By Dr. Rita Fabbri
... The genus "Malpighia" is in honor of Marcello Malpighi, a famous doctor of the seventeenth century. The fruit of the Acerola, due to its appearance , is commonly known as "Cherry of Barbados" but inside it presents segments with a slightly sour taste like those of an orange, and just like an orange the Acerola provides a quantity high in vitamin C (ascorbic acid). More precisely, we can say that compared to fresh oranges the fresh fruit of the Acerola contains a quantity of vitamin C from 30 to 50 times higher; therefore the Acerola is among the richest natural sources of vitamin C, with a content of ascorbic acid higher than citrus fruits and kiwis. In the countries of origin the fruits are consumed fresh and often preserved with sugar, for example in the form of jam: it seems that the thermal process does not completely destroy the content of vitamin C. The extracts of Acerola are commonly found in products such as chewable tablets, capsules or herbal teas.
 | Botanical name : Malpighia glabra L. Family : Rosaceae Parts used : Fruits |
Botanical description
Acerola is a plant native to South America and the tropical area of the Antilles. It is grown mainly in Brazil. It is a shrub or small tree that can reach up to five meters in height. The ideal climate is tropical and prefers sandy or clayey soils. The leaves are at first reddish and then become dark green. The fruit of the Acerola is oval, with a size of 1-2 cm, an intense red color (when ripe), a sour, soft, juicy flavor, with a thin skin and a large seed inside. The fruits are still harvested green: the concentration of vitamin C decreases with the ripening of the fruit. From the fruits, once the core is removed, the juice is obtained which is concentrated, dried and pulverized until an extract with a very high vitamin C content is obtained; Vitamin C is not degraded during the fruit drying process. The concentrated extract contains up to 25% of vitamin C. The juice of this fruit is commonly marketed in Brazil (for fever and dysentery) while in Europe this is happening only in recent years.
Chemical composition
Vitamin C (after the fruit of Terminalia ferdinandiana that of Acerola is the richest in vitamin C), carotenes, tannins.
The fruits of the Acerola also contain vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, provitamin A and various mineral salts including iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium; they contain double magnesium and pantothenic acid compared to oranges and almost the same amount of provitamin A as carrots.
The fruits of Acerola are also very rich in bioflavonoids (sometimes renamed vitamin C2) which have a synergistic action with vitamin C. In nature, next to ascorbic acid (vitamin C1) we find another factor (vitamin C2) constantly associated: together, these molecules form the C complex, the true substance with a vitamin action. Studies started as early as 1926 by Bezssonoff and completed in 1977 by Gazave and Parrot, have definitively clarified that the cause of scurvy is a double C1-C2 avitaminosis and that every single factor is not able alone to exert the antiscorbutigen action. Chemically the factor C2 is a flavonoid (pentahydroxy-3-flavanol), it is found in nature, especially in citrus fruits, in the form of a stable compound, and it is able to increase the rate of reduction of dehydroascorbic acid into ascorbic acid. Furthermore, the C2 factor also has a catalytic action, presenting itself from time to time as a donor or as a hydrogen acceptor.
Therapeutic indications
The pharmacological activity of Acerola is that characteristic of vitamin C and other antioxidant substances present in the fruit. The Acerola is particularly indicated to prevent and combat flu syndromes, colds and respiratory tract infections, in addition to stimulating the immune defenses and to be useful in all cases of asthenia, convalescence and vitamin deficiencies.
Contraindications, special warnings and appropriate precautions for use, undesirable effects
No known contraindications, no warnings required and no effects reported at the recommended doses.
Since the pharmacological activity of Acerola is that characteristic of vitamin C it is necessary to give some information on the matter.
Vitamin C was isolated in 1933 by Charles G. King and Albert Szent-Gyorgy, respectively in lemon and paprika.
Vitamin C chemically corresponds to L-ascorbic acid. The dextrorotatory isomer (D-ascorbic acid) is instead chemically inactive. It is the most unstable of all vitamins.
Rapidly releases two hydrogen ions, oxidizing to dehydroascorbic acid; it therefore acts as a reducing or oxidizing agent and many of its properties are to be conferred to this role.
Since it cannot be synthesized by the human body, the need for vitamin C is ensured by food, especially fresh fruit and vegetables. Because of its high water solubility, vitamin C is easily absorbed in the intestinal tract of the small intestine, from where it passes directly into the portal blood to reach the whole organism. Excess ascorbic acid is eliminated through the urine.
The daily requirement of vitamin C is about 60mg, higher doses are required during pregnancy and lactation, in senile states and in the course of infectious diseases. More precisely, the recommended levels of vitamin C (RDA Recommended Dietary Allowances) indicated by the American Institute of Medicine are the following:
• Infant (0-6 months): 40 mg / day
• Child (7-12 months): 50 mg / day
• Child (age <4 years): 15 mg / day
• Child (age <9 years): 25 mg / day
• Child (age <14 years): 45 mg / day
• Male teenager (age <18 years): 75 mg / day
• Female teenager (age <18 years): 65 mg / day
• Man: 95 mg / day
• Woman: 75 mg / day
• Pregnancy: 85 mg / day
• Breastfeeding: 120 mg / day
Since smoking increases oxidative stress and the metabolic turnover of vitamin C, in smokers the need for vitamin C should be increased by 35 mg / day compared to non-smokers (Institute of Medicine, 2000).
The need for vitamin C also increases in the case of infections and in the post-operative period; may increase in association with some drugs that promote the excretion of the vitamin (salicylates, tetracyclines, barbiturates).
In case of insufficient intake of vitamin C, less than 10 mg / day, the first symptoms of scurvy (Moller-Barlow's disease) appear: gingivitis with a tendency to bleeding, dry and rough skin, fatigue and asthenia; subsequently, capillary fragility manifests with ecchymoses. In pediatric age scurvy interferes with the development of teeth and bones. Currently scurvy is an infrequent pathological condition, found in poor populations and sometimes in elderly people and alcoholics, while it is easier to find a state of hypovitaminosis.
The administration of excessive doses of vitamin C can favor the formation of renal calcium oxalate stones and this is because vitamin C can be converted into oxalate.
Below are the most well-known biological processes where vitamin C intervenes:
- has a fundamental role in collagen synthesis
- plays an important role in the proper functioning of the immune system
- dopamine hydroxylation to form norepinephrine
- tyrosine catabolism
- folinic acid formation from folic acid
- carnitine synthesis
- bile acid synthesis,
- hydroxylation of fatty acids
- synthesis of steroid hormones
- amidation of some peptides with hormonal action
- increased iron absorption
- regeneration action of vitamin E
- anti-inflammatory action
- antioxidant action
- antihistamine action
- it seems that vitamin C can decrease the formation of N-nitrosocomposed, potentially mutagenic substances, therefore it is believed it can act by reducing the potential risk of a carcinogenic evolution of gastric cells.
Vitamin C is commonly used in the prophylaxis of upper respiratory tract infections (common cold). In the literature the preventive role of vitamin C in the general population is not validated by sufficient clinical studies. However, in some groups of patients, as subjects subjected to constant physical activity and cold climates, supplementation with doses of 1-2 g / day of vitamin C reduced the duration and severity of infectious episodes.
