Could Passion Fruit be a Cure For Asthmatics?

With over 400 million people suffering from asthma worldwide could the cure be found in a South American fruit? Scientists think that there is a possibility that passionfruit holds the cure in its peel.

The peel of the passionfruit contains compounds, chemicals, acids and other ingredients that provide relief to those suffering from the lung condition of asthma. Scientists from the University of Arizona and Mashhad Medical University in Iran have been working with the peel of the purple variety of the fruit, freezing it and then making a powder form of the peel. The researchers then tested it on groups of asthma sufferers in both the United States and Iran with a control group given a placebo.

Researchers said the powder "significantly improved the symptoms of asthma after only four weeks.

"Patients experienced less wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath."

Doctors now want to expand the test on larger numbers of patients to see what the long term benefits of the fruit could be.