|
Blog 2016-03-02 Potential Benefits of Mangosteen The full list of potential benefits you can experience when drinking Mangosteen Juice is long. Scientific research on the mangosteen fruit by a number of experts indicates that it can have over 200 positive effects. We offer here a partial list of topics that describe some of the potential benefits of drinking Mangosteen Juice. Anti-Bacterial The World Bank has a think tank of experts who each year consider all of the world's serious challenges and prioritize them. In 2002, these experts felt that the integrity of the world's water supply was the earth's top problem. However, the number two spot was taken by the problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Studies show that Xanthones inhibit the reproduction of harmful bacteria. Other experiments have shown that salmonella typhi, methicillin resistant staphalaccaucas areus and the tuberculosis bacteria are also destroyed by mangosteen Xanthones. Anti-Fungal Systemic fungal infections have increased 800 percent in the past decade, and in many patients the mortality rate is from 40-60 percent. The Xanthones of the mangosteen were tested experimentally against three common fungi and were proven capable of effectively inhibiting their growth. Antioxidant To combat the destructive effect of free radicals upon cells, "antioxidants" are necessary in large quantities. An antioxidant is an atom or molecule with extra electrons it can donate to inactivate or "mop up" free radicals. After studying the antioxidant properties of the mangosteen, researchers in Vietnam discovered that the rind exhibited "potent free radical scavenging activity." Anti-Tumor Cancer always begins with a single change in a single cell. Every day the immune system literally "snuffs out" numerous aberrant cells that could become cancerous. The anticancer activity of phytoceuticals has been well documented. Catechins, tannin derivatives, found in many plants and in high amounts in mangosteen, have been shown to protect from cancer in at least three different ways:
Mangosteen should work well with all cancer treatments and will provide its benefits without the necessity of stopping other therapies. Anti-Viral Viruses account for the majority of human infections, many of which are acute short-lived illnesses like colds. Other viruses are never eliminated from the body but persist for years in chronic infections. Because Xanthones have anti-viral capabilities, scientists at the National University of Singapore investigated the effects the mangosteen Xanthones would have on for example the HIV virus. In the experiment, two Xanthones demonstrated the ability to interfere with HIV protease causing the virus to remain immature and incapable of infection. Asthma Asthma is a chronic (long duration) inflammatory disease of the smaller airways of the lungs. Many elements of the immune system are activated in an asthma attack, but they are part of the problem rather than part of the solution in this widespread disease. In asthma, inflammation and other complex immune system effects cause recurrent episodes of characteristic wheezing when the small airways of the lungs are narrowed due to the contraction of the muscles in their walls. Asthma can develop at any age but about 50 percent of cases occur in childhood. The majority of the remaining cases start before age 40. It is rare to develop asthma after age 50. The incidence of the disease has been increasing and despite the development of many new medications, the number of deaths from asthma has risen substantially in recent years. Unfortunately, all the medications used to treat asthma have nasty or dangerous side effects. Bronchodilators cause rapid beating of the heart and can precipitate panic attacks. Steroids, inhaled and oral, have side-effect profiles that literally fill several pages in texts dealing with the administration and surveillance of medicines. Mangosteen Xanthones have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. They have antiviral qualities that can lead to a reduction in the number of viral infections in humans. They are very potent antioxidants and help to counteract the free radical damage of air pollution, and finally, they have been shown to have anti-allergy effects. Atherosclerosis The mangosteen contains Xanthones that are among the most potent antioxidants known to science. Research has demonstrated the positive effect these Xanthones can have in preventing atherosclerosis. The cardiovascular system consists of the heart that pumps oxygen-rich blood via arteries to every cell in the body, and the veins and capillaries that eventually bring it back to the heart. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), in 1999 cardiovascular disease contributed to one-third of all global deaths. The AHA has estimated that by 2010 cardiovascular disease will be the leading cause of death in developing countries. Cancer Cancer is a blanket term covering a variety of disorders with the common element of abnormal, uncontrolled cell growth that will not stop on its own. Under normal conditions, cell growth is strictly controlled with cell birth equaling cell death so that the total number of cells in the body remains relatively constant. A prominent free radical researcher, Dr. Bruce Ames, estimates that the DNA material in every one of the trillions of cells in our body receives about ten thousand hits from free radicals every day. To prevent a breach of the body's defenses in the face of an attack of such magnitude requires the concerted efforts of all the agents of the immune system, which can be seen as the armed forces of the body, along with the collaboration of the policemen or the gene regulatory mechanism. Mangosteen's Xanthones have proven ability to destroy cancerous cells, and in fact, Garcinone E, a Xanthone, was more effective than five commonly used chemotherapy agents for stomach, lung and liver cancer (vincristine, mitoxantrone, 5-fiourouracil, cisplastin and methotrexate) in a recent well-designed in vitro study. Where do the mangosteen phytoceuticals intervene in this deadly process? Well, the answer is that in addition to being anti-tumor agents when cancer already exists, they prevent and arrest cancerous change at every