Xanthones are plant phenols found very rarely and sporadically in fruits and vegetables in nature. To date, scientists have identified only 200 different varieties of xanthones, occurring in only a small handful of food sources. 40 of those xanthones are found in mangosteen.

So what’s the big deal with xanthones? Simply put, they are among the strongest, most potent antioxidants ever discovered. Scientists around the world are studying the effects of xanthones – especially the xanthones found in mangosteen juice and rind – against cancer, tuberculosis, malaria and other infectious diseases. The early results are surprisingly positive, leading some researchers to speculate that mangosteen may hold one of the keys to fighting pain, inflammation, infection and disease.

While the research on xanthones is still young, there’s no doubt that mangosteens have enjoyed a long history of medicinal use in traditional and folkloric medicine. Ground mangosteen rind, which has the highest concentration of xanthones of any other known source, has been used for thousands of years to fight infection, calm digestion and relieve pain. As of now, there are no clinical studies – studies that use people as subjects – to confirm those ancient uses, but the trials on animals and in test tube suggest that there may be a great deal of truth the them.

Xanthones are found naturally in very few food sources, but the mangosteen fruit and mangosteen juice is an extremely rich source of these powerful antioxidants.