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Botany
Erect stem, 0.5
to 1.5 meters high. Leaves are numerous, linear-lanceolate, 1
to 1.5 meters long, 5-7 cm wide, the margins sharply spiny-toothed,
green and shiny on the upper surface, pale on the lower surface.
Heads are terminal, solitary, ovoid, 6 to 8 mm long. Sepals are
ovate, thick and fleshy, about 1 cm long. Petals are three, oblanceolate,
about 2 cm long, white below, violet above. The fruit is 20 cm
or longer.
Distribution
Widely cultivated
in the Philippines in two forms: Native and Smooth Cayenne, the
latter introduced from Hawaii.
Chemical
constituents and properties
The native variety
has a much higher carbohydrate content than the Cayenne variety.
Both are fair sources of calcium and iron, good sources of vitamins
A and B, and excellent sources of vitamin C.
Contains citric acid,
phosphoric and sulfuric acid, lime, magnesia, iron, silica, sodium
and chlorides of potassium.
Anthelmintic, vermicide,
diuretic, aperient, antiscorbutic, diaphoretic, refrigerant,
digestive, styptic, emmenagogue.
Antihelminthic property of fresh
fruit juice attributed to its constituent, bromelin, a proteolytic ferment,
that is toxic to Ascaris lumbricoides and Macracanthorynchus hirudinaceous.
Uses
Nutritional
Fair source of calcium and
iron; good source of vitamins A and B; excellent source of vitamin C.
Folkloric
Juice of leaves: anthelmintic;
used for intestinal animal parasites (decoction of fresh young leaves,
4x daily).
Ripe fruit good for acid dyspepsia and aids digestion,.
Juice of ripe fruit increases urine flow, gently laxative, cooling and
digestive.
Studies
• Antitumor
activitry: Stem
bromelain, a cysteine proteinase from the pineapple stem, showed an
anti-tumor effect on mice, superior to that of 5-FU with an antimetastatic
action independent of the primary antitunir effect.
• Hypolipidemic: Study showed
the ethanolic extract of AC inhibited HMGCoA reductase activity by 20-49%
in vitro suggesting AC as a potential natural product for the treatment
of hyperlipidemia. Its action differed from fibrates but was similar
to statins, and as such, a possible adjuvant for fibrates.
• Phenolic Constituents: Study isolated 7 compounds from the leaves of pineapple: ananasate, 1-O-caffeoylglycerol, 1-O-coumaroylglycerol, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, beta-sitosterol and daucosterol.
• Anti-Diabetic / Anti-Dyslipidemic / Anti-Oxidative: Study of the ethanolic extract of Ananas comosus leaves showed anti-diabetic, anti-dyslipidemic and anti-oxidative activities – significantly decreasing blood glucose, increasing HDL, and lowered lipid peroxidation productions of blood, brain, liver and kidneys, and presents a potential for development of a plant medicine for diabetes and its complications.
• Diuretic: Study of the root extracts of Ananas comosus and Carica papaya in rats significantly increased urine output (P<0.01), 79 and 74% respectively, of the effect of an equivalent dose of hydrochlorothiazide. Urine osmolality and electrolyte excretion suggest the A comosus effect was intrinsic whereas C papaya could have been due to high salt content of the extract.
Availability
Commercial cultivation. |
