit2.jpg|Fruit File:Annona muricata Blanco1.196.png|Botanical drawing showing flower, leaves, and fruit </gallery>

==Distribution==

''Annona muricata'' is tolerant of poor soil<ref name=morton/> and prefers lowland areas between the altitudes of 0 to {{cvt|1200|m|ft}}. The exact origin is unknown; it is native to the tropical regions of the continental Americas and is widely propagated.<ref name=cabi/><ref name=morton/> It is an introduced species on all temperate continents, especially in subtropical regions.<ref name=cabi/><ref name=morton/>

==Cultivation==

The plant is grown for its {{cvt|10|-|35|cm|abbr=on}} long, prickly, green fruit, which can weigh up to {{cvt|10|kg}}, making it the largest ''Annona'' fruit,<ref name="Okoye"/> though not as large as the related junglesop ''Anonidium mannii''. Away from its native area, some limited production occurs as far north as southern Florida within USDA Zone 10; however, these are mostly garden plantings for local consumption. It is also grown in parts of China and Southeast Asia and is abundant on the Island of Mauritius. The main suppliers of the fruit are Mexico followed by Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Haiti.<ref>{{cite book|last= Gordon |first= André |title=Food Safety and Quality Systems in Developing Countries|page=6|url={{Google books|JOqcBAAAQBAJ|page=42|plainurl=yes}}}}</ref> To aid soursop breeders and stimulate further development of genomic resources for this globally important plant family, the complete genome for ''Annona muricata'' was sequenced in 2021.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Strijk|first1=Joeri S.|last2=Hinsinger|first2=Damien D.|last3=Roeder|first3=Mareike M.|last4=Chatrou|first4=Lars W.|last5=Couvreur|first5=Thomas L. P.|last6=Erkens|first6=Roy H. J.|last7=Sauquet|first7=Hervé|last8=Pirie|first8=Michael D.|last9=Thomas|first9=Daniel C.|last10=Cao|first10=Kunfang|title=Chromosome-level reference genome of the soursop (Annona muricata): A new resource for Magnoliid research and tropical pomology|journal=Molecular Ecology Resources|year=2021|volume=21|issue=5|pages=1608–1619|language=en|doi=10.1111/1755-0998.13353|pmid=33569882|pmc=8251617|issn=1755-0998|doi-access=free|bibcode=2021MolER..21.1608S }}</ref>

== Uses ==

=== Culinary ===

The flesh of the fruit consists of an edible, white pulp, some fiber, and a core of indigestible black seeds. The pulp is also used to make fruit nectar, smoothies, fruit juice drinks, as well as candies, sorbets, and ice cream flavorings.<ref name=cabi/><ref name=morton/>

<gallery class=center mode=nolines widths=180 heights=180> File:Guanábana on sale 04.jpg|On sale in Costa Rica File:Guanábana juice.jpg|Juice at a restaurant in Costa Rica </gallery>

== Nutrition ==

{{nutritional value | name=Soursop, raw | kJ=276 | protein=1 g | fat=0.3 g | carbs=16.84 g | fiber=3.3 g | sugars=13.54 g | calcium_mg=14 | iron_mg=0.6 | magnesium_mg=21 | phosphorus_mg=27 | potassium_mg=278 | sodium_mg=14 | zinc_mg=0.1 | vitC_mg=20.6 | thiamin_mg=0.07 | riboflavin_mg=0.05 | niacin_mg=0.9 | pantothenic_mg=0.253 | vitB6_mg=0.059 | folate_ug=14 | choline_mg=7.6 | water=81 g | note=[https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/167761/nutrients Link to USDA Database entry] }}

Raw soursop is 81% water, 17% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and has negligible fat (see table). In a reference amount of {{cvt|100|g}}, the raw fruit supplies {{convert|276|kJ|kcal|abbr=off}} of food energy, and contains only vitamin C as a significant amount (23%) of the Daily Value, with no other micronutrients in appreciable amounts (table).

==Phytochemicals== The neurotoxin annonacin is contained in the fruit, seeds, and leaves of soursop.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.toxlet.2011.05.197|title=Annonaceae fruits and parkinsonism risk: Metabolisation study of annonacin, a model neurotoxin; evaluation of human exposure|year=2011|last1=Le Ven|first1=J.|last2=Schmitz-Afonso|first2=I.|last3=Touboul|first3=D.|last4=Buisson|first4=D.|last5=Akagah|first5=B.|last6=Cresteil|first6=T.|last7=Lewin|first7=G.|last8=Champy|first8=P.|journal=Toxicology Letters|volume=205|pages=S50–S51}}</ref><ref name=mskcc/><ref name="Potts">{{cite journal | last1=Potts | first1=Lisa F. | last2=Luzzio | first2=Frederick A. | last3=Smith | first3=Scott C. | last4=Hetman | first4=Michal | last5=Champy | first5=Pierre | last6=Litvan | first6=Irene | title=Annonacin in Asimina triloba fruit: Implication for neurotoxicity | journal=NeuroToxicology| volume=33 | issue=1 | year=2012 | issn=0161-813X | doi=10.1016/j.neuro.2011.10.009 | pages=53–58|pmid=22130466| bibcode=2012NeuTx..33...53P }}</ref> The leaves of ''Annona muricata'' contain annonamine, which is an aporphine-class alkaloid containing a quaternary ammonium group.<ref>{{Cite journal|author1=Matsushige, A |author2=Kotake, Y |author3=Matsunami, K |author4=Otsuka, H |author5=Ohta, S |author6=Takeda, Y |year=2012|title=Annonamine, a new aporphine alkaloid from the leaves of Annona muricata|journal=Chem Pharm Bull|volume=60|issue=2|pmid=22293487|doi=10.1248/cpb.60.257|pages=257–9|doi-access=free}}</ref> The plant also contains lichexanthone, a compound in the xanthone class.<ref name="Yamthe et al. 2015">{{cite journal |last1=Yamthe |first1=Lauve |last2=Fokou |first2=Patrick |last3=Mbouna |first3=Cedric |last4=Keumoe |first4=Rodrigue |last5=Ndjakou | first5=Bruno |last6=Djouonzo |first6=Paul |last7=Mfopa |first7=Alvine |last8=Legac | first8=Jennifer |last9=Tsabang |first9=Nole |last10=Gut |first10=Jiri |last11=Rosenthal |first11=Philip | last12=Boyom |first12=Fabrice |title=Extracts from ''Annona muricata'' L. and ''Annona reticulata'' L. (Annonaceae) potently and selectively inhibit ''Plasmodium falciparum'' |journal=Medicines |volume=2 |issue=2 |year=2015 |doi=10.3390/medicines2020055 |pmc=5533161 |pmid=28930201 |pages=55–66 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

===Neurotoxicity=== The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center cautions, "alkaloids extracted from graviola may cause neuronal dysfunction".<ref name=mskcc>{{cite web|publisher=Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center|url=http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/graviola|date=1 February 2017|access-date=25 May 2018|title=Graviola|archive-date=November 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113034040/http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/graviola|url-status=live}}</ref> Annonacin has been shown in laboratory research to be neurotoxic.<ref name=mskcc/><ref name=Potts/><ref>{{cite book |doi=10.1007/978-3-211-45295-0_24 |title=Parkinson's Disease and Related Disorders |year=2006 |last1=Lannuzel |first1=A. |last2=Höglinger |first2=G. U. |last3=Champy |first3=P. |last4=Michel |first4=P. P. |last5=Hirsch |first5=E. C. |last6=Ruberg |first6=M. |chapter=Is atypical parkinsonism in the Caribbean caused by the consumption of Annonacae? |isbn=978-3-211-28927-3 |volume=70 |pages=153–157 |pmid=17017523 |series=Journal of Neural Transmission. Supplementa |issue=70 }}</ref> In 2010, the French food safety agency concluded that "it is not possible to confirm that the observed cases of atypical Parkinson syndrome ... are linked to the consumption of ''Annona muricata''".<ref name=AFSSA>{{cite web|title=Avis de l'Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des aliments relatif aux risques liés à la consommation de corossol et de ses préparations|url=http://www.anses.fr/sites/default/files/documents/NUT2008sa0171.pdf|date=28 April 2010|access-date=1 August 2013|publisher=Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des aliments|archive-date=May 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140501135750/http://www.anses.fr/sites/default/files/documents/NUT2008sa0171.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> [[File:Annonacin.svg|thumb|Annonacin, a neurotoxin found in soursop]]

===Controversy=== In 2008, the Federal Trade Commission in the United States stated that use of soursop to treat cancer was "bogus", and there was "no credible scientific evidence" that the extract of soursop sold by Bioque Technologies "can prevent, cure, or treat cancer of any kind."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/09/boguscures.shtm |title=FTC Sweep Stops Peddlers of Bogus Cancer Cures |date=18 September 2008 |publisher=US Federal Trade Commission}}</ref> Also in 2008, a UK court case relating to the sale of Triamazon, a soursop product, resulted in the criminal conviction of a man under the terms of the UK Cancer Act for offering to treat people for cancer. A spokesman for the council that instigated the action stated, "it is as important now as it ever was that people are protected from those peddling unproven products with spurious claims as to their effects."<ref>{{cite news|work=BBC News|date=10 September 2008|title=Man convicted over cancer 'cure'|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/7608256.stm|archive-date=September 13, 2008|access-date=August 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913075806/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7608256.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Cancer Research UK state that cancer treatment using soursop is not supported by reliable clinical evidence.<ref name="canuk">{{cite web|url=http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/complementary-alternative-therapies/individual-therapies/graviola|title=Graviola (soursop)|date=22 October 2018|publisher=Cancer Research UK|access-date=29 December 2019|archive-date=July 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702041735/http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/complementary-alternative-therapies/individual-therapies/graviola|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=mskcc/> According to Cancer Research UK, "Many sites on the internet advertise and promote graviola capsules as a cancer cure, but none of them are supported by any reputable scientific cancer organizations" and "there is no evidence to show that graviola works as a cure for cancer".<ref name=canuk/>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category|Annona muricata}} * {{wikispecies-inline}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20041121190234/http://sun.ars-grin.gov:8080/npgspub/xsql/duke/plantdisp.xsql?taxon=91 Soursop, List of Chemicals, Dr. James Duke, USDA Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases, November 2004] {{Taxonbar|from=Q1709343}} {{Unproven and disproven cancer treatments}}

Category:Alternative cancer treatments Category:Annona Category:Flora of Central America Category:Flora of Colombia Category:Flora of Ecuador Category:Flora of Southeastern Mexico Category:Flora of Peru Category:Flora of Venezuela Category:Least concern flora of Central America Category:Least concern flora of Mexico Category:Least concern flora of South America Category:Jamaican cuisine Category:Mexican cuisine Category:Native American cuisine Category:Tropical fruit Category:Plants described in 1753 Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus