Antiproliferation, antioxidation and induction of apoptosis by Garcinia mangostana ( mangosteen ) on SKBR3 human breast cancer cell line.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Jan;90(1):161-6.
This study was designed to determine the antiproliferative, apoptotic and antioxidative properties of crude methanolic extract from the pericarp of Garcinia mangostana (family Guttiferae) ( mangosteen ) using human breast cancer (SKBR3) cell line as a model system. SKBR3 cells were cultured in the presence of mangosteen extract at various concentrations. Mangosteen showed a dose-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation. We found that antiproliferative effect of mangosteen was associated with apoptosis on breast cancer cell line by determinations of morphological changes and oligonucleosomal DNA fragments. In addition, mangosteen at various concentrations and incubation times were also found to inhibit ROS production. These investigations suggested that the mangosteen extract had strong antiproliferation, potent antioxidation and induction of apoptosis. Thus, it indicates that mangosteen extract has potential for cancer chemoprevention which is dose dependent as well as exposure time dependent.

Induction of apoptosis by xanthones from mangosteen in human leukemia cell lines.
J Nat Prod. 2003 Aug;66(8):1124-7.
We examined the effects of six xanthones from the pericarps of mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana, on the cell growth inhibition of human leukemia cell line HL60. All xanthones in mangosteen displayed growth inhibitory effects. Among them, alpha-mangostin showed complete inhibition at 10 microM through the induction of apoptosis.

Antimycobacterial activity of prenylated xanthones from the fruits of mangosteen.
Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2003 Jul;51(7):857-9.
Prenylated xanthones, isolated from the fruit hulls and the edible arils and seeds of mangosteen, were tested for their antituberculosis potential. Alpha- and beta-mangostins and garcinone B exhibited strong inhibitory effect against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Garcinone E, a xanthone derivative, has potent cytotoxic effect against hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines.
Planta Med. 2002 Nov;68(11):975-9.
Treatment of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) with chemotherapy has generally been disappointing and it is most desirable to have more effective new drugs. We extracted and purified 6 xanthone compounds from the rinds (peel) of the fruits of Garcinia mangostana L. ( mangosteen ), and then tested the cytotoxic effects of these compounds on a panel of 14 different human cancer cell lines including 6 hepatoma cell lines. Our results have shown that one of the xanthone derivatives from mangosteen which could be identified as garcinone E has potent cytotoxic effect on all HCC cell lines as well as on the other gastric and lung cancer cell lines included in the screen. We suggest that garcinone E extract from mangosteen may be potentially useful for the treatment of certain types of cancer.

Inhibitions of histamine release and prostaglandin E2 synthesis by mangosteen, a Thai medicinal plant.
Biol Pharm Bull. 2002 Sep;25(9):1137-41.
The fruit hull of mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana L. has been used as a Thai indigenous medicine for many years. However, the mechanism of action of mangosteen as a medicine has not been elucidated. The present study was undertaken to examine the effects of mangosteen extracts (100% ethanol, 70% ethanol, 40% ethanol and water) on histamine release and prostaglandin E2 synthesis. We found that the 40% ethanol extract of mangosteen inhibited IgE-mediated histamine release from RBL-2H3 cells with greater potency than the water extract of Rubus suavissimus that has been used as an anti-allergy crude drug in Japan. All extracts of mangosteen potently inhibited A23187-induced prostaglandin E2 synthesis in C6 rat glioma cells, while the water extract of Rubus suavissimus had no effect. The 40% ethanol extract of mangosteen inhibited the prostaglandin E2 synthesis in a concentration-dependent manner with relatively lower concentrations than the histamine release. In addition, passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reactions in rats were significantly inhibited by this ethanol extract as well as by the water extract of Rubus suavissimus. These results suggest that the 40% ethanol extract of mangosteen has potent inhibitory activities of both histamine release and prostaglandin E2 synthesis.

Inhibition of cyclooxygenase and prostaglandin E2 synthesis by gamma-mangostin, a xanthone derivative in mangosteen, in C6 rat glioma cells.
Biochem Pharmacol. 2002 Jan 1;63(1):73-9.
In the present study, we examined the effect of gamma-mangostin, a tetraoxygenated diprenylated xanthone contained in mangosteen, on arachidonic acid  cascade in C6 rat glioma cells. This study is a first demonstration that gamma-mangostin, a xanthone derivative from mangosteen, directly inhibits COX activity.

