From the lush forests of Southeast Asia comes a fruit whose therapeutic properties and medicinal potential are fast becoming the talk of anyone interested in the world ofnatural health. Its name, mangosteen (scientific name: Garcinia mangostana). And what promise it holds…

Named after the French explorer Laurent Garcin (1683-1751), the tree largely remains indigenous to this part of the world. Often referred to as the “Queen of Fruits”, natural healers, through the centuries, have tapped its inherent qualities to fight infection, treat diarrhea, control fever and countless other ailments. Folklore even holds that England’s Queen Victoria offered a knighthood (unclaimed) to anyone who could bring her back an unspoiled sample of the fruit to try from the Indies.

The mystique surrounding the mangosteen plant stems from its innate ability to cure various known ailments, a fact that has been proven time and time again since generations past. But what does science have to say? It has been found that the mangosteen plant contains high concentrations of nutrients that are essential to human health. These chemical substances, called xanthones, are biologically active phytonutrients with antioxidant properties that help protect the body from damage in much the same way that vitamins A and C do.

Based on research thus far, xanthones have shown to possess antioxidant, anti-microbial, and anti-tumor activity. Laboratory testing indicates that extracts of mangosteen have activity against several cancer cell lines including breast, liver, and leukemia. Mangosteen also appears to have anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory properties.

Because of a chemical structure that possesses six highly stable carbon conjugated rings, xanthones are considered to be some of the most potent antioxidants known. They are even thought to be more potent than both Vitamin C and Vitamin E.

Of the 200 xanthones known to exist, the most plentiful natural source of this substance is the mangosteen plant, which contains over 40 xanthones. Here is a list of some of the most studied xanthones found in mangosteen that have been named.