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Abstract: Avocado, also known as the ‘Alligator pear’ is a tropical fruit that has originated
from America. The analysis of the fruit constituents reveals that it abounds in various fatty
acids, vitamins, carotenoids and other phytochemicals. It is hence a very nutritious food.
Avocado oil, extracted from the fruit pulp and seeds also retains most of the nutrients present
in the fruit and can be used as an alternate dietary supplement. The extraction and
composition of Avocado oil has been discussed.
Avocado and its oil possess several salutary properties and hence they have been traditionally
used for the treatment of various ailments and disorders. This review highlights and focuses
on the important pharmacological activities of this therapeutically important fruit and its oil.
Key words: Persea americana Mill., Avocado, Nutritive food, dietary supplement.
Introduction
Persea americana Mill. or Avocado is a tropical native American fruit. It belongs to the Lauraceae
family. The name ‘Avocado’ has been derived from the Aztec word ‘ahucatl’. ‘Alligator pear’ and ‘butter fruit’
are its’ alternative names. It has been traditionally cultivated for food and medicinal purposes due to its high
nutrition content as well as for its therapeutic properties. The earliest archeological evidence of this fruit dates
back to 8th century BC, where its seeds were found buried with a mummy, in Peru. Since then it has been used
for the treatment of scabies, dander and ergotism by Mexican folk and Saint Antonius respectively in
ethnomedicine. It was also used by women in the form of an ointment and also for treating skin eruptions.
During the mid-1800’s, the cultivation of Persea Americana spread across Asia. Today, it cultivated and
harvested worldwide. The genus Persea constitutes of 150 species, out of which 70 are grown in the warmer
regions of North of Central and South America. All its other species are cultivated in east and southeast
Asia1,2,3,4. This review highlights the importance of the Avocado fruit and its oil. Their composition, extraction
and pharmacological activities have been discussed.
Composition of Avocado
The Avocado contains a significant amount of oil in comparison to other fruits 5. Besides this, a lot of
secondary metabolites have also been isolated from different parts of the Avocado plant. The predominant
carotenoid in Avocado is Lutein. α-carotene, β-carotene, zeaxanthin, neoxanthin and violaxanthin are the other
carotenoids present in small quantities in it. Tocopherols have also been identified in its acetone extracts6,7. It
has been reported that these lipophilic carotenoids may have potential anti-carcinogenic effects4.
A compound, persin, isolated from Avocado leaves has been used to carry out the induction of
apoptosis in human breast cancer cells8. The hepatoprotective capacity of Avocado fruit due its flavonoid and
phenolic content has been reported9.The growth of prostrate cells lines in vitro, was inhibited by Avocado
extract which contained tocopherols and carotenoids 10. Dietary supplementation of Avocado has also proven to
be very useful. This is not only due to the nutritious aspect of the fruit but also due to its ability to enhance
Padma Thiagarajan et al /Int.J. PharmTech Res. 2015,8(6),pp 72-77. 73
absorption of nutrients from other foods. This hypothesis has been confirmed by a study which shows that the
addition of Avocado to salads and salsa increases carotenoid absorption by the body11.
There are many varieties of Avocado. The most common commercial variety is the Hass Avocado [12].
The nutrients and phytochemicals present in one-half of Avocado (68g), according to the NHANES analysis is
a given in Table 113,14.
Mechanical press or solvent extraction are the methods of choice by which vegetable oils are generally
extracted from fruits, seeds, kernels and nuts15. Extraction of Avocado oil has been carried out using solvents
like chloroform and petroleum ether15,16. The results of a study comparing the yield and quality of the oils
extracted using three extraction methods revealed that highest percentage and best quality was extracted by the
microwave drying method when compared to those extracted using two solvents, viz., hexane and acetone17.
Further, pressing Avocado pulp, dried under microwave is a promising alternative for its oil processing since
the oil produced has a high oxidative stability and low acidity. This is suitable for human consumption18.
This oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids with oleic acid content being the highest. The fatty acid
distribution in the Avocado oil is listed in Table 215.
The presence of other fatty acids such as lignoceric acid, arachidic acid, margaric acid, behenic acid,
gadolenic acid, docosadienoic, myristic and eicosanoic acids in small amounts has been found in analyses of the
oil19-21. The oil fortunately retains most of the phytochemicals and carotenoids present in the fruit. It also
contains β-sitsterol, lecithin, minerals and vitamins. The oil has also been used for the treatment of skin
wounds, stretch marks and psoriasis. It also possess heptoprotective activity22-28.
Padma Thiagarajan et al /Int.J. PharmTech Res. 2015,8(6),pp 72-77. 74
Use of Avocado in traditional herbal medicine can be attributed to its pharmacological activity 4 .