Evaluation of the antifungal activity of natural xanthones from Garcinia mangostana (mangosteen) and their synthetic derivatives.
J Nat Prod. 1997 May;60(5):519-24.
The antifungal activity of several xanthones isolated from the fruit hulls of mangosteen and some derivatives of mangostin against three phytopathogenic fungi, Fusarium oxysporum vasinfectum, Alternaria tenuis, and Dreschlera oryzae, has been evaluated. The natural xanthones from mangosteen showed good inhibitory activity against the three fungi.

Active constituents against HIV-1 protease from Mangosteen.
Planta Med. 1996 Aug;62(4):381-2.
The ethanol extract of Mangosteen showed potent inhibitory activity against HIV-1 protease. The activity-guided purification of the extract resulted in the isolation of two active, known compounds. The chemical structures of the isolated compounds were established by spectroscopic analyses as mangostin and gamma-mangostin.

Mangostin inhibits the oxidative modification of human low density lipoprotein.
Free Radic Res. 1995 Aug;23(2):175-84.
The oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) may play an important role in atherosclerosis. We investigated the possible antioxidant effects of mangosteen, isolated from Garcinia mangostana, on metal ion dependent (Cu2+) and independent (aqueous peroxyl radicals) oxidation of human LDL. From these results, we conclude that mangosteen is acting as a free radical scavenger to protect the LDL from oxidative damage in this in vitro system.

More Mangosteen information - The various forms of mangosteen sold
The active xanthones are in the pericarp (husk), and not the mangosteen fruit. Mangosteen powder is sometimes added in juices to provide more xanthones to the juice mix. This "thickens" the mixture and adds more body. All mangosteen juice sellers refer to "shake" the bottle before drinking to mix the powder with the juice.

Mangosteen extracts:
Mangosteen extract - There are two common mangosteen extracts; alcohol extract and water based extracts. The extracts add more xanthones to the drink mixes which is the active ingredient in mangosteen. There are various potencies of mangosteen extracts including 5 percent xanthones, 6 percent xanthones, 10 percent xanthones, and 25 percent flavonoids. It is not clear which extract potency is ideal for human health and treatment of medical conditions.

Mangosteen Fruit Puree:
Whole mangosteen fruit is crushed and some water is added for pouring, and then put into plastic containers, frozen and then shipped from Thailand. Companies then add other fruit juices to improve taste.

Mangosteen Juice Concentrate:
This is "just add water" concentrate mix with only tropical fruit contents, No preservatives, No artificial colors, etc.

Mangosteen Juice and mangosteen fruit emails
Q.  Hello Doctor, txs for your wonderful newsletter...  I love it!!!  I have quit taking SAM E, glucosamine and the rest of the gang having replaced all of them with a drink to help me with my hip spur and shoulder rotor pain.  I have been on mangosteen juice which is said to contain powerful antioxidants called Xanthones.  I haven't had any uncomfortable ache since after three days of starting with my three daily ounces of mangosteen juice.  Soon after I started and didn't feel my pain any longer, I started forgetting taking my Sam e, chonoditrin, glucosamine and msm daily cocktail.  My pain used to remind me to take the cocktail soon after waking up to receive some minor relief. Last week, I just ran out of mangosteen juice and stopped taking my daily dose for three days and the pain returned, even though I doubled the amount of blueberry concentrate I was taking.  I started on mangosteen again and about two days latter, the pain went away again. 

Q. I would like to know how the mangosteen capsule compares to the juice.
   A. The mangosteen capsules are pure mangosteen including the rind which has most of the active xanthones while the mangosteen juice has mostly the fruit and other fruit juices. Mangosteen capsules and mangosteen juice are different but there are no studies that compare the two in humans so it is difficult to say which is the healthier to take in the long.

Q. Good day good doctor! If you would be so kind, please inform me as to the considerations in selecting either your capsules (much less expensive) or Xango (a MLM offering). The Xango offering
does NOT label the mg level of mangosteen per serving (1oz), however neither your capsules or
their cocktail show a unit of measure for Xanthone content.
   A. There is some confusion about "percentage of xanthones" in mangosteen, one of the best labs for xanthone measurement is with Chromedex, but they only measure "alpha, beta & gamma mangostin" actives, and they only measure "liquids"... so, it is not possible at this time to list % of xanthones per kilo of mangosteen powder or to list the amount in each capsule.

