Mangosteen

Mangosteen is a tropical fruit grown in Hawaii, Asia and Africa. It tastes of cream and citrus. Importing mangosteen fruit to the United States is forbidden due to fears that it will spread the Asian fruit fly, but products containing mangosteen juice and extract are widely available.

Mangosteen is a tasty and edible treat. The juices and products containing mangosteen are often marketed as strong natural remedies. They are meant to boost general health and fight diseases ranging from cancer to colds.

Does mangosteen have medicinal value by itself?

In China the rind ground into a fine powder and used to treat dysentery. In another treatment, the rind is used for gonorrhea, gleet, and cystitis. For chronic diarrhea, a specific section of the rind is steeped in water for a night.

Mangosteen ointment is applied to skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

What are the dosages for this?

Since raw mangosteen is unavailable in the United States, dosage information is obscure. Products containing mangosteen should come with their own directions.

Skepticism

While mangosteen contains a modest amount of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, doctors believe that any health benefits have been largely exaggerated. While tasty and fit for regular consumption, mangosteen is not the cure-all as many companies claim. Since American consumers only have access to compounds and drinks containing mangosteen, herbalists cannot conduct conclusive research here.