Medicinal Plants - International Journal of Phytomedicines and Related Industries

Annona muricata Linn., a tropical plant, has been used in the ethnomedicine as treatment to a range of diseases, from common cold to cancer. Numerous studies conducted on various parts of A. muricata plant, validate is use as anti-cancer use. Mechanistic investigations in different types of cancers have revealed that A. muricata induces cytotoxicity either through inhibition of ATP synthesis by blocking the mitochondrial complexes, or by promotion of apoptosis through upregulation of Bax and downregulation of Bcl2. Interestingly, the constituent phytochemicals are also found to downregulate the oncogenes responsible, for example EGFR downregulation in the case of breast cancer. Flavonol triglycosides (FTGs), alkaloids (ALKs), phenolics (PLs), megastigmanes (MGs), cyclopeptides (CPs), Annonaceous acetogenins (AGEs) and essential oils, are the different Phytoconstituents reported in A. muricata. Acetogenins, however, are the major class of compounds studied with the perspective of anti-cancer activity. Annonacin, Bullatacin, Annomuricin E, Uvaricin, Bullatacinone, Bullatalicinone, Rolliniastatin, Squamocin, Annocatacin A and B, Longicin, Muricin M and N, and Muricenin, are the few acetogenins identified to as potent anticancer agents in A. muricata.