African Mangosteen

Aka: Imbe

its fruit contains rare benzophenone compounds — particularly guttiferone A — that were originally isolated here as potent HIV inhibitors, and guttiferones A and K show strong activity against colon cancer cells in the low micromolar range. the broader xanthone and biflavonoid profile shared across the Garcinia genus covers anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, neuroprotective, and antimicrobial ground. edible fruit, traditional use across Africa for diabetes, parasitic infections, and diarrhea.

to date, about 38 secondary metabolites have been isolated from different parts of the plant, with xanthones and biflavonoids being particularly prominent.

thirteen compounds identified from the fruit including seven benzophenones — guttiferone A, guttiferone K, xanthochymol, guttiferone E, cycloxanthochymol, isoxanthochymol, and gambogenone — and five biflavonoids: amentoflavone, 3,8″-biapigenin, volkensiflavone, morelloflavone, and fukugiside — plus the xanthone derivative alloathyriol.

guttiferones A and K exhibited strong cytotoxicity against HCT-116 and HT-29 human colon cancer cell lines with low micromolar activity, and somewhat weaker activity against SW-480 cells.

guttiferone A was isolated from the fruit as the principal active constituent through bioassay-guided fractionation of the HIV inhibitory activity. guttiferone A is one of the most studied natural anti-HIV benzophenones, originally discovered in G. livingstonei fruit collected in Tanzania.