Auxin Posted January 30, 2011 So I can get some Annona squamosa seeds, the fruit sounds good but it'd be a bit too much trouble for just fruit (wintering a small tree indoors). The seeds are used to kill lice and as an abortifacient, and the leaves are used as a tea for diabetes, hyperthyroidism (which may run in my family), cancer, and as a sedative and antispasmodic. A whole class of compounds (annonaceous acetogenins) in the leaves, bark, and seed prove out as killing cancer cells in the lab via apoptosis. Aporphines are also present and are the likely candidates as the sedative bit. In moderate doses extracts have improved oxidative markers in cell cultures (in huge doses it caused oxidative stress). I like to grow a variety of active teas for general daily consumption here, but I cant find anything on what the leaf tea of this critter tastes like and I dont like growing a plant only to discover it tastes like rancid goat ass Anyone ever had the leaf or its tincture? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted February 1, 2011 would annona cherimola be a possible substitute? there are some annonas growing in my area, maybe some of them are squamosa, might brush up my ID ing skill about the custard apples and get back to you. anyway i can collect (other) annona leaves no problems... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Auxin Posted February 1, 2011 Hmm, I cant find any reference to that one being used as a tea. A. squamosa and A. muricata seem to be the ones used medicinally. I've never delt with this family so I dont know how interchangeable they may be Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mauve Posted February 1, 2011 Be careful, there are a lot of toxins in this familly ! The fruits are heavenly however. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zaka Posted February 1, 2011 (edited) Irie, Here's some info I have on local use; Annona squamosa Annonaceae Sugar apple; ponm kannel; kachiman blan Use three brown leaves of sugar apple in a tea for high blood pressure. Also for high blood pressure, three leaves boiled with a piece of breadfruit leaf (yellow) (Artocarpus altilis) and three leaves of gorela (Momordica charantia) and drink as a tisane. For indigestion boil three leaves with three yellow leaves of bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) and a piece of jejanm root (Zingiber officinale). Or, for the same purpose, boil it with zeb a ve (Chenopodium ambrosioides), a little piece of avocado (Persea americana), guava leaves (Pisidium guajava) and ponm kannel leaves. Annona muricata Annonaceae Soursop; kosol The leaves of soursop, a popular fruit for eating and juicing, are made into a tea and taken at bedtime as a mild sedative. The veins (called bones) are removed before drawing. For a sore foot take two dry leaves. Make a cross, and tie on the spot. As a diaphoretic or for cooling, draw young leaves, with veins removed, for a tea. A few leaves and a branch of balyé dou (Scoparia dulcis) are pounded together, the juice is squeezed, added to a spoon of olive oil, and taken for asthma. A tea made from nine leaves of soursop and nine leaves of avocado (Persea americana) is recommended for high blood pressure. A small, immature soursop, along with pounded leaves of kod-a-vyelon (Desmodium incanum), pistach mawon (Desmodium barbatum), mayok chapel (Entada polystachya), lyenn chasen (Pinzona coriacea?) and ti patat (Ruellia tuberosa) is put in water and drunk as a tisane for gonorrhea. When menstruation continues longer than normal, take nine leaves of soursop and draw for a tea. The second day use eight leaves and continue down to zero. Also for cooling, peel and chop and immature fruit, soak in water and drink the liquid. For fever boil with lime (the fruit poked full of holes) and three leaves of medsinnyé benni (Jatropha curcas) each cut in three pieces. Respect Z Edited February 1, 2011 by Zaka Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted February 2, 2011 annona squamosa is the sweetsop, i have seen it in oz, but it's by far less common than other annonas. annona muricata, the soursop is a bit more common but still rare, compared to the common custard apples. my local botanical garden probably has a squamosa, but i don't go ther often. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kadakuda Posted February 7, 2011 I m not sure about other areas. here in Taiwan they breed these a LOT to get better fruit, so any cherimoya/squamosa are probably hybrids. i would bet this to be true in any more developed region as the market for fruit requires better than normal, so "wild varieties" wouldnt be kept around long. soursop seems to be left more untouched cause they are not so good and not as popular, but i wouldnt be surprised if they are thrown into some kind of genetic blender as well. i saw some in malaysia that looked quite a lot like a soursop hybrid, but hard to say without meeting the producers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites