merce3

i think the concern is valid in areas where it is readily available and for folks that are consuming large amounts for medical reasons (i.e. for cancer treatment), but i don't think you need to be concerned if you are eating the fruit every once in a while, especially if you are consuming the flesh and not the seeds/leaves which contain more alkaloids. the studies referenced look at extracts from the bark and root which contain the highest alkaloid content. the do not address how alkaloids interact with the body when exposed in small amounts.

"This study suggests that alkaloids from A. muricata can modulate the function and the survival of dopaminergic nerve cells in vitro. It is therefore conceivable that repeated consumption could cause the neuronal dysfunction and degeneration underlying the West Indian parkinsonian syndrome"

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