Q. I have given a free bottle of mangosteen to a friend over in Minnesota who is 90 years old and after taking it only one day got as he says got very, very sick with chills and other complications! Have you ever had this type of problem using mangosteen with any other person before? Kindly please let me know on this subject as I myself take at least two mangosteen capsules every day and have no complications whatsoever!
   A. This is the first we have heard of mangosteen causing a side effect of such sort. In fact, we have never heard of a mangosteen side effect reported before.

Q. Is the mangosteen product an extract, or the real fruit? Is it organic? Also, my husband has c. pneumoniea (mycoplasma) bacteria associated with CFS, and is on long term antibiotics, and has been on 10 oz a day of Xango mangosteen. Can he take 6 pills or so to equal the equivalent in Mangosteen juice? Have you had any experience as to whether the pills at higher doses, can actually kill the bacteria, like mycoplasm, as effectively as an antibiotic? Do you have any 'testimonials' about your mangosteen pills?
   A. We have no idea what the equivalence would be between the mangosteen capsules and the juice. There are dozens of different manufacturers and they each mix mangosteen juice with various other fruit juices (to make it more palatable), so we basically would be comparing apples and oranges. By the way, the other juices would have health benefits, too.
   Both mangosteen / fruit juices and mangosteen powder in capsules are likely to be beneficial, but one can't say over the long run which is better. We don't know whether high doses of mangosteen can kill bacteria in the body since such human studies have not been done. This mangosteen product is organic.

Q. My Sister age 52 had a Stroke it made her blind in her left eye she could not read. she was seeing four off everthing, an other sister gave her a bottle of mangosteen, with in one hour she could read the news paper but now when her eyes blur she takes another mangosteen, thats about ever three hours. my husband has mouth cancer, now he is taking mangosteen, keep up the good work.

Q. Is mangosteen safe for a pregnant woman in her third trimester?
   A. There have not been such studies with mangosteen and pregnancy, so we don't know.

Q. A friend of mine told me that mangosteen was helpful for arthritis. Within 10 days of taking a capsule a day, my arthritis pain was less. It's been a few months now and it seems to be still helping.
   A. This is the first we have heard of mangosteen being helpful for arthritis.

Q.  Someone told me that mangosteen has a short shelf life. (they also want me to buy their xango product) any merit to this?
   A. Most herbal constituents have a very long half life and can stay active for many years or even decades is stored properly. We have no evidence that mangosteen is any different.

Q. I see advertisements for mangosteen XanGo juice. Can you tell me more about Mangosteen XanGo juice?
   A.  XanGo International is a multilevel marketing company that sells products through independent distributors who are encouraged to recruit other distributors. According to a press release we received, this is what XanGo Juice says: "Our proprietary formula for XanGo Juice begins with a puree of the whole mangosteen fruit from the best farms. XanGo sources and purees the whole fresh mangosteen – pulp and rind - so you can receive the benefits the way nature intended. Mangosteen XanGo Juice delivers the full benefit of some 40 xanthones as well as the advantage of powerful flavonoids through true usage of the whole fruit. Some mangosteen products use only the pulp, the inner part of the fruit. The use of the pulp and exclusion of the rind where most of the xanthones reside is not the “whole fruit.” The use of extracts of the mangosteen, pulp or pericarp, can lead to a reduction of the fruit’s xanthone and flavonoid values. By definition, mangosteen extract clearly does not mean “whole fruit.” Those who want to market this amazing mangosteen fruit should recognize nature’s perfection. We can’t make the mangosteen better by taking it apart. Manufacturers who aim to be part of this exciting category have a right to make their mangosteen products their way. And consumers in pursuit of the mangosteen’s health benefits have a right to know the truth."
   Update October 2006 - FDA has warned XanGo International of Lehi, Utah, to stop the distribution of brochures which claim that its mangosteen juice drink has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-cancer, anti-ulcer, and anti-allergic effects. The FDA obtained the brochures through contact information given at a recruitment seminar. A company attorney has stated that XanGo should not be held responsible for the claims because the brochures were distributed by an independent publisher that shows up uninvited to its workshops. [

Q. Is mangosteen good for menopause problems? What about sleep and blood pressure?
   A. Since no human studies have been done with mangosteen, we can't say whether mangosteen helps with menopause or other medical conditions.