It has been reported that administration of 1600 mg/kg an aqueous leaf extract of Avocado was able to
reduce the writhing in mice induced by administration of acetic acid, by 57%. It could also increase the
threshold of pain by 87.2% upon administration of 800mg/kg as noted by the hot plate test and inhibit both
phases of formalin induced pain in a dose-dependent manner. These results were similar to those obtained after
administration of drugs like acetylsalicylic acid and morphine for the mouse writhing assay and hot plate test
respectively. The results along with the inhibition of formalin induced pain indicated the analgesic effect of the
extract on mice. Anti-inflammatory activity of the extract was observed upon its in mice with Carrageenan-
induced edema, as it resulted in reduction of swelling. Moreover, no toxicity symptoms in mice were found
even after administration of 10g/kg of extract29. The aqueous leaf extract of Avocado was found to possess anti-
convulsant activity as it antagonized seizures induced in mice by administration of the drugs, viz.,
pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and picrotoxin (PCT). The anti-convulsant property of the extract can be attributed to
its ability to enhance the neurotransmission and/or action of GABA in the brain30. The anti-diabetic activity of
hydroalcoholic extract of Avocado leaves on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats has been reported. Upon
administration of the extract, reduction in blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia) has been observed. In addition,
treatment of rats with the extract of Persea americana resulted in an increase in the phospho-PKB expression in
the soleus muscle. The activation of this enzyme leads to the translocation of the GLUT-2 molecule from the
cytoplasm to the cell membrane in the uptake of glucose31,32. It has also been found that administration of
aqueous leaf extracts to rats with hypercholesterolemia caused a decrease in the levels of plasma glucose, total
cholesterol and LDL and a significant increase in the HDL levels33. Avocado oil also reduces the very-low
density lipids (VLDL), low density lipids (LDL) levels without affecting the high density lipids (HDL) levels in
sick mice34. The anti-diarrheal property of bioactive compounds present in Avocado seeds has been reported.
Administration of chloroform-methanolic extracts of these seeds to castor oil induced diarrheal rats caused
significant reduction in wetness of feces in a dose-dependent manner. Also, the LD50 values of the extracts were
found to be lower than 5000mg/kg body weight of the rats. This attested the safety of the extracts with only a
remote chance of acute toxicity35.
The vasorelaxant properties of aqueous leaf extract of Avocado on isolated rat aorta has been
investigated. A significant vasorelaxation in aorta has been observed due the synthesis of endothelium derived
relaxing factors (EDRF’s) and the release of prostanoid. The treatment of the aorta with the extract also reduces
vasoconstriction, the probable reason for it being the inhibition of Ca2+ influx through calcium channels36.
A mixture of unsaponifiables of soyabean and Avocado oils, which constitute a drug known as
piascledine, has been used to effectively treat osteoarthritis. The drug enhanced the synthesis of collagen and
proteoglycan and decreased the synthesis of fibronectin. The drug also the inhibited the release and activity of
metalloproteinases and pro-inflammatory cytokines which play a major role in the development of
osteoarthritis. Within two years of drug administration, reduction in pain and analgesic drug demands in
patients was found. Also, radiological evaluation of patients revealed delayed joint destruction37. Other studies
have also confirmed the beneficial effects of Avocado unsaponifiables in the treatment of osteoarthritis 5,37-42.
Aqueous leaf extract of Avocado consisting of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins and tannins produced
significant dose-dependent anti-ulcer activity when administered orally to sick rats (rats pre-treated with
ulcerogenic drugs- indomethacin and ethanol47. Avocado has acetogenin compounds which are responsible for
Padma Thiagarajan et al /Int.J. PharmTech Res. 2015,8(6),pp 72-77. 75
anti-platelet and anti-thrombic activity. Platelet aggregation and thrombus formation occur during ischemic
diseases. Avocado pulp contains bioactive compounds which inhibit platelet aggregation and prevents thrombus
formation. Thus a diet supplemented with Avocado pulp can be beneficial for patients suffering with ischemic
diseases. The anti-platelet and anti-thrombic activity of Avocado has been confirmed48. Administration of
Avocado oil attenuates the alteration in electron transfer in rat kidney mitochondria caused by type 1 diabetes.
Antioxidants in the Avocado oil reduce the formation of ROS in the damaged mitochondria 49. The beneficial
effects of Avocado oil as a dietary supplement, over control of metabolic illnesses, based on the evidence that
the oil positively affected hepatic markers in sucrose fed rats (which had altered hepatic markers) has been
reported. It also results in liver regeneration50.
Conclusion
Avocado has long since been recognized as a fruit of therapeutic importance. Through the years,
advancement in technology has enabled scientists to analyze the components present in the Avocado fruit.
Analysis has revealed the high nutritional aspects of this tropical fruit. Fortunately, much of these nutrients are
retained in the oil that may be used as an alternative for the fruit. Avocado oil has many beneficial effects on
human health and forms an essential part of the human diet. Avocado and its oil play primary roles in the
pharmaceutical industry as they are used as dietary supplements for humans. The oil also has applications in
cosmetics in the form of topical creams to treat medical conditions.
The therapeutic use of Avocado and its oil can be attributed to the presence of a diverse array of
bioactive compounds. Bioactive compounds are responsible for various pharmacological activities exhibited by
the butter fruit and its oil. Therefore Avocado may play a significant role in many in the preparation of
therapeutically and pharmacologically important products in the future.
Acknowledgements:
The authors thank VIT University for providing the facilities for the preparation of this review.
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