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AVOCADO:ITS MEDICAL USES

Scientific Name(s): Persea americana Mill. Synonymous with P. gratissima Gaertn. Also referred to as Laurus persea L. Family: Lauraceae

Common Name(s): Avocado , alligator pear , ahuacate , avocato
Uses of Avocado

The fruit commonly is eaten and the fruit oil is used for cosmetics. A limited number of studies indicate that avocado reduces cholesterol and improves lipid profile and may reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis. Seed derivatives reportedly have antitumor activity in rodents.
Avocado Dosing

Avocado oil/soy oil unsaponifiable fraction has been studied for osteoarthritis of the knee at 300 to 600 mg daily dosage. A Cochrane Database Systematic Review of osteoarthritis treatments cited use at 300 mg/day in 2 other studies where symptomatic relief was obtained.
Contraindications

Contraindications have not yet been identified.
Pregnancy/Lactation

Generally recognized as safe or used as food. Avoid dosages above those found in food because safety and efficacy are unproven.
Avocado Interactions

Avocado ingestion may decrease the anticoagulant effect of warfarin. Patients taking warfarin should consult their health care provider before eating avocado or taking herbal products.
Avocado Adverse Reactions

Allergy to latex, bananas, melons, and peaches may result in a cross-sensitivity to avocado; if allergic, use products that contain avocado with caution.
Toxicology

Large quantities of seeds or leaves appear to be toxic; however, only a small number of reports of toxicity caused by avocado have been published over the past 50 years.
Botany

The avocado grows as a large tree to heights of 15 to 18 meters. It bears a large fleshy fruit that is oval or spherical in shape; the skin of the fruit can be thick and woody. Although the plant is native to tropical America (Mexico and Central America), numerous varieties are now widely distributed throughout the world. 1
History

The avocado has been the subject of intense and varied use during the past, not only for food but also for medicinal purposes. The pulp has been used as a pomade to stimulate hair growth and to hasten the healing of wounds. The fruit also has been purported as an aphrodisiac and emmenagogue. American Indians have used the seeds to treat dysentery and diarrhea. Today, the fruit is eaten widely throughout the world, and the oil is a component of numerous cosmetic formulations.
Chemistry

The pulp of the avocado fruit is rich in a fatty oil, and this can account for up to 40% of its composition. In addition to sugars and carbohydrates, 2 bitter substances have been identified. 1

Avocado oil is derived from the fruit pulp and is composed primarily of glycerides of oleic acid and approximately 10% unsaponifiable compounds, such as sterols and volatile acids. Oleic acid is a beneficial monounsaturated fatty acid and its concentration ranges from 61% to 95% in an avocado. 2 The vitamin D content of the oil exceeds that of butter or eggs. 1

The large seed contains a wide variety of compounds, including fatty acids, alcohols, and a number of unsaturated compounds with exceedingly bitter tastes.

The leaves of the Mexican avocado have been reported to contain approximately 3% of an essential oil composed primarily of estragole and anethole.

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