Seven+ Superfoods, Part 3: Mangosteen

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This is Part 3 in a series of Seven+ Superfoods. This post is dedicated to Mangosteen, also known as “Queen of Fruits” or Garcinia Mangostana.

Why is Mangosteen a Superfood?

Where to begin?

The most powerful healing properties of Mangosteen lie in the pericap (rind) of the fruit where it is sopping rich in xanthones - nature’s super antioxidant’s.

Mangosteen has the more xanthones than any other food - in fact more than 40 types of xanthones have been discovered in the pericap alone.

Why are xanthones so highly valued? These polyphenolic compounds provide the following:

beneficial healing in the areas of cardiovasular disease, ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis, hypertension, thrombosis
is antibiotic, anti-viral, antitumoral, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory
highest antioxidants anywhere in nature, swiftly healing free-radical damage
slows aging, wards off degenerative diseases, and prevents physical and mental deteriorization
treats infection, reduces pain, controls fever
vascorelaxant properties helps to dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow

As there is currently no known medical cure for glaucoma, those suffering with symptoms will be happy to hear Mangosteen is showing great promise in treating glaucoma. Increasing in popularity, doctors are seeing wonderful results when using Mangosteen as a way to both treat and prevent glaucoma.

Xanthones in Mangosteen also help in other areas of eye health. Due to the delicate structure of the eye, it can be one of the first places free-radical damage will occur. Mangosteen helps protect these delicate structures, as well as helps improve vision, prevent or repair cataracts, and also aid in healing macular degeneration.

If your doctor has told you that you have early signs of glaucoma, you may want to consider supplementing with Mangosteen. Prevention is truly the best medicine.

What can Mangosteen Help With?

In addition to what I already mentioned, Mangosteen has been shown to:

maintain intestinal health and reduces allergies
reduces symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease and prevents Alzheimer’s
strengthen cellular walls
supports immune system and aid healing process
promotes healthy respiratory system, supports joints and cartilage function
heals eczema and other skin disorders

Those with sciatica pain and peripheral neuropathy know how difficult it is for drugs to treat the pain. The xanthones in Mangosteen are anti-inflammatory and have found to provide relief for many.

The immune-boosting properties in Mangosteen have also shown inhibitory action against Tuberculosis and Staphylococcs aureus (Staph. A).

(scroll down for scientific studies)

Where does Mangosteen come from?

Mangosteen is native to Thailand, where the locals celebrate the twice-yearly harvest. Unrelated to the mango, Mangosteen has a snow-white flesh constructed like an orange on the inside and its flavor is deliciously mild and exquisite. The pericap (rind) is dark purple and that is where the healing properties lie.

Where can I get Mangosteen?

In your back yard if you live in Thailand

There are bottled juices out there which feature mangosteen, but only as a reconstituted puree. Diluted with common juices and containing sodium benzoate is also a mark against them. Economically, it’s also a no-no, at $120+ a month. No thanks!

I found powdered Mangosteen on amazon. Two different ones appear to be good quality and range from $22 for 7 ounces to $45 for 4 ounces. This is probably worth it for those with poor eye health, especially if you can find a way to add this powder to your smoothies without the consistency bothering you.

Since I have early signs of glaucoma, I am going to err on the side of caution and begin supplementing with Mangosteen in this powder form as well as consume the extract form in Seven+.

Where does Lea get Mangosteen ?

My main source of Mangosteen is in extract form via eXfuze’s Seven+ as it also contains many other botanical superfoods extracts including Acai, Goji, Fucoidan (Brown Seaweed), Noni, Gac, Sea Buckthorn, Grape Seed, Pomegranate, Wild Blueberry, and Aloe all in one concentrated dose.

Seven+’s botanical superfood supplement combines potent, organically-grown and wild-crafted extracts to ensure maximum absorption.

Why are extracts so important? Unlike juices which take nutrients from the pulpy fruit part, extracts also retrieve the nutrients from the rind where most of the beneficial properties lie.

And sometimes as important is what a supplement does NOT have. Seven+ does not have sodium benzoate (toxic when combined with Vitamin C), MSG, high fructose corn syrup or any other artificial sweeteners, chemicals, synthetic vitamins. Seven+ is Kosher Certified, non-GMO, Gluten-Free and Vegan.

As a more economical option, I prefer the concentrated liquid botanical extract version that eXfuze makes because I am confident the quality can’t be beat – and hey, who doesn’t like their dollar stretched?

