Live data from Hacker News

Consider the Pawpaw

beltmag.com

11–20 of 69 posts

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#11
post #9

Missing mention of pawpaw's annonacin content, which causes Parkinsonism. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22130466/ "Pawpaw fruit contains a high concentration of annonacin, which is toxic to cortical neurons." https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs... "Pawpaw fruit contains high concentrations of annonacin, which is toxic to nerve cells. In addition there have been case reports of possibly rela…

Probably not a huge issue as long as you only eat it every so often. But I wonder about the possibility of producing varieties of pawpaw (or soursop or other related Annonas) that don't produce annonacin. Probably could be done with genetic engineering, or much more slowly with selective breeding. Given that there are places where people consume Annonas very often, and that this may lead to alarmingly high rates of p…

The evidence we have for safety of low-level consumption doesn't look great.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7691614/

"The paucity of adequate studies, particularly related to long‐term use of A. muricata supplements, currently does not allow the establishment of a safe intake level."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10092620/

"Cognitive performance assessed with the MDRS worsens above a cumulative consumption threshold of 0.2 fruit‐years of Annonaceae fruit/juice (ie, one fruit every 5 days for 1 year) or with consumption of any quantity of Annonaceae herbal tea."

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#14
post #13

In South Africa we refer to the papaya as pawpaw, I'm in England now, and here they just say papaya. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaya . This article mentions papaya as a separate fruit. Is there something missing?

Well, yes: pawpaw is a different fruit in the US Midwest, and that's what the article is about. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asimina_triloba

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#15
post #13

In South Africa we refer to the papaya as pawpaw, I'm in England now, and here they just say papaya. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaya . This article mentions papaya as a separate fruit. Is there something missing?

Carica papaya versus Asimina triloba

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#16

Missing mention of pawpaw's annonacin content, which causes Parkinsonism. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22130466/ "Pawpaw fruit contains a high concentration of annonacin, which is toxic to cortical neurons." https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs... "Pawpaw fruit contains high concentrations of annonacin, which is toxic to nerve cells. In addition there have been case reports of possibly rela…

Fortunately you’ve gotta work pretty hard for chronic use, since it’s only available for a couple months out of the year. This is definitely a concern if they ever do develop a pawpaw industry, though.

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#17
post #13

In South Africa we refer to the papaya as pawpaw, I'm in England now, and here they just say papaya. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaya . This article mentions papaya as a separate fruit. Is there something missing?

The article covers it rather well, if you get far enough in, I thought.

This pawpaw is a fruit native to North America, and the name sharing is just coincidence. Here's the Wikipedia page for it: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asimina_triloba

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#18

Missing mention of pawpaw's annonacin content, which causes Parkinsonism. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22130466/ "Pawpaw fruit contains a high concentration of annonacin, which is toxic to cortical neurons." https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs... "Pawpaw fruit contains high concentrations of annonacin, which is toxic to nerve cells. In addition there have been case reports of possibly rela…

Fortunately you’ve gotta work pretty hard for chronic use, since it’s only available for a couple months out of the year. This is definitely a concern if they ever do develop a pawpaw industry, though.

This depends on where you live.

I've lived in a country where it was available year round, grew like a weed in gardens, and was eaten on the regular by many people I know.

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#20
post #13

In South Africa we refer to the papaya as pawpaw, I'm in England now, and here they just say papaya. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaya . This article mentions papaya as a separate fruit. Is there something missing?

Well, yes: pawpaw is a different fruit in the US Midwest, and that's what the article is about. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asimina_triloba

Growing up in US midwest we learned the folk song with the line: "Way down yonder in the paw paw patch...".
Post reply on HN