The mangosteen (Garcinia Mangostana) is a tropical fruit considered to be one of the finest tasting fruits in the world and has earned the popular title "the Queen of Fruit." The mangosteen tree is found predominantly in Southeast Asia in countries like Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.

The fruit itself consists of the following segments:

Pericarp (sometimes spelled Pericarb):  A thick dark purple, smooth rind that encloses the fruit segments.

Pulp:  4 to 8 triangular segments of snow-white, soft flesh. Known for its excellent flavor, the mangosteen is proclaimed by many to be the best among tropical fruits.

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What are Xanthones?

Xanthones are a class of plant derived nutrients or "phytonutrients." They have been demonstrated in numerous scientific studies to hold tremendous nutritional value.  Found to exhibit strong antioxidant activity xanthones disarm free radicals in the body and enhance and support your body's immune system. Although xanthones exist in small amounts throughout nature, it is found in concentrated amounts in the Pericarp of the mangosteen fruit.

There are over 20 known forms of xanthones naturally occurring in the Pericarp, the two most widely studied are Alpha Mangostin and Gamma Mangostin.

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The people of Southeast Asia are very familiar with the prized mangosteen fruit and Asian Health Practitioners have long made use of Pericarp for a myriad of nutritional uses. The mangosteen fruit, however, has never been introduced to the Western world and much of the science behind xanthones is predominantly available to those in the medical community until recently. Many of the clinical studies on xanthones have been done in universities and testing facilities throughout Asia and have recently started to catch the attention of Western researchers.

According to the research, the most concentrated source of xanthones found in nature is in the Pericarp (rind) of the mangosteen fruit. The majority of clinical studies on xanthones specify that the xanthones used were from the mangosteen Pericarp.
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Does the world need another phytonutrient?
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Absolutely! The science of nutritional supplements is still very young. New studies are constantly being released leading us to better solutions to today's health concerns. More and more science continues to surface about xanthones and their incredible benefits to the human body and their ability to support a wide variety of health concerns.

Every industry from automobiles to computers constantly creates better ways to improve upon their products.  Xanthones represent the very latest that nutritional science has to offer.  Much more than a great antioxidant, xanthones are a class of multi-functional phytonutrients poised to raise the bar in the nutritional arena!  At our company, we've not only launched a category creator, we are the next generation of supplementation.

Studies have demonstrated that xanthones have the ability to offer support in the following areas:

Cholesterol concerns  1,2

Inflammation / pain response /
Cox 2 inhibition  3

Skin conditions  4

Microbiological balance  5

Allergy support  6

Immune system support  7

1. Free Radic Res 2000 Nov;33(5):643-59. Inhibition of lipoprotein oxidation by prenylated xanthones derived from mangostin. Mahabusarakam W, Proudfoot J, Taylor W, Croft K. Chemistry Department, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand.

2. Williams P, Ongsakul M, Proudfoot J, Croft K, Beilin L. 1994. Mangostin inhibits the oxidative modification of human low density lipoprotein. Free Rad Res. 23:175-184.

3. Biochem Pharmacol 2002 Jan 1;63(1):73-9.  Inhibition of cyclooxygenase and prostaglandin E2 synthesis by gamma-mangostin, a xanthone derivative in mangosteen, in C6 rat glioma cells. Nakatani K, Nakahata N, Arakawa T, Yasuda H, Ohizumi Y.  Department of Pharmaceutical Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, 980-8578, Sendai, Japan.

4. Farnsworth N. 1992. Thai Medicinal Plants. Bangkok, Thailand: Medicinal Plant Information Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University.

5. Planta Med 1983 May;48(1):59-60. Antimicrobial activities of Garcinia mangostana.

Sundaram BM, Gopalakrishnan C, Subramanian S, Shankaranarayanan D, Kameswaran L.

6. Inhibitions of histamine release and prostaglandin E2 synthesis by mangosteen, a Thai medicinal plant.

Nakatani K, Atsumi M, Arakawa T, Oosawa K, Shimura S, Nakahata N, Ohizumi Y. o Department of Pharmaceutical Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.

7. J Med Assoc Thai 1997 Sep;80 Suppl 1:S149-54. Immunopharmacological activity of polysaccharide from the pericarb of mangosteen garcinia: phagocytic intracellular killing activities. Chanarat P, Chanarat N, Fujihara M, Nagumo T.

Department of Clinical Microscopy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.

8. Peres V, Nagem T, Faustino de Oliveira F. 2000. Tetraoxygenated naturally occurring xanthones. Phytochemistry. 55:683-710
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I eat a balanced diet. Am I getting xanthones from my food?
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No. The xanthone family of phytonutrients can be found in trace amounts in certain fruits and vegetables, however, the pericarp of the mangosteen is the premier source where these nutrients are found in concentrated amounts. Most scientific studies actually name the mangosteen pericarp as the quintessential source of xanthones.
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What makes xanthones from mangosteen so special?

What is amazing is that the Mangosteen (which, by the way, has no connection with the mango), has never been utilized for its multiple health benefits in North America or Europe despite its history and popularity as a folk remedy in Asia and South America. Until recently, it has been one of Nature's best kept secrets.

For centuries the traditional medical healers of India, China, Malaysia, Thailand the Philippines and Vietnam have employed Mangosteen for its health benefits. In the last 150 years the plant has been transported to Africa, the Caribbean, Australia and South America where both researchers and medical practitioners alike have studied and utilized its healing and protective properties.

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What is meant by "whole fruit puree" ?

The mangosteen fruit pulp is delicious and by itself holds some nutritional value, however, the pericarp and the seeds are the main source of a phtyonutrient known as xanothones.  The highest quality mangosteen juice products must utilize the whole fruit puree, where they have milled the entire fruit-pulp, seeds and pericarp together -- thus capturing the full abundance of nutritional support.

This is essential because xanthones are quickly being recognized as the newest superstar of the phtyochemical world and only a whole fruit process will produce a only dietary supplement to feature this powerful component!
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Are there any commercial items featuring mangosteen?

Beware of products that use mangosteen only as a flavor or only include the pulp (and not the pericarp). As aforementioned, the mangosteen fruit pulp is delicious and there may be a few commercial items that feature the mangosteen fruit pulp or flavor, but only the whole fruit goodness of the mangosteen — pericarp, pulp and seeds — will provide the full nutritional and healing value of mangosteen

Occasionally gift companies will ship frozen mangosteen in for use in exotic gift baskets.  These companies charge a premium price for the fruit.  It is rumored that the famous Harrods department store in England brought mangosteen in and charged the equivalent of several US dollars for each piece of fruit....

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