PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF SOURSOP SEED (ANNONA MURICATA)

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF SOURSOP SEED (Annona muricata)

CHAPTER ONE

1.1     Background of Study

Soursop Annona muricata is a peculiar fruit with an inedible skin covered with many soft spines. It is an evergreen, terrestrial, erect tree reaching 5-8m in height and features and open, roundish canopy with large, glossy, darkegreen leaves. The edible fruits of the tree are large, heart shaped and green in colour and the diameter varies between 15 and 20cm. soursop is native to central America, the Caribbean and northern south America, Columbia and Brazil, Mexico, peru and Venezuela and some sub-saharan African countries that i.e within the tropics (Morton, 2013). The unripe fruit is green, hard both on the inside and outside and pulp is white. Soursop has a combination of strawberry and pineapple with sour citrus flavor notes, contrasting with an underlying creamy flavor reminiscent of coconut and banana (Abdi 2011). The fruit is used as natural medicine for arthritic pain, nevralgia, arthritis, diarrhea, fever, malaria, parasites, rheumatism, skin rashes and worms. And it also elevate a mother’s milk production after child birth. The leaves are employed  to treat cystitis, diabetes, head aches and insomnia. The crushed seeds are believed to have anthelimintic activities against external and internal worms and parasites. The fruit and flowers are employed as remedies against catarrh, while the root bark and leaves are believed to have antiphlogistic and antheklmintic activities (Mata et al., 2005). Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) data show that global commercialization of fruit derived products has grown significantly and a reduction in consumption of ready-to-drink fruit based beverages has been observed (Zulucta et al., 2007).

1.2     Aim and Objectives

The Aim and objectives of the project is to determine the phytochemical composition of sour Sop seed (Annona muricata).

1.3     Scope and Limitations

The design of this research projects is to investigate and determine the phytochemical composition of Sour Sop seed (Annona muricata). The Scope of this study was limited by time, lack of adequate facilities and financial constraint.