Examination of the antimicrobial and anticancer properties of Mangosteen

Abstract

Garcinia mangostana (family Clusiaceae), commonly known as mangosteen, is a large tree native to tropical regions of Asia. Its fruit are highly prized for their pleasant taste and are also have ethnobotanical uses in the treatment of a wide variety of diseases and medical conditions. G. mangostana extracts were investigated for their ability to inhibit the growth of a panel of bacteria and fungi of importance to food spoilage and food poisoning. The extracts were also tested for their ability to block the proliferation of the JEG human placental choriocarcinoma cell line. All extracts displayed broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, inhibiting the growth of between 13 (72 %) and 15 (83%) of the 18 bacterial species tested. In contrast, none of the fungal species were inhibited by the mangosteen extracts. Strong inhibitory activity was detected with MIC values as low as 0.50 µg/ml against some bacteria, although many of the measured MIC's were several orders of magnitude higher than this. All extracts were equally effective against both Gram-negative than Gram-positive bacteria. All extracts displayed antiproliferative activity against JEG human placental choriocarcinoma cells yet were nontoxic in the Artemia franciscana bioassay with LC50 values greatly in excess of 1mg/ml. The inhibitory bioactivity against a range of microbes, their antiproliferative activity against a JEG cells, as well as their lack of toxicity, indicates the potential of mangosteen in the discovery and development of new natural food preservatives and pharmaceuticals.