Botanical Overview
Green Sapote (Pouteria viridis) is a species in the Sapotaceae family. The sapodilla family (Sapotaceae) includes tropical trees with milky sap and simple, leathery, alternate leaves. The flowers are small and clustered, and the fruits are fleshy berries. Many species produce latex used for traditional medicines and as a source of chicle. Although comprehensive ethnobotanical records are limited, phytochemical studies have identified 15 compounds in this species, suggesting potential medicinal value.
General Description
Other common names include red faisan, white faisan (Belize), zapote blanco, zapote rojo, zapote de castilla, zapote de montana (Costa Rica), zapote verde, zapote injerto (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras), injerto verde (Guatemala), zapotillo calenturiento (Honduras), zapote amarillo, zapote mico, zapote real (Nicaragua), chulul (Mexico), yashtul, mameicito (Spanish), chul (Mam), ixulul (Jacalteco), raxtulul (Poqomchiʼ), tulul (Tz’utujil), and sapota zalená (Czech).
Family Context
The Sapotaceae family is widely distributed. Notable medicinal members include:
Geographic Distribution
Green Sapote has been recorded in 10 countries and territories worldwide, including Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and others.
Active Compounds
Phytochemical research has identified 15 compounds in this species, including a diverse array of phytochemical classes (see the Complete Chemical Inventory below for the full list).
The identified compounds include the following categories:
- Alkaloid: nitrogenous compounds with diverse pharmacological activities
Research Status
Although this species has documented phytochemical constituents, its ethnobotanical and clinical documentation remains incomplete. Systematic pharmacological studies are needed to validate the traditional uses attributed to this species.