Thursday, August 23, 2007

Mangosteen - The Healing Alternative


Hi Folks,

Here is an article I have just come across on Mangosteen :

Mangosteen - The Healing Alternative by Christina Limmer




In 1994, more than 106,000 people died of adverse drug reactions (ADR’s) in the United States alone. These drugs were correctly prescribed and administered to patients in hospitals. This does not count the many thousands more who died when their prescriptions were incorrectly prescribed. According to the Journal of American Medical Association, ADR’s are one of the leading causes of death nationwide each year, falling closely behind cancer (529,904 deaths), and stroke (150,108 deaths). With such staggering numbers it would seem prudent to seriously look at all the alternatives available to us in the health arena.

Garcinia Mangostana, commonly known as the mangosteen fruit, is cultivated in tropical regions around the world. The mangosteen’s anti-bacterial and antiseptic properties have been used for centuries to treat infected wounds and burns, malaria, tuberculosis, diarrhea, and skin disorders. Modern science has recently discovered an active group of molecules called xanthones which are found in the pericarp, or peel, of the mangosteen fruit, that are responsible for many of its healing properties. Xanthones have been found to demonstrate a potent anti-oxidant effect more potent than vitamins C, D, or E.

In 2004, investigators found that the pericarp from the mangosteen fruit not only stopped the growth of breast cancer, it had potent cancer cell death properties through the induction of apoptosis. More easily put, certain xanthones in the mangosteen rind caused cancer cells to commit suicide.

Related studies found xanthones to have chemoprevention potential in human leukemia, liver, lung, stomach, and melanoma cancer cell lines. Scientists tested the mangosteen against 6 of the top chemotherapy drugs currently in use. They found that the mangosteen outperformed all but one chemotherapy agent. The mangosteen’s most obvious effect is its painkilling property.

COX-2, an enzyme produced by our body that causes pain and inflammation, is linked to diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, Crohn’s, and asthma. If we could remove inflammation, we could potentially stop or reduce many problems in our bodies.

In laboratory studies, the mangosteen was found to be a more potent anti-inflammatory agent and pain killer than Ibuprofen or Indomethacin, and as potent as Dexamethasone.

With over 70 years of modern science validating the usage and safety of the mangosteen, and over 2000 years of traditional medical history expounding its qualities, it is time to seriously look at the “Queen of Fruits”.

Hippocrates once said, “Let food be your medicine”. With all the hype around the misuse of antibiotics and the threat of drug resistant viruses, can we really afford not to supplement with mangosteen?


. References

Droge W, Eck HP, Naher H, Pekar U, Daniel V. Abnormal amino acid concentrations in the blood of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) may contribute to the immunological defect. Biol Chem Hoppe-Seyler 1988;369(3):143-148. Ho CK, Huang YL, Chen CC. Garcinone E, a xanthone derivative, has potent cytotoxic effects against hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Planta Med. Nov 2002;68(11):975-979. Matsumoto K, Akao Y, Kobayashi E, et al. Induction of apoptosis by xanthones from mangosteen in human leukemia cell lines. J Nat Prod. Aug 2003;66(8):1124-1127. Nakatani K, Nakahata N, Arakawa T, Yasuda H, Ohizumi Y. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase and prostaglandin E2 synthesis by gamma-mangostin, a xanthone derivative in mangosteen, in C6 rat glioma cells. Biochem Pharmacol. Jan 1 2002;63(1):73-79. Roederer M, Staal FJ, Ela SW, Herzenberg LA. N-acetylcysteine: potential for AIDS therapy. Pharm 1993; 46(3):121-129. Vlietinck A DBT, Apers S, Pieters L. Plant-derived leading compounds for chemotherapy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Planta Med. 1998;64:97-109. Templeman F. Mangosteen The X-Factor: A comprehensive look at the health benefits, science and xanthones of garcinia mangostana. Sound Concepts, Orem, Utah; 2005. Williams P, Ongsakul M, Proudfoot J, Croft K, Beilin L. Mangostin inhibits the oxidative modification of human low density lipoprotein. Free Radic Res. Aug 1995;23(2):175-184.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Natural medicine should be more taken into account ... sometimes the neglect without knowing that in fruits, vegetables, or plants may be the cure to many diseases ... thanks
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