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The Secret of Redwood Fruits: What are the magical uses of these strange fruits that grow toward the sky?
Redwood (Swietenia macrophylla), commonly known as bigleaf redwood or Honduran redwood, is a plant belonging to the Casuarinaceae family. This plant is one of three species that produce true rosewood, the others being rosewood and dwarf rosewood. Redwood is native to South America, Mexico, and Central America, but is now also naturalized in places such as the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hawaii, and is widely cultivated in plantations and windbreaks elsewhere.
Characteristics of redwood
Wood
The strength and durability of mahogany wood make it a prime source for furniture, musical instruments, boats, doors, coffins, and decorative items.
Leaves
Redwood is famous for its large leaves, which can reach 45 cm in length. The leaves are even-numbered and connected by a central main vein.
Fruit
The fruits of mahogany are called "sky fruits" because they grow toward the sky. They can grow up to 40 centimeters in length. The fruits are light gray to brown in the shape of capsules.
Seeds
The seeds of redwood can reach 7 to 12 centimeters in length.
Current status of timber trade
Asian-grown rosewood is not subject to trade restrictions compared to rosewood obtained from its native range. Currently, rosewood grown in Asia is the main source of genuine rosewood in international trade. The main producing countries include India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Fiji, Philippines, Singapore and other places, among which India and Fiji are the major global suppliers.
Medicinal potential
Scientific research has shown that redwood possesses a variety of biological activities. Studies on the HCT116 human cancer cell line revealed its mechanism of action in inducing apoptosis. After solvent extraction of annatto seeds, their ethyl acetate fraction (SMEAF) was further studied to evaluate their neuroprotective activity and acute toxic effects. These studies show that SMEAF can significantly reduce the production of pro-inflammatory mediators in BV-2 microglia induced by LPS.
These findings suggest that SMEAF has anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting the activation of NF-κB and may become a nutritional drug for the intervention of neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases.
Potential risks
Although annatto seeds have many potential health benefits, there are reports that they may cause liver damage. This occurs to varying degrees, and in most cases liver function recovers after cessation of consumption. Additionally, there have been single reports of renal impairment and polyarticular pain. Some studies show that annatto consumption is safe as long as the daily intake does not exceed 325 mg/kg of body weight.
Population Genetics
In Central American rainforest populations, the structure is more obvious than in the Amazon.
Conclusion
The annatto fruit not only shows its important value in practical fields, but also shows amazing potential in medical research. However, for safety reasons, consumers should be aware of possible side effects and risks while enjoying these exotic fruits. This makes us wonder, can the use of annatto fruits become a new trend in more health industries in the future?
