A Review on the in vitro Anticancer Potentials of Acetogenins from Annona muricata Linn. a Potential Inducer of Bax-Bak and Caspase-3 Related Pathways

Annona muricata Linn. (A. muricata) is a tropical evergreen fruit tree belonging to Annonaceae family, also referred as graviola, soursop or corossol. The chemical compounds isolated from this plant have linked to the ethnomedicinal properties and its anticancer properties. This review focus to highlight in vitro anticancer potentials of acetogenins isolated from A. muricata, which are potent inducer of Bax-Bak and Caspase-3 related pathways. More than 200 chemical substances that have been isolated and characterised from this plant and the most significant are alkaloids, phenols and acetogenins. A. muricata has a distinct collection of C35 or C37 long chain fatty acid derivatives that are produced from the polyketide pathway and are unique to this family. The main bioactive ingredients bring together many scientific investigations on A. muricata, and acetogenins have been the subject of multiple research and reviews. These acetogenins preferentially destroy cancer cells through the action as a DNA topoisomerase I toxin, prevent cancer cells from entering their G1 phase, activate pathways linked to Bax and caspase-3, and block NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) in mitochondria, while having no impact on healthy cells. In addition to the in vitro study, further in vivo tests are required to demonstrate these pathways.