What are Xanthones?

The mangosteen fruit is growing in popularity around the world. However, its active ingredients, xanthones, are still relatively unknown. What are xanthones?

In 1855, a German scientist (Schmid) isolated a yellow, crystalline compound from the pericarp of the mangosteen fruit.[1] Due to its yellow color, he named the compound after the Greek word for yellow (xanthus). Thus, the term “xanthone,” has been in use since.[2]

Xanthones are “biologically active” and “taxonomically restricted.”[3] In other words, xanthones possess numerous bioactive capabilities—such as serving as an antioxidant agent; however, they are restricted by both their geography (largely to Southeast Asia) and by the small number of families in which they’re found (mainly the Clusiaceae family).

The family Clusiaceae (aka Guttiferae) family has over one thousand species, mainly confined to the tropics. An exception to this is St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), a cousin to the mangosteen, which can be found in North America, Europe as well as other areas.
Technically speaking, xanthones are composed of planar, six-carbon molecules in a tricyclic aromatic ring system consisting of a backbone molecule with various attaching chemical groups. Each ring is connected in a fused formation not allowing free rotation about the carbon-carbon bonds. This unique backbone, along with the type and position of the attached chemical groups, defines the properties of xanthones.[4]

Xanthones have been researched extensively.[5-9] Considering the high concentration of xanthones in the mangosteen it is no surprise that a large part of the xanthone research originates from and includes study of the mangosteen fruit. Recent chemical studies have improved the method of xanthone extraction, quantification and study.[10] This science has been and is currently used by XANGO to ensure the consistency of mangosteen and its xanthone concentration in each bottle of product.

If mangosteen and its xanthones are so impressive it begs the question … why are the general public and/or health professionals not aware of xanthones? As explained earlier, xanthones are “biologically active” but “taxonomically restricted.” Because xanthones are largely restricted to a certain area of the world, it has taken some time for Western medicine/science to take notice. The progression of science takes time. Over the past two decades more and more research has been conducted to investigate the properties of both mangosteen and its xanthones. Consequently, while we don’t fully understand the properties of mangosteen xanthones, we are certainly moving closer to a better understanding.

References

1. Schmid, W., Isolation of mangostin from Garcinia Mangostana Linn. Liebigs Ann, 1855. 93(83): p. 83-88.
2. Roberts, J.C., Naturally Occurring Xanthones. Chemical Reviews, 1961. 61(6): p. 591-605.
3. Harborne, J. and H. Baxter, Phytochemical Dictionary. A Handbook of Bioactive Compounds from Plants. 1983, London: Taylor & Frost.
4. Bennett, G. and H. Lee, Xanthones from Guttiferae. Phytochemistry, 1989. 28: p. 967-998.
5. Nakatani, K., et al., gamma-Mangostin inhibits inhibitor-kappaB kinase activity and decreases lipopolysaccharide-induced cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression in C6 rat glioma cells. Mol Pharmacol, 2004. 66(3): p. 667-74.
6. Sakagami, Y., et al., Antibacterial activity of alpha-mangostin against vancomycin resistant Enterococci (VRE) and synergism with antibiotics. Phytomedicine, 2005. 12(3): p. 203-8.
7. Chen, S.X., M. Wan, and B.N. Loh, Active constituents against HIV-1 protease from Garcinia mangostana. Planta Med, 1996. 62(4): p. 381-382.
8. Fan, C. and J. Su, Antioxidative mechanism of isolated components from methanol extract of fruit hulls of Garcinia mangostana L. Journal of Chinese Agricultural Chemical Society, 1997. 35(5): p. 540-551.
9. Akao, Y., et al., Anti-cancer effects of xanthones from pericarps of mangosteen. Int J Mol Sci, 2008. 9(3): p. 355-70.
10. Walker, E., HPLC analysis of selected xanthones in mangosteen fruit. J Sep Sci., 2007. 30(9): p. 1229-34.

Dr. Morton is an internationally recognized author and lecturer. He is considered to be a foremost authority on Garcinia mangostana, the mangosteen fruit, and its scientific research. Dr. Morton currently resides in Utah with his wife Celine and their four children.

One Response to “What are Xanthones?”

1. Jean Marie Bianco says:

   October 7, 2010 at 5:30 am

   Thank God for Joe’s intuition to further invesigate the wonderful Mangosteen fruit, Gordon for a caring heart and wanting to give to children and Dr. David Morton for his research and all others affiliated with XanGo. May God Bless All of You at XanGo. Jean Marie