THE POTENTIAL OF NATURAL XANTHONE a-MANGOSTIN IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL ANTIINFECTIVE AGENTS: A REVIEW

The mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana, Linn.) is a tropical fruit cultivated in the tropical forests of Southeast Asian countries. It is recognized as the queen of fruits due to its unique color, aroma, and flavor. It has been used for centuries in Southeastern Asian traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases. Many functional molecules with high medicinal value are obtained from the pericarp of mangosteen fruit, whose major constituent is xanthone alpha-mangostin. Several studies have been carried out over the last decades to further investigate and understand the pharmacological properties associated with the plant and its main chemical constituents, belonging to the class of xanthones. In addition, numerous in vitro and in vivo studies related to mangosteen have been published, indicating its importance and its potential application in medicinal chemistry. Prenylated xanthones, which include alpha-mangostin, are secondary metabolites particularly common in plants belonging to the Clusiaceae family. These substances have been intensively investigated for their potential as biologically active agents. This article describes a critical analysis of published data related to the properties of alpha-mangostin, aiming to provide a more detailed view of its potential as a chemotherapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.