Natural products, especially those made from plants or herbs, have long been used to treat disease. One of them is soursop leaves (annona muricata). But besides being useful, the side effects of soursop leaves are also not small.
Widely known to be able to kill cancer cells, this plant which is widely found in the tropics is now widely consumed to maintain a healthy body. Even so, we still need to be careful with the side effects of soursop leaves that can be detrimental to health.
The number of people who rely on soursop plants to overcome health problems is not without reason. The high content of vitamin C, folate, and minerals in soursop, such as potassium, calcium, copper, iron and magnesium, makes soursop fruit an ideal source of nutrients.
Besides being consumed by the fruit, soursop leaves are also widely used as herbal medicine or traditional medicine.
What are the Benefits Soursop leaf?
Soursop leaves are believed to be able to prevent and even overcome various types of cancer, from breast cancer to lung cancer. To get these benefits, many people consume soursop leaves by making it into tea or taking supplements.
Not only preventing and treating cancer, soursop leaves are also believed to treat various other conditions, such as infections, diabetes, colds, herpes, and sore throat. Some people even believe that consuming soursop leaves can stabilize blood sugar levels.
In fact, these various benefits are still not known with certainty their effectiveness and safety, so they still need to be investigated further.
AnythingSoursop Leaf Side Effects?
Apart from all the benefits, consuming soursop leaves also has a risk of side effects. One of the side effects that can occur is interference with the liver and kidneys. If soursop leaves are consumed in excessive amounts, the risk of side effects will also be higher.
Not only that, some supplements made from soursop leaves can even damage nerves. Usually these side effects appear if the supplement is consumed in the long term.
If damage occurs to the nerves of the brain, disturbances in body movement control and hallucinations can occur. It is also possible that nerve damage to the brain causes other disorders that resemble the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
After all, not everyone can eat soursop leaves. You are advised not to consume soursop leaves if:
- Is undergoing treatment for diabetes or high blood pressure.
- Have low blood pressure or platelet levels.
- Willing to undergo imaging examination with nuclear technology (nuclear imaging).
- Have Parkinson's disease, kidney or liver problems.
Likewise, pregnant and lactating women should not consume soursop leaves. This is because information regarding the safety and effectiveness of consuming soursop leaves as herbal medicine for pregnant and lactating women is not sufficient.
Consuming soursop leaves or supplements would be better if consulted with a doctor first. The reason is, many of the benefits of soursop leaves have not been proven with certainty, while the side effects pose a risk to health.