Prickly pear

A cactus plant with or without thorns, with a short trunk, disc-like, flat stem limbs and a growth height of up to 6 meters. Yellow or red flowers and tasty fruits, the prickly pears. Origin: Deserts of Central America and Mexico, now popular worldwide in warm regions and as houseplants. Flowering time: April to May, fruit ripening: September to October.

Traditional medicine: handed down by the indigenous people of Mexico: arteriosclerosis, diabetes and gastritis; used in Europe against scurvy.

Food: prickly pears are used as fresh fruit, for jam, pudding, liqueur, also as a vegetable and salad. Prickly pear oil is extracted from the seeds.

Deep fodder: In dry regions for goats and cows, thus requiring less water and grain feed.

Cosmetics industry: as a basic ingredient for body lotions, shampoos, creams and as a flavoring agent. see also Opuntia tuna flower/stem extract (INCI), Opuntia coccinellifera fruit extract (INCI), Opuntia coccinellifera flower extract (INCI)

Antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, mild diuretic and tumor cell inhibiting effects are described. Furthermore, antimicrobial, hepato-, cardio- and neuroprotective effects.

Proof of cholesterol-lowering, antioxidant, hypoglycemic and neuroprotective effects in animal models. Furthermore, reduction of body fat and BMI, lowering of blood pressure and cholesterol, positive effects on bronchial asthma, digestive disorders and wound healing.

1. Montag A (2023) Plants and skin. Springer-Verlag GmbH. S. 501-504
2. Silva MA et al. (2021) Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.: A Multi-Benefit Potential to Be Exploited. Molecules 11;26(4):951. doi: 10.3390/molecules26040951. PMID: 33670110; PMCID: PMC7916838.
3. Giraldo-Silva L et al. (2023) Opuntia ficus-indica Fruit: A Systematic Review of Its Phytochemicals and Pharmacological Activities. Plants (Basel) 25;12(3):543. doi: 10.3390/plants12030543. PMID: 36771630; PMCID: PMC9919935.