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Health Benefits of Mangosteen
There are several potential health benefits of mangosteen. For example, some people use mangosteen for the treatment or prevention of conditions such as arthritis, cancer, menstrual problems, and tuberculosis. Mangosteen is also claimed to improve the immune system and promote good health. However, there is little scientific evidence supporting these medicinal uses of mangosteen. Also, it may not be safe for children to use mangosteen medicinally, so talk to your healthcare provider before giving this supplement to your child.
Mangosteen is a tropical fruit that is claimed to have numerous different health benefits. People sometimes use mangosteen for the treatment or prevention of the following conditions:
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Dysentery
- Diarrhea
- Eczema
- Gonorrhea
- Menstrual problems
- Thrush
- Tuberculosis
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Mangosteen is also claimed to enhance the functioning of the immune system and to promote good mental health.
There is little evidence to suggest that mangosteen really does work for any of these uses (see Does Mangosteen Work?).
Mangosteen is known to contain several medicinally active compounds. These various compounds have several different medicinal properties, such as:
- Astringent properties
- Antioxidant activity
- Cancer-fighting properties
- Anti-tuberculosis properties
- Antihistamine effects
- Serotonin-blocking effects (serotonin is an important chemical messenger in the brain and other areas of the body).
However, it should not be assumed that mangosteen (which is a complex mixture of many different substances and compounds) has the same medicinal properties as its isolated compounds.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD