EXPLORING THE THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF DRAGON FRUIT: AN INSIGHTFUL REVIEW

Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus spp.) or pitaya, belonging to the family Cactaceae is an exotic fruit known for its prominent flavour and versatility of its health benefits. With a wide variety of its species, this tropical fruit stands out for its low maintenance, higher yield, and remarkable resilience, making it a lucrative option for cultivation. It’s a rich source of antioxidants, exhibiting a spectrum of nutritional profile comprising of essential nutrients and phytochemicals like proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fibres, vitamins, minerals, alkaloids, oils, terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, phenols and steroids. Consumption of dragon fruit offers numerous health benefits including regulation of blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes, bolstering heart health, strong bones and immune system, accelerated wound healing and improved carbohydrate metabolism. Furthermore, dragon fruit has also shown antibacterial, antifungal, neuroprotective, cardioprotective and antiplatelet activity with significant results. This comprehensive review delves into the medicinal benefits and myriad nutraceutical value of dragon fruit. In addition, the review also portrays the history, biological source, geographical habitat, collection, cultivation of pitaya along with the numerous bioactive compounds found in various parts of this plant. As a result of the therapeutic traits of this exotic fruit, the consumption and utilization of dragon fruit has recently grown in status both economically and nutritionally. Therefore, further in-depth exploration of the repository of phytoconstituents that this fruit offers is needed to promote both health and economic growth.