A tree of Garcinia Mangostana/Mangosteen/Manggis grow until it reaches 7 to 25 meters high. Leaves ovoid-longish. In Indonesia only the female flowers are known. The fruit also called mangosteen, purplish red when ripe, though there are variants where the skin is red. Fruit globoit, somewhat flattered,3.5-7 cm diameter, dark-purole, with large, sitting stigma and remaining calyx. Fruit wall thick, fleshy, purple, with yellow milk juice. Seeds (each fruit 5-7) surrounded by a thick, juicy, edible seed skin, white of colour, sweet and aromatic of taste, especially when the fruits are ripe. Less ripe fruits are astringent.
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| Mangoosteen Fruits |
The fruit of mangoosteen wall is astringent; its decoction is used against diarrhea. However, an overdose might cause unwanted side effects on glands of the groin. An extract of the fruit content of mangoosteen is used to treat diarrhea, dysentery,leucorrhea and worm diseases. Externally the fruit content is used against hemorrhoids, ulcers, leucorrhea, etc. The plant resin is purgative, the skin a remedy for diarrhea, dysentery, aphthae (chewed and the juice taken). Reported constituents are triterpenoid, tannin (catechol), yellow resin, a yellow crystalline bitter principle, mangostin, from the rind of the fruit.
The medicinal value of Garcinia Mangostana/Mangosteen/Manggis seems promising for the future after recent animal tests by Indian researchworkers with the active substance mangosteen showed its efficacy to treat diarrhea, dysentery and depressions.
Latin = Garcinia mangostana
Indonesian = Manggis/Manggistan/Manggu
English = Mangosteen
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