step. Finally, while it is exciting to realize what the mangosteen phytoceuticals will do in the area of cancer treatment, it is more important to prevent the development of cancer in the first place. We believe mangosteen to be a valuable addition in the prevention of disease. Cholesterol Scientists from Australia and Thailand have postulated that if mangosteen inhibits oxidative (free radical) damage, then perhaps it could help with reducing the oxidation of LDL ("bad" cholesterol) in the blood. After a series of such experiments, the scientists concluded that the Xanthones from mangosteen are effective inhibitors of LDL oxidation. They further suggested that the Xanthones possess therapeutic potential. Several other studies show that polyphenols, also found in the mangosteen, were discovered to be five times more potent as antioxidants than vitamin C, which is commonly regarded as the most powerful known antioxidant. Our bodies are composed of trillions of cells, and the death, mutation or destruction of even millions of cells may not be noticeable to the victim in whose body it is occurring. However, a heart attack or stroke doesn't occur out of the blue. Before such deadly events occur, years of cellular warfare have been going on within the body, and the only evidence of the struggle may have been a simple lack of energy or the loss of a sense of well being. Nervous System Few diseases have been in the public eye as consistently as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. These terribly debilitating degenerative diseases of the central nervous system already affect millions, and the incidence is rising yearly. Unfortunately, the emphasis in research has been on finding cures rather than focusing on prevention. Once again, Dr. Nakatani's research with glial cells (central nervous system cells) suggests that mangosteen could produce a therapeutic effect in both the prevention and treatment of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease by reducing oxidative damage and inflammation. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease COPD is the acronym for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a label grouping two common obstructive lung diseases: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Caused by smoking, air pollution and occupational exposure, these two entities commonly coexist. Like asthma, another obstructive lung disease, COPD has been increasing in the U.S. population over the past couple of decades. Currently, it affects about 15 million people and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Chronic bronchitis is defined as chronic cough productive of mucous for at least three months of the year and for at least two years. In emphysema, the obstructive component of the disease results from changes in lung tissue rather than from the increased production of mucous or the presence of chronic inflammation as in chronic bronchitis. Once again, as it does in asthma, mangosteen intervenes at several points in the disease processes of chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It's antiviral, antibacterial and anti fungal effects can reduce the frequency of lung infections, thereby reducing cumulative tissue damage. As a result, fewer courses of antibiotic therapy are required. The anti-inflammatory effects of the Xanthones (active biological ingredients in the mangosteen) decrease both inflammation and cell damage while helping prevent the onset of deadly pulmonary hypertension. Since mangosteen extract also has potent antioxidant effects, it intervenes in every process where free radicals cause cell damage, whether from the inflammation of chronic bronchitis or the destruction of the elastic recoil of the alveoli in emphysema. Diabetes In this topic, we discuss type II diabetes, also known as non-insulin dependent, or adult-onset diabetes. Diabetes is a metabolic disease, and this description deserves an explanation. Metabolism refers to virtually all of the chemical processes involved in maintaining life. Digestion of food, tissue maintenance and repair and energy production are only three of the major elements, but they are the metabolic functions most affected by diabetes. Diabetes is due to insufficient insulin to open the cell doors to glucose. Even though type II diabetics produce more insulin than a normal person would need, at least early in the disease, they still do not have enough insulin. They have a relative deficiency of insulin. Glucose doesn't enter the cell in sufficient amounts, and its levels rise in the blood. If the only defect in diabetes was the inability to get enough glucose into cells, it would be bad enough, but that is only half the problem. High blood-glucose levels are extremely toxic. Directly and indirectly, they cause numerous serious problems. Patients using the original mangosteen supplement report:
Gastrointestinal Crohns's disease is another chronic inflammatory disease with no identified cause, which commonly afflicts young people from 10 to 30 years of age. Initially, it may appear to be ulcerative colitis, however, the masquerade usually ends when this terrible disease manifests its ability to appear anywhere along the entire Gl tract from mouth to anus. Generally, more debilitating than ulcerative colitis, Crohns's disease is often treated surgically by resecting areas of diseased bowel, which never fully heal and where scarring can cause obstruction. Crohns's disease begins below the mucosa and spreads both inward and outward through the deeper layers of the bowel wall. Once again, the mainstay of medical treatment is the use of powerful anti-inflammatory medications (like steroids). However, since most cases of Crohns's involve the small bowel, medications are oral, and their side effects are systemic (affecting the whole body). As with ulcerative colitis, the mangosteen addresses the problems of inflammation, immune cell damage, and the threat of infection in Crohn's disease. Diverticulosis is a condition where small outpouchings of bowel mucosa protrude through the outer muscular layers of the large bowel wall. When these tiny sacs become inflamed, the condition is called diverticulitis. The disease occurs almost exclusively in the elderly and is far more common