Views: 3 Author: Lucianna Huang Publish Time: 2024-10-25 Origin: Site
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) is a subtropical evergreen fruit tree originating in southeastern China. It has been cultivated for more than 2000 years in China and is now commercially cultivated in more than 30 countries worldwide, including Japan, Turkey, Brazil, Spain, India, Pakistan, Israel, and Italy. China is now the largest producer of loquat fruit with a cultivation area of about 170,000 ha and an annual output of about one million tons. The fruit ripen from May through June in the main Chinese production areas such as Zhejiang, Fujian, and Jiangsu provinces, earlier than the majority of other domestically-grown fruits.
Loquats have been used as traditional medicine for thousands of years. The Chinese used loquat fruits and leaves to treat coughs, diabetes, and cancer, among other ailments.
Loquat contains flavonoids and carotenoids which act as antioxidants that help reduce the risk of serious diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Loquat leaves contain ursolic acid and oleanolic acid, which both have hypoglycaemic and antihyperlipidaemic effects in test animals.
Loquat Extract from Hunan Huakang Biotech Inc.
Loquat Extract Technical Data Sheet | |
Common Name: | Loquat Extract/Loquat Leaf Extract |
Scientific Name: | Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. |
Part Used: | Leaves |
Specification: | Ursolic Acid 20%-98% HPLC |
CAS NO.: | 91770-19-3 |
EINECS: | 294 -804-0 |
INCI Name: | Eriobotrya japonica Leaf Extract |
Certificate Available: | FSSC 22000, HACCP, ISO 9001,KOSHER, HALAL |
Health Benefits of Loquat Extract
Disease Prevention
Loquats are very high in antioxidants, chemicals that help protect your cells against damage and disease. One study showed that loquat leaves had a stronger antioxidant effect than 54 other medicinal plants.
Loquats are particularly high in carotenoid antioxidants, which boost the immune system. A strong immune system is important for fighting off sickness.
Cancer Prevention
Early research shows that loquat fruit and leaves may help prevent cancer. Antioxidants in loquat fruit help suppress cancerous tumor growth. Loquat extract or fruit can help kill cancer cells in your body, which stops the creation and spreading of tumors. The anti-cancer effect of loquats has been shown in animals and on a cellular level, but it has not been studied in humans.
Loquat fruit is especially high in vitamin A and beta carotene, an antioxidant. These nutrients lower the risk of colorectal, lung, and other cancers.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects
The loquat leaf, seed, and fruit have been shown to reduce inflammation, the body’s over-reactive response to an irritant like germs or allergens. Chinese medicine has been using loquat leaves for centuries to treat diseases caused by inflammation such as bronchitis and asthma. Several substances found in loquats, such as triterpene acids, reduce inflammation in the body.
For example, inflammation of the lungs causes many problems, such as bronchitis and coughing. In several studies, loquat leaf extracts showed anti-inflammatory effects that helped reduce chronic bronchitis. Most of these studies were performed on animals, so it is too soon to be sure whether humans get the same anti-inflammation benefits from loquats.
Diabetes Prevention and Treatment
Diabetes is a disease caused when a person’s body does not produce enough insulin, or their body is resistant to insulin. This can lead to very high blood sugar (in the case of type 1 diabetes) or very low blood sugar (in the case of type-2 diabetes).
Many studies show that loquat leaf extract can help prevent and control both type 1and type 2 diabetes. This happens because loquats can lower blood sugar and increase insulin levels.
A range of bioactivities has been reported for different loquat extracts, a number of bioactive compounds have been identified, and active research is continuing. Studies investigating in vivo metabolism and bioavailability, synergies and competitive effects, and potential toxicity of loquat extracts in animal or cell models are receiving more attention. Since many important compounds such as ursolic acid, chlorogenic acid, quercetin glycosides, and its derivatives have been well studied for their bioactivities as pure chemical compounds, irrespective of the source, eating raw loquat fruit or its processed food products may have similar health-benefiting effects. Furthermore, new applications for different loquat organs as ingredients for functional foods or as a source of therapeutics are anticipated. Extensive studies should be carried out on structure–activity relationships for different bioactive compounds. In addition, breeding and genetic studies of loquat to increase the accumulation of pharmaceutically active compounds for human health may provide a new focus for loquat research and industry.