Family: gutiferae
Other known names: mangosteen
Thai names: mangosteen, mangkhut
Botanical description:
The plant is tree which can reach the impressive height of 7 to 12 m has thick, dark green, glossy oval leaves, 15-25 cm (6-10 inches) long, and large, 4 to cm long rose-pink flowers. The fruits are the size of an apricot, round or flattened on the ends. Mangosteens have a thick, hard, deep red to purple rind surrounding a juicy snow-white flesh, which has a slightly astringent (sour or acidic) flavour. The seedling needs from 8 to 15 years to bear fruit. The mangosteen is native of South-East Asia where it prefers to grow in the shade but its culture has been introduced to other tropical countries. Mangosteen is consumed in Thailand as a fruit, and is often used in place of lime fruit in areas where citrus do not grow, and is also used in much the same way as lemon juice in the West. The fresh fruit is rarely found in Europe as it has to ripen on the trees and keeps only for a short time.
Uses in Ethnic Medicine:
For the healing of wounds, infectious disorders of the colon (large intestine), treatment of suppuration (purulent wounds), and chronic ulcers.
Traditional Thai prescriptions:
Diarrhoea: The dried rind of the fruit is cooked in a solution of saturated calcium hydroxide - Ca(OH)2 ‘slaked lime’, and the extract is consumed after cooling.
Treatment of wounds:
The dried fruit is finely ground (in Thailand this would be with a pestle and mortar which are the most frequently used utensils in Thai kitchens) into a solution of saturated calcium hydroxide and applied around the wound.
Ingredients of fruit and rind:
Chrysanthemin, cyanidin-3-0-ß-D-sophoroside, 8-deoxygartanin, 1,5-dihydroxy- 2-isopentenyl-3-methoxy xanthone, 1,7-dihydroxy-2-isopnetenyl-3-methoxyxanthone 5,9-dihydroxy-8-methoxy-2,2- dimethyl-7-3methylbut-2-enyl-2, 6- pyrano-xanthen-6-one, fructose, garcione A,B,C, and D, gartanin, glucose, cishex- 3-enyl acetate, 3-isomangostin, 3-isomangostin hydrate, kolanone, mangostin, ß-mangostin, alpha-mangostin, mangostin-3,6-di-0-glucoside, normangostin, cucrose, tannins, BR-xanthone-a, BR-xanthone-B
Pharmacognostic action and clinical testing.
New trials have shown that garcinia is able to reduce weight in cases of adiposis (accumulation of fat, obesity). The exact mechanism of this effect is not yet entirely analysed, it is however assumed that garcinia in combination with piper negrum is also a lipid blocker as well as being a lipid reducer. The absorption of food fats is reduced by garcinia. It also leads to a fall in trygliceride levels and the combined cholesterol levels. Garcinia is the most widely sold product in Thailand for weight reduction.
Cardiovascular effects:
mangostin-3, 66-di-0-glucoside produces significant effects on the cardiovascular system. It induces a myocardial stimulation. It noticeably increases the basic turnover and it slightly increases blood pressure.
Infection inhibiting effects:
mangostin, 1-isomangosteen and mangostin triacetate have a marked infection inhibiting action in muscles and tendons. The substances do not alter the Mastcell-membrane (mastocyte stabilising effect. or the degranualtion effect of polymyxin B , diazoxide and tritron X-100. They also do not alter the prothombin time. Mangostin shows an action against gastritis and stomach ulcers.
Antibacterial action:
There have been many tests and reports made on the antibacterial action of the rind. Garcinia acts mainly on bacteria which cause infections of the large intestine but does have an effect on others: shigella dysenteria, shigella flexneri, shigella sonnei and shigella boydii, staphylococcus aureus, and penicillin resistant strains, Escheria coli, streptococcus faecalis, vibryo cholerae etc.
Fungicide action:
Mangostin is active against trychophyton mentagrophytes (ringworm), microsporum gypseum and epidermophyton floccosum.
Weight reduction:
The fruit and particularly the rind (which is very rich in active substances) are dried and powdered and taken in capsules.
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