Avocado is a commonly used fruit in dishes like guacamole, eaten whole, or used as natural beauty products, i.e., organic face masks. Avocado products like avocado oils, serums, cleansers, and lotions are gaining popularity in the modern skin care industry.
Avocado was first cultivated in Mexico, and currently it is widespread in various countries like Kenya, America, Israel, Peru, Brazil, Colombia, South Africa, and Ghana. It consists of fibers, sugars, potassium, magnesium, riboflavin, folate, pantothenic acid, omega 3 and 6, vitamins C, E, K, B6, and D, oleic acid, sterols, and volatile oils. This robust composition makes it one of the superfruits.
The common varieties are Hass, Fuerte, Bacon, Reed, Zutano, and Pinkerton. Avocado fruit is pear-shaped or oval/round depending on the variety. The outer skin is thick and hard (leathery), varying from green to purplish black. The flesh is pulpy and green with a smooth, butter-like texture. On the inside there is a big round seed that is usually enclosed in a pit.
Traditional uses
In Ghana, avocado was traditionally used as an anticonvulsant. Other traditions, like in India, used avocado pomade to stimulate hair growth and help in wound healing as an emmenagogue and aphrodisiac. Powdered seeds were used in the management of pyorrhea, diarrhea, and dysentery. It was also included in diets as a way of avoiding or relieving constipation.
Benefits and pharmacological profile of Avocado
Antifungal effects-Glycolic extract has shown activity against candida albicans in vitro through multiple mechanisms like fungal cell membrane disruption and oxidative stress induction. Oliveira 2015
Antimicrobial activity– extracted unsaturated oxygenated aliphatic compounds elicited in vitro activity against staphylococcus aures, Trichomonas vaginalis, entamoeba histolytica and giardia lamblia. Shegog 2013 Butanoic fraction extract exhibited activity against bacillus cereus. Aiyegoro 2014
Anticancer effects– anticarcinogenic extracts from fruit, seed, leaf, and bark have shown inhibition of cell growth and apoptosis in in vitro studies and animal models of human cancer cell lines (leukemia, oral, breast, and esophageal cancers). Kukharni 2011
Antiviral effects– avocado extract (THHY) showed activity against dengue by inhibiting its replication by creating a hostile environment in a murine model. Tseng 2019
Larvicidal effects– ethanolic and hexane extracts proved activity against aedes aegypti by causing parasite paralysis and eventual death. (Torres 2014)
Topical effects– in animal studies, avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and decreased wound healing, as associated with its oleic acid content. Souza franco 2013
Antidiarrheal activity– methanol, chloroform, and ethanolic extracts improved clinical and histological parameters of colitis in rats and managed diarrhea. This included reducing gut motility and decreasing fluid secretion in the intestines. Chung 2019
Glycemic effects– small studies indicate that the addition of avocado to meals improves satiety and postprandial glycemic indices. It attenuated early response by insulin after meals. Haddad 2013
NB– Avocado extracts may interact with warfarin by reducing its anticoagulant effect. Thereby take with caution if on anticoagulants.
Avocado is best eaten as a fruit when ripe or in smoothies and juices. For extracts, kindly consult a physician before use.
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