Q. Do you recommend Xango juice, as a good mangosteen juice?
   A. I don't make any recommendations for or against mangosteen juice products since I personally have not tested to see whether Xango mangosteen juice is better or worse than other mangosteen juice products on the market.

Q. Are there any adverse affects such as cardiac arrhythmias or drug interactions with other meds with mangosteen?
   A. There have not been any human studies with mangosteen, and thus far, we have not had feedback from consumers regarding such mangosteen side effects. This is all the information we have on mangosteen at this time. It is possible mangosteen side effects could come to light over time, but at this time, October 2006, no such mangosteen side effects have been reported in the medical literature or to us.

Q. Do you feel you have to drink the mangosteen juice to get the best results since it has various juices in it? I have been drinking Xango juice for 4 months but I cannot afford the price. I am 71 and in pretty good health (High blood pressure and cholesterol under control).
   A.  it is impossible to say which is better, mangosteen juice or mangosteen capsule. Perhaps it is a good idea to sometimes have the juice, other times the capsule.

Q. Recently I have been introduced to mangosteen juice. Before drinking any, does mangosteen juice have any side effects when taking it on a regular basis. From reading the ingredients it sounds safe to drink. But my question is, Is there anything from long term use that would cause a failed drug test. The company I work for gives random drug (hair) tests and check three months back.
   A. As with any juice, if you take regular breaks we can't see any long term health problems with mangosteen juice. I do believe in having variety in one's diet and drinking other healthy juices such as pomegranate, prune, goji, etc. I can't imagine mangosteen juice causing problems with a drug test.

Q.  As an family doctor, I have had many patients approach me about mangosteen. I have taken an interest in the mangosteen research literature but I have some concerns and I wonder if you can help. What is your position on the controversy regarding bioavailability of mangosteen? Am I right in assuming that the use of dry, capsule vehicle based on or as a result of some researched, nutraceutical delivery system, reasoning? Xango liquid, juice people say: absorption is ideal in liquid and the bowl absorbs small concentrations of mangosteen better than larger amounts. They have no measurement studies to go by. Consumers expect a certain concentration of mangosteen in each bottle or a recommended scheduled dosing. Also Xango people say xanthones are not acid soluble. For some reason it seems too convenient a fit for ideal US marketing. It makes me want to have some evidence to support the Xango claims. Can you help me with some solid references or even opinion regarding the journey of mangosteen through the GI track and to the cell?
   A. At this point it is too early to say whether mangosteen capsules are preferable to mangosteen juice or vice versa. Plus, there are many ways to extract or use the mangosteen fruit and each company may have a different method resulting in different xanthone levels or other active ingredients. Human studies with mangosteen capsules, extracts and juice are lacking hence no statements can be made with confidence regarding the role of mangosteen, whether in capsule form or juice, in terms of absorption, metabolism, human health and disease, and in terms of potential mangosteen side effects. 

Q. Could someone tell me if the mangosteen capsules are 500 milligram how many would you take to equal the three ounces that the mangosteen juice recommends?
   A. There are quite a number of different mangosteen juice products on the market, each with its own method of processing and concentration, many juice bottles mix mangosteen with other fruit juices. It is not easy to make a comparison. One advantage of the capsules is that the calories and sugar (fructose) are avoided. Most people take one or two mangosteen capsules a day.

So I'm the kinda guy that doesn't believe in gimmicks or miracle cures, but when something works, it needs to be known. I have had surgery on both hands for carpel tunnel and have a related condition known as double crush. The same nerves that were relieved with the surgery are being crushed in my neck at C4, 5 and 6, where they originate. Surgery made life bearable, but far from perfect. The ring fingers on both hands would quite often cramp, causing me to drop whatever I was carrying at the time. I saw an ad in the Sunday paper advertising a product that contained mangosteen and seemed to be somewhat what I needed. I researched several places and settled on your mangosteen capsules. For probably 2 years now I have been taking two capsules in the morning and the finger cramps and neck pain have become very rare. As a test last year, I purposely ran out of mangosteen, and within a week, my issues had started to return. I won't try that again.
Thanks for a great product.
    This is very interesting, thanks for sharing it with us. Perhaps this herb has anti-inflammatory properties when used for long periods. Apparently, we assume, you have not had side effects.

See a video on You Tube about the benefits and potential uses of mangosteen pills, see Youtube Mangostten pill supplement