Mangosteen
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Many tropical plants have interesting biological activities with potential therapeutic applications.
Garcinia mangostana Linn. (GML) belongs to the family of Guttiferae and is named "the queen of
fruits". It is cultivated in the tropical rainforest of some Southeast Asian nations like Indonesia,
Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Thailand. People in these countries have used the pericarp
(peel, rind, hull or ripe) of mangosteen as a traditional medicine for the treatment of abdominal
pain, diarrhea, dysentery, infected wound, suppuration, and chronic ulcer. Experimental studies
have demonstrated that extracts of mangosteen have antioxidant, antitumoral, antiallergic,
anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral activities. The pericarp of mangosteen is a source of
xanthones and other bioactive substances. Prenylated xanthones isolated from mangosteen have
been extensively studied; some members of these compounds possess antioxidant, antitumoral,
antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. Xanthones have
been isolated from pericarp, whole fruit, heartwood, and leaves. The most studied xanthones are
alpha-, beta-, and gamma-mangostins, garcinone E, 8-deoxygartanin, and gartanin.

Pedraza-Chaverri J, et al Medicinal properties of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana). Food
Chem Toxicol. 2008 Oct;46(10):3227-39