Salak
Other names : Salacca zalacca, Calamus zalacca, Salacca edulis, Salacca rumphii, Salacca blumeana, Calamus salakka, Salacca edulis var. amboinensis, Salacca zalacca var. amboinensis, Snake fruit
Being native to South Sumatra and Southwest Java, it is widely distributed around Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, and Myanmar in abundance. The fruit has also been introduced to countries of other regions including New Guinea, Philippines, Queensland and northern Territory of Australia, Ponape Island (Caroline Archipelago), China, Surinam, Spain, and Fiji.
Special Precautions of Salak
Health Benefits and Uses of Salak
The abundant natural sugar and fibre along with minerals and vitamin makes it a nutritious fruit. Phytochemical investigation on this fruit has revealed the presence of flavonoids, phenolics, glycosides as well as some volatile and aromatic compounds, including gallic acid, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, epicatechin, proanthocyanidins, lycopene and β-carotene. Pharmacological studies on the fruit flesh and peel have shown some tremendous antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antidiabetic potential.
- Antioxidant : Zalacca fruits are a good source of vitamins, fibre, minerals, and carbohydrates. Moreover, S. zalacca possesses antioxidant, anticancer, and antidiabetic effects, attributable to their high levels of vitamin C, Phenolics acids, and flavonoids. Apart from the pulp, the peel of salak fruit has been reported to possess various polyphenols that are responsible for its antioxidant activity.
- Diabetes : Vinegar prepared from fruits of different variants of Salacca further showed significant results with improved lipid profile and controlled glucose level along with potential capability of the Swaru Salacca vinegar to regenerate damaged pancreatic cells in the STZ-induced rats. Vinegar produced using the snake fruit showed effective action in regulating the blood glucose level thus reducing the glycaemic index in the treated diabetic subjects. The antioxidants and acetic acid present in the vinegar exhibited the antidiabetic potential of the snake fruit vinegar through regenerating the pancreatic beta cells and regulating the lipid profile
- Antihyperuricemic potential
- Cancer : the salak fruit has been found to exhibit an anticancer effect against human lung cancer (A549), human hepatoma (HepG2), human colon cancer (HT-29), and human breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines. The antiproliferative effect of salak pulp, peel, and seed extracts were significant on all cell lines. The two compounds isolated from the Salacca fruit (S. sedulis) were pyrolle-2,4-dicarboxylic acid-methyl ester and 3-hydroxystigmastan- 5(6)-en (β-sitosterol).
- Cytotoxicity : The salak fruit extract has been analysed for its cytotoxicity level against Vero cells and normal human fibroblast (NHF) cell line correlated to its antioxidant capacity. The Vero cells showed non-cytotoxic effect at 50 μg/mL concentration. Meanwhile, the cytotoxicity of salak fruit extract in NHF cell line was based on the biosynthesis of collagen and elastin, fibres in NHF cells function in the elasticity and firming.
References
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329928302_Salacca_zalacca_A_short_review_of_the_palm_botany_pharmacological_uses_and_phytochemistry
- https://www.apjtm.org/article.asp?issn=1995-7645;year=2018;volume=11;issue=12;spage=645;epage=652;aulast=Saleh
- https://www.apjtm.org/article.asp?issn=1995-7645;year=2018;volume=11;issue=12;spage=645;epage=652;aulast=Saleh
- https://www.apjtm.org/article.asp?issn=1995-7645;year=2018;volume=11;issue=12;spage=645;epage=652;aulast=Saleh
