Abstract
Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia that produces a fruit whose pericarp contains a family of tricyclic isoprenylated polyphenols referred to as xanthones. Numerous in vitro studies have shown that these xanthones possess anti-oxidant, anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic activities. Aggressive marketing of such health promoting benefits has resulted in mangosteen’s classification as a “superfruit”. This has led to sales of mangosteen containing beverages in USA alone exceeding $200 million in 2008 despite very limited animal and human studies. This review will (a) critically address recent reports of in vivo studies on the bioavailability and metabolism of mangosteen xanthones, (b) update the in vitro and in vivo data on anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities of mangosteen xanthones, and (c) suggest needed areas of inquiry regarding the absorption, metabolism and efficacy of mangosteen xanthones.
Highlights
Juice blends and other products containing exotic fruits, known as superfruits, have been aggressively marketed for their proposed health benefits
Balb/c mice bearing colon cancer NL-17 xenografts showed 50%–70% reduction in tumor size when intraperitoneally treated with an extract from mangosteen pericarp containing 25% α-MG
The reported in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of mangosteen xanthones are summarized in α-MG decreased activation of several signaling pathways including IL-1, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK), Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), ERK, signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT-1), and activator protein 1 (AP-1) in these cells [26,27]
Summary
Juice blends and other products containing exotic fruits, known as superfruits, have been aggressively marketed for their proposed health benefits. This has resulted in a steady rise in sales of superfruit juices and products to consumers interested in their personal health. At least 68 distinct xanthones have been identified in different parts of the G. mangostana plant with 50 being present in the fruit’s pericarp at higher concentrations than in the aril or edible portion of the fruit [5]. The most abundant xanthones in the pericarp of mangosteen fruit are α- and γ-mangostin (Figure 1) [6]. A search of available literature using mangosteen and xanthones as terms in Pubmed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Scirus, retrieved 158 reports in the period of 1980–2008.
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