in societies like the U.S., where the average diet lacks sufficient fiber. Mangosteen preparations where the whole fruit is pureed should initially be strained by anyone with a history of diverticulitis. However, the benefits are worth the extra effort as the anti-inflammatory and the ant microbial effects of the mangosteen decrease the frequency of attacks. Perhaps the most widespread use of the mangosteen for folk medicine purposes has had to do with the gastrointestinal (GI) system. Dysentery in the third world has at times reached plague proportions and is always a significant factor in the mortality of infants and children. Active against GI pathogens, the mangosteen is also used to reduce the inflammation in the intestine, which causes the loss of essential nutrients and body fluids into the stool. In other GI related studies, a laboratory in 1996 demonstrated that the Xanthones, alpha and gamma mangostin, had both histamine and serotonin receptor blocking capacity. Immune System The world around us contains all sorts of microbial dangers. Daily, we are confronted with bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. These organisms are called pathogens, and they invade our bodies at every opportunity. Our body's immune system miraculously orchestrates a complex defense system against pathogenic invaders. However, the immune system is weak at various times in our life, like in infancy, pregnancy and old age, and is affected by nutrition, pollution and many other environmental factors such as the radiation found in sunlight. That is why diet, exercise and supplements, to support and bolster the immune system, play critical roles in keeping our bodies healthy and strong. Anti-Inflammatory While inflammation can affect all tissues in the body, it is the primary mechanism underpinning diseases, which attack muscles, joints and connective tissue. Researchers from India used the rind from mangosteen to investigate its effects on other types of inflammation in the body. Their experiments produced the following results:
In another paper studying mangosteen's effect on inflammation, it was noted that the Xanthones do not interfere with the clotting mechanism of blood or produce stomach ulcers. Both of these are serious side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs. In fact, it was found that the Xanthones exhibited significant anti-ulcer activity in experimental animals. Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis is the leading cause of neurological disability in young adults. It usually strikes between 20 and 50 years of age with a peak of age 30, and women are afflicted twice as often as men. The central nervous system, meaning the brain and the spinal cord, is the target of this disease, which is both inflammatory and autoimmune in nature. Other diseases, which belong to the autoimmune category, are rheumatoid arthritis, some forms of hypothyroidism and lupus. While the absolute cause of MS is still not clear, more than 20 infectious agents, both viruses and bacteria, have been linked to its occurrence. The Xanthones of mangosteen are powerful anti-inflammatory and appear to work by diminishing the damage of inflammation both during and between attacks. Additionally, experiments with powerful antioxidant therapy have shown protective effects upon the myelin sheaths when they are attacked by the immune system. Macrophages, using bunts of free radicals to damage myelin, are major contributors to the pathology of MS, and mangosteen extract has potent antioxidant effects. Finally, the anti-microbial protection of mangosteen can prevent the initial infections that lead to MS as well as prevent recurrent urinary tract and bedsore infections in patients with advanced disease. Myalgia Myalgia simply means muscle pain, and there are literally a dozen disease entities as well as just plain unaccustomed exertion that can cause it. Once severe destruction of the muscle fibers has been ruled out by blood tests, the problem becomes the control of the inflammation that's causing pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDS, are used both across the counter and by prescription to control symptoms. However, these drugs have nasty side effects, and if used for a prolonged period of time, they can cause stomach irritation, ulcers, gastro-esophageal reflux and kidney damage. This is true even of the newer (Cox2) drugs, like Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra. Even though the danger of stomach problems is less with the Cox2 drugs, the kidney problems are the same as with the older preparations, like Ibuprofen, Naproxen and so forth. It makes sense to use side effect-free alternatives. In laboratory studies, mangosteen extract was found to be a more potent anti-inflammatory agent than Indomethacin or Dexamethasone, and it is very effective in the treatment of myalgia. Additionally, it has been found to have helico pylori antibacterial effect and was observed to heal ulcers in laboratory animals. Respiratory As air pollution increases, the incidence of asthma, an allergic/inflammatory disease of the lungs, is rising alarmingly. Both TB and asthma, including all other forms of lung infections, begin with the inhalation of microbes or allergens. A study released in September of 2002 reported that the rind of the mangosteen not only acted as an anti-inflammatory agent but also as an anti-allergenic agent. This is important information for asthma sufferers. When you consider that the mangosteen affects both the initial insult and the body's inflammatory response to asthma, it becomes a unique agent in the treatment of the disease. No other single agent can intervene in both disease pathways. Mangosteen alone can be predicted to accomplish what we now use several drugs to do in the treatment of asthma. Skin Disorders Skin disorders are usually problems of inflammation, like eczema and dermatitis; infection, like wounds, ringworm, acne and impetigo; and growth disorders of the dermis, like psoriasis or seborrhea. Cancer and sun damage make up the remaining common causes of skin complaints. Mangosteen has once again been used in folk medicine for centuries to address all of these skin issues. Plus many other's as well. Like to know more? Contact Us |