Acerola (Malpighia glabra L., Malpighia emarginata DC) belongs to the family of the Malpigaceae and is a fruit native to Central America.

It has large concentrations of vitamin C (1,700 mg vitamin C per 100 g), vitamin A, vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 and has carotenoids, anthocyanins, lycopene, protein (1) flavonoids.

The contents of glucose, fructose, malic acid, total polyphenols and total amino acids in acerola was 15 to 16, 14 to 16, 4 to 5, 1.2 to 1.5, and 1.8 to 2.1 g/kg edible portion, respectively  (2).

It therefore has consistent antioxidant properties.

Intake of Acerola juice is effective in suppressing the skin pigmentation induced by UVB by inhibiting the genes related to melanogenesis (3).

It has been shown that Acerola juice has a positive effect on ferrous sulfate in vivo (4).

Acerola extract regulates the abnormal growth of cells in the phase of lung cancerigenesis in mice treated with 4- (methylnitrosamino) -1- (3-pyridyl) -1-butanone (5).

Acerola studies

References__________________________

(1) Freeza-drying of Acerola (Malpighia glabra L.) Marques LG, Ferreira MC, Freire JT.  Chem Eng Process. 2007;46:451–457. doi: 10.1016/j.cep.2006.04.011.

(2) Changes of the composition in acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) fruit in relation to cultivar, growing region and maturity.   Hanamura T, Uchida E, Aoki H.  Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2008;88(10):1813–20

(3) Acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) Juice Intake Suppresses UVB-Induced Skin Pigmentation in SMP30/GNL Knockout Hairless Mice.  Sato Y, Uchida E, Aoki H, Hanamura T, Nagamine K, Kato H, Koizumi T, Ishigami A.  PLoS One. 2017 Jan 23;12(1):e0170438. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170438. eCollection 2017.

(4) Protective effects of acerola juice on genotoxicity induced by iron in vivo.  Horta RN, Kahl VF, Sarmento Mda S, Nunes MF, Porto CR, Andrade VM, et al.    Genet Mol Biol. 2016;39(1):122–8. 10.1590/1678-4685-GMB-2015-0157

(5) Effect of acerola cherry extract on cell proliferation and activation of ras signal pathway at the promotion stage of lung tumorigenesis in mice  Nagamine I, Akiyama T, Kainuma M, Kumagai H, Satoh H, Yamada K, Yano T, Sakurai H.  J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2002 Feb;48(1):69-72.

Powered by Froala Editor