In 1789, the Annonaceae family was catalogued by de Jussieu. It encompasses tropical and subtropical plants which are widespread in distribution across various continents such as Asia, South and Central America, Australia and Africa. The genus of Annona is one of 120 genera of the Annonaceae family and contains more than 119 species of trees and shrubs. Most species are found in tropical America, where over 105 species have been identified. Due to its edible fruits and medicinal properties, Annona is the most studied genus of Annonaceae family. To date, only a limited number of these species have economic value, including A. squamosa L. (sugar apple), A. cherimola Mill. (Cherimoya), A. muricata L. (guanabana or soursop), A. atemoya Mabb. (atemoya), a hybrid between A. cherimola and A. squamosa, A. reticulata L. (custard apple), A. glabra L. (pond-apple) and A. macroprophyllata Donn. Sm. (ilama). Phytochemically, several classes of secondary metabolites, including acetogenins, essential oils, alkaloids, terpenoids and flavonoids. The pharmacological activities of Annona species leaves and seeds include antibacterial, anticancer, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Annona atemoya also known as the custard apple is a hybrid between two Annonaceae species: Cherimoya (Annona cherimola) and the sugar apple (Annona squamosa). It is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical continents including north and south America, Asia, Africa and Australia. Despite becoming an increasingly important commercial fruit plant due to its’ creamy succulent flesh, compared to other Annonaceae species relatively few studies have investigated the phytochemistry and bioactivities of A. atemoya. Studies that evaluated A. atemoya extracts and its constituents were searched through the databases Scopus, Pubmed and Embase from inception to June 2020. Constituents of A. atemoya include alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes and acetogenins. The results indicate that the constituents of A. atemoya possess cytotoxic, anti-angiogenic, hypolipidemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities. However, many of these studies are currently limited in quality and further phytochemical and pharmacological studies are required.

This study demonstrates the green synthesis, characterization, and biomedical applications of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using Zingiber officinale (Z. officinale) (ginger) peel extract. Green synthesis offers advantages over conventional methods, including environmental friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and enhanced biocompatibility. Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy confirmed ZnONPs formation with a peak at 364 nm. Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis revealed characteristic peaks indicating functional groups involved in nanoparticle formation. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis showed spherical/agglomerated nanoparticles, and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed 77.7% zinc oxide by mass%. The X-ray Diffraction (XRD) indicated an average particle size of 24.67 nm with distinct crystal orientations. Phytochemical analysis detected alkaloids, saponins, and steroids in the extract. Optimal synthesis occurred at 50–60°C and pH 10, yielding stable ZnONPs. The ZnONPs exhibited significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), Escherichia coli (E.coli), Zymomonas mobilis (Z. mobilis) , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) , as well as antifungal activity against Candida albicans (C. albicans) . The in vitro cytotoxicity study on M.D. Anderson – Metastatic Breast – 231 (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cells showed a dose-dependent reduction in cell viability [Half-maximal Inhibitory Concentration (IC ₅₀ ) = 82.13 µg/mL] with notable morphological changes at higher concentrations. The ZnONPs synthesized from ginger peel extract are innovative, environmentally friendly, and economical. Our findings show that biologically generated ZnONPs are effective antibacterial and antifungal agents against several pathogens. This research uniquely demonstrates the potential of ginger peel, a commonly discarded agro-waste, as a sustainable source for ZnONPs synthesis, highlighting its biotechnological and medicinal applications. The novelty of this study lies in the green synthesis approach using ginger peel and the comprehensive evaluation of its antimicrobial and anticancer properties. Further in-depth studies and optimization are needed to validate their therapeutic efficacy and safety.

Hydroxyanthraquinones from plants have been used as both medicinal active ingredients and adulterants in slimming food supplements. Although sensible doses of certain natural hydroxyanthraquinones for laxative effects are generally safe in the short term, chronic intake has been related to tumorigenic, carcinogenic, and genotoxic effects. However, an increasing number of researchers are reporting the antiproliferative properties of the same ingredients in cancer cells, pointing towards a potential nutraceutical value for cancer prevention. Previous studies have evaluated anthraquinones’ anti-proliferative activity against various tumour cell lines and bioavailability in Caco-2 cells. However, there are scarce data about both their cytotoxicity in the later cell line and long-term stability. Therefore, this study will check the purity of several ‘aged’ samples using mutually complementary analytical techniques such as HPTLC and NMR assays as well as evaluate the anti-proliferative activity of the purest of these samples using the Caco-2 cell line. The chromatographic and spectroscopic analyses confirmed the long-term stability of those compounds, and their cytotoxic activity resulted in chrysazin (15 µg/mL) > catenarin (27.29 µg/mL) > rhein (49.55 µg/mL) > helminthosporin (52.91 µg/mL) > aloe-emodin (55.34 µg/mL). Our succinct review of the cytotoxicity of these compounds afforded two results: that this is the first clear report for catenarin being active in colon cancer cells and that this class of compounds needs to be better studied to clearly evaluate their benefit/risk profile in regard to both new chemo preventative nutraceuticals and anticancer therapies.

Annonaceae is a large family composed of more than 119 genera and more than 2500 species that are distributed in both tropical and subtropical areas. The Annona genus is a member of Annonaceae family, which encompasses about 175 species, most of which are native to Brazil and tropical America. This plant is commonly found on tropical and subtropical continents. Annona atemoya is a commercially important hybrid of A. squamosa and A. cherimola. Phytochemical investigations of A. atemoya leaves, fruit, and seeds have been conducted in limited studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the constituents of the leaves, fruit pulp, and seeds of A. atemoya because few studies have reported their constituents. Annonaceous acetogenins were identified in the leaves and pulp of A. atemoya for the first time. Twenty compounds were identified: sixteen were acetogenins and four were alkaloids. Additionally, two compounds were isolated, and their structures were confirmed by spectroscopic analysis and compared with the results of previous studies. The concentration of acetogenins in the pulp was very low compared with that in the leaves, whereas the seeds were found to contain the highest concentrations and greatest diversity of compounds.