A review on various medicinal applications of kiwi fruit

Abstract

A kiwi fruit commonly known as ‘Green kiwi’ traced under the family Actinidiaceae having Actinidia genus and species deliciosa. Kiwi fruits are the superior as compared with other commonly consumed fruit for their nutrient density, health benefits and consumer’s appeal. It is crammed with wide variety of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and phytoconstituents. A range of phytochemicals are found in kiwi which include the triterpenoids, saponins, amino acids, carotenoids, carbohydrates and sugars, phenolic compounds such as flavonoids, polyphenols, anthraquinones and coumarins. These constituents render the wide variety of pharmacological activities. Immense amount of vitamin C pointed for a promising treatment of catastrophic disease involving cancer and heart diseases. Other activity includes antibacterial activity, anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, anti-thrombin, anti-asthmatic, hepatoprotective, anti-platelet, anti-constipation, anti-carcinogenic, anti-fungal, antiviral and anti-tumour. This review provides a brief knowledge about botanical aspects, chemical constituents and recent biological or pharmacological activities of kiwi fruit.