Purple mangosteen

Mangosteen ( Garcinia mangostana ), illustration

The mangosteen ( Garcinia mangostana ), also known as mangosteen, mangosteen tree, mangosteen or Mangostinbaum, is a plant of the genus Garcinia in the family Clusiaceae. The word " mangosteen " comes from the Malay. The fruit of this tropical tree, called mangosteen or only mangosteen is edible and rich in antioxidants.

• 4.1 Use as a fruit
• 4.2 People's Medical and health-related use 4.2.1 Traditional ethnic folk medicine
• 4.2.2 effects

Description

Appearance and foliage leaf

The mangosteen tree grows as an evergreen tree, the plant height 7-25 meters reached. The mangosteen tree is relatively slow growing and can be well over 100 years old. A seedling needs two years to reach a height of 30 centimeters. The bark is initially light green and smooth, later dark brown and rough. From all parts of the plant occurs in violation of yellow latex.

The constantly against arranged on the branches leaves are divided into petiole and leaf blade. The petiole is about two inches long. The simple, thick, leathery and glossy leaf blade is 14 to 25 inches long and 5 to 10 inches wide.

Flower

Mangosteen trees are dioecious getrenntgeschlechtig ( dioecious ). The unisexual flowers are cruciform. The female flowers are slightly larger than the male. There are four pink sepals and petals present. The male flowers are short-stalked in groups of two to nine at the tips of branches. Her many stamens are arranged in four bundles. At 1.2 inches long pedicles, the female flowers are solitary or in pairs at the tips of branches and have a diameter of 4.5 to 5 centimeters on. They contain a superior ovaries; the stems are short, the scar is five to sechslappig. The female flowers also contain four bundles of staminodes. The main flowering period extends from September to October.

Fruit

Those with a diameter of 2.5 to 7.5 centimeters about tomato -sized fruits are most ripe November to December. They have on the upper side to four coarse sepals. Under the leathery purple, sometimes marked with yellowish brown spots bowl sits almost white, juicy flesh, which is divided into individual segments and can be removed easily separated. The shell of the fruit is about 6-9 millimeters thick and containing a purple pigment, which has been conventionally used as the dye. The fruits usually contain four to five, rarely more large seeds. Fully developed seeds lose their ability to germinate within five days after removal from the fruit.

Dissemination

The mangosteen is native to the Malay Peninsula. In the last 150 years, this species and its varieties has also spread to other continents. This tree is now cultivated almost in the tropics worldwide. Major producing countries are Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Central America and Brazil. In Australia, the mangosteen has been introduced.

Ingredients of the mangosteen fruit

The mangosteen or mangosteen fruit contains antioxidants found in high concentration. Some of the best known are the xanthones, stilbenes, tannins, catechins and polyphenols. Mangosteen has been found to be more effective than vitamin E in terms of the antioxidant effect.

The mangosteen fruit is a rich natural source of xanthones for yourself. Xanthones are partly broadband antioxidants or so-called super antioxidants; they may act as effective anti-inflammatories. Main carrier of the health effects is the xanthone alpha -mangostin and polyphenol that is concentrated primarily in the pulp of the mangosteen fruit.

Use

The mangosteen fruit is used as a fruit and folk medicine.

Use as a fruit

The mangosteen fruit is eaten as a tasty fruit; the shell is very tough and bitter. The flesh has a pleasant sour taste, which moves between grapes, pineapple, grapefruit and peach. A mangosteen fruit contains up to 5 grams of fiber. From the whole fruit puree is mostly a manufactured - in a similar form oranges in their skins are made into marmalade.

The present in some fruits kernel are actually inedible, are, however, boiled or roasted by some people for consumption.

Folk medicine and health-related use

In folk medicine, especially the rind of the mangosteen fruit is used. Tees are delivered, which are extracted from the shell. Reason for this long traditional practice is that the rind of the mangosteen fruit is one of the richest sources of bioactive polyphenols ( phytochemicals ) in the form of so-called xanthones, which have antioxidant properties are attributed.

Among other things, the Consumer Association of Berlin and the Federal Research Institute for Nutrition and Food in Karlsruhe point out that " Mangosteen no miracle plant is, but comparable with tomatoes, carrots, [ ... ] ". Accordingly, the high price of pure mangosteen juice, and mixtures with other fruit juices most constrained by the long-distance transport are justified.

Excessive consumption of juice of the mangosteen fruit, including the use of the components of the shell itself ( pericarp ), can lead to severe acidity in the blood.

Traditional ethnic folk medicine

In traditional folk medicine of Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, India and China, the curative effects of the mangosteen fruit are used ( due to their richness in phytochemicals such as xanthones, antioxidants, polyphenols and nutrients ) for generations to health. Thus, the mangosteen fruit for antibiotic and anti-parasitic treatment for wounds, tuberculosis, malaria and other infections. Also in Asia has long been known that the mangosteen has potent anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties and is used for skin rashes, eczema and various skin diseases. Reported is the traditional use of the mangosteen with mouth ulcers ( stomatitis ), catarrh ( inflammation of the nose, throat and pharynx ), bladder infections, intestinal problems and diarrhea.

In the Caribbean, a tea made from the mangosteen fruit is used as a tonic against fatigue and malaise. Brazilians use a similar tea as a digestive aid. In the Philippines, a fruit extract is used to reduce fever. Also cut mangosteens there are traditionally used for stomach pain, by being rubbed on the painful area.

Effects

In vitro studies, the following effects of natural xanthones have shown in the mangosteen fruit: anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial antifungal, antiviral, anti - SCLC (lung cancer ), tumor inflammatory, ulcerative inflammatory, protectively in front of liver damage, anti - rhino -viral and allergic inflammatory.

The xanthones of the mangosteen fruit are regarded as important natural antioxidants. The anti-inflammatory properties of the mangosteen plant naturally occurring xanthones are significant: one study showed that the gamma -mangostin xanthone derivative is a potent COX inhibitor. The COX have a central function in the regulation of inflammation ( inflammation, pain, fever).

In the 1980s, an anti-microbial effect of mangosteen xanthones was determined. The antimicrobial research was continued until the 1990s and 2000s. It has been shown that the xanthones of the mangosteen both bacteria ( including antibiotic-resistant staphylococci ) and viruses (such as HIV -1) blocked. In two other studies, researchers demonstrated that the xanthones of the mangosteen prevented the growth of six different pathogenic fungi.

In a study published in December 2011 study, the effect of xanthones from mangosteen fruit in the chemopreventive cancer treatment was studied.

In a study published in August 2009, placebo - controlled double-blind study, the effect of mangosteen on human immune function was investigated. They revealed that the intake of a mangosteen -containing vitamin and mineral formula resulted in a significantly improved immunological defense reaction of the subjects.

Cultivation

Large-scale cultivation of mangosteen is basically just south of the 20th degree of latitude instead; the tree is extremely sensitive to climatic conditions and does not tolerate temperatures below 4 ° C and above 38 ° C. All attempts, north of the 20th degree of latitude to grow mangosteen trees have failed.

The first harvest can be done about seven to nine years after planting; the best crops are obtained 10 to 20 years after planting. The average yield of a mature tree is about 500 fruits, especially in high-yielding specimens can also be up to 5000 fruits. Some trees bear fruit up to 100 years. The mangosteen tree is one of the few trees that do not require pesticides in crop production. The mangosteen fruit must be harvested by hand; the fruits are harvested all year round.

Swell

• Xi -wen Li, Jie Li & Peter Stevens: Garcinia: Garcinia mangostana, pp. 43, text the same online as printed work in the Flora of China, Volume 13 (Section Description )