INTEGRAL THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF PASSIFLORA EDULIS: SYNERGY BETWEEN LEAVES, BARK, AND SEEDS IN MODULATING THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63330/aurumpub.049-042Keywords:
Passiflora edulis, Neuroprotection, Phytocomplex, GABAergic modulation, Agroindustrial reuseAbstract
Brazil grows passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) at scale, drinks its juice daily, and still discards most of its therapeutic value along with the peel and seeds. This study addresses that contradiction. A critical and systematic review of literature published between 2020 and 2025 was conducted across PubMed, SciELO, ScienceDirect, and MDPI databases. Of 42 studies identified, 12 were selected for directly addressing the plant's effects on the central nervous system. Evidence across the three botanical fractions was consistent: leaf flavonoids regulate serotonergic and dopaminergic transmission with proven antidepressant efficacy; peel extracts, routinely discarded by the agroindustry, carry antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds with measurable neuroprotective impact; and seed piceatannol inhibits key enzymes driving Alzheimer's progression. The conclusion is straightforward: Brazil already cultivates what it still searches for in the laboratory.
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