Retail customers can get a bottle of Seven+ Classic for $40 (although I personally use the PRO version for $45). Preferred customers only pay $37 for a bottle of Seven+ Classic (PRO is $42). At one concentrated 3/4 ounce dose per day, a bottle lasts a full month.

Or, get yours free when you Take the eXfuze Challenge and get four friends to join with you. I am using the Get Up & Go Pak and am loving it! Learn more here.

Learn more about Seven +: What is Seven+, Why Do I Need It, and How Do I Get Some?

What Does Science Say About Mangosteen ?

Anti-tumorigenicity of dietary α-mangostin in an HT-29 colon cell xenograft model and the tissue distribution of xanthones and their phase II metabolites.

AbstractSCOPE: This study investigated the in vivo and in vitro activity of α-mangostin (α-MG), the most abundant xanthone in mangosteen pericarp, on HT-29 cell tumorigenicity, proliferation, and several markers of tumor cell activity, as well as the profile and amounts of xanthones in serum, tumor, liver, and feces.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Balb/c nu/nu mice were fed either control diet or diet containing 900 mg α-MG/kg. After 1 week of acclimation to diet, mice were injected subcutaneously with HT-29 cells and fed the same diets ad libitum for an additional 2 or 4 weeks. After 2 and 4 weeks, tumor mass and the concentrations of BcL-2 and β-catenin in tumors of mice fed diet with α-MG were significantly less than in mice fed control diet. Xanthones and their metabolites were identified in serum, tumor, liver, and feces. In vitro treatment of HT-29 cells with α-MG also inhibited cell proliferation and decreased expression of BcL-2 and β-catenin.

CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate that the anti-neoplastic effect of dietary α-MG is associated with the presence of xanthones in the tumor tissue. Further investigation of the impact of beverages and food products containing xanthones on the prevention of colon cancer or as complementary therapy is merited.

Significant anti-invasive activities of α-mangostin from the mangosteen pericarp on two human skin cancer cell lines.

Abstract
AIM: This study aimed at investigating the anti-invasive activities of α-mangostin on human melanoma SK-MEL-28 and squamous cell carcinoma A-431 cell lines.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cytotoxicity was tested by the crystal violet assay; anti-invasive activity was detected by the wound healing, cell-matrix adhesion, and boyden chamber assays; and gene regulatory effects by qRT-PCR. Treatments were at non-toxic concentrations (0-1.25 μg/ml for A-431 cells and 0-2.5 μg/ml for SK-MEL-28 cells).

RESULTS: α-Mangostin inhibited motility, adhesion, migration and invasion. Invasive ability was reduced to 4% and 20% following α-mangostin treatment compared with untreated A-431 and SK-MEL-28 cells, respectively. Inhibition of gene expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, NF-κB, and Akt1 was involved in the anti-invasive activities on A-431 cells. Inhibition of MMP-2, NF-κB and IκBα was involved for SK-MEL-28 cells.

CONCLUSION:α-Mangostin suppressed the metastatic processes of SK-MEL-28 and A-431 cell lines by differentially regulating metastasis-related genes, showing potential as an anti-metastatic agent.

Rapid bactericidal action of alpha-mangostin against MRSA as an outcome of membrane targeting.

AbstractThe emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has created the need for better therapeutic options. In this study, five natural xanthones were extracted and purified from the fruit hull of Garcinia mangostana and their antimicrobial properties were investigated. α-Mangostin was identified as the most potent among them against Gram-positive pathogens (MIC=0.78-1.56μg/mL) which included two MRSA isolates. α-Mangostin also exhibited rapid in vitro bactericidal activity (3-log reduction within 5min). In a multistep (20 passage) resistance selection study using a MRSA isolated from the eye, no resistance against α-mangostin in the strains tested was observed. Biophysical studies using fluorescence probes for membrane potential and permeability, calcein encapsulated large unilamellar vesicles and scanning electron microscopy showed that α-mangostin rapidly disrupted the integrity of the cytoplasmic membrane leading to loss of intracellular components in a concentration-dependent manner. Molecular dynamic simulations revealed that isoprenyl groups were important to reduce the free energy for the burial of the hydrophobic phenyl ring of α-mangostin into the lipid bilayer of the membrane resulting in membrane breakdown and increased permeability. Thus, we suggest that direct interactions of α-mangostin with the bacterial membrane are responsible for the rapid concentration-dependent membrane disruption and bactericidal action.

Find more studies here: Mangosteen on PubMed.