Mangosteen

Introduction

Mangosteen is the name referred to the evergreen mangosteen tree and the mangosteen fruit. The tree is slow growing (6-24 meters high) and is indigenous to Southeast Asia. The mangosteen fruit is round in shape, dark-purple, 2 to 3 inches in diameter and contains 4 to 8 segments of snow-white, delicious soft flesh. The fruit may or may not contain seeds. Encasing the flesh is a purple skin 6 to 10 cm thick.

Because of its taste and medicinal properties, the mangosteen is often called "The Queen of Fruits". For centuries, the mangosteen has been honored and cherished by the peoples of Southeast Asia.

Latin Names— Garcinia mangostana L.

What It Is Used For

The strong anti-oxidant properties of the mangosteen fruit fights free radicals in the body. This helps strengthen the immune system, promote joint and cartilage function, helps support a strong respiratory system and helps maintain good health.

The other benefit of mangosteen :

• Anti-tumor & anti cancer
  
• Anti-inflammatory properties
• Prevents & treats infections
• For treatment of diarrhoea, cystitis, eczema, gleet and gonorrhoea.
• Anti-proliferative activity against human breast adenocarcinoma cell line.
• Anti-micro bacterial activity
  
• Inhibitory activity against histamine release
  

How It Is Used

• A decoction of the rind (boil in water) is cure for gonorrhoea, cystitis, diarrhoea and gleet
• A decoction of the whole fruit, bark and leaves of the mangosteen tree can also be used
• Eat the flesh of the mangosteen fruit for overall good health
• Dried and powdered mangosteen rind (skin) is given to cure dysentery. The powder can be made into a cream and applied to skin to treat eczema and other skin disorder
  

What the Science Says

Recent studies shows that the rind (skin) has anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-tumor properties. Initial results also reveals that mangosteen have anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory medicinal properties. The active therapeutic compound found in mangosteen is called "Xanthones".

Xanthones provides many times more anti-oxidants than Vitamin C & E. Xanthones have been receiving much attention lately from researchers and scientist for its medicinal value. It appears to benefit every organ of the body. The whole mangosteen fruit is the single, best source of Xanthones.

Dr. Kenneth J. Finsand has this to say : "This is probably the most famous use of all the qualities found in the mangosten : it is by far the most powerful anti-inflammatory I have ever seen in 30 years of practise. Research has proven this to be true, along with folk medicine history."

Dr. Frederic Templeman tells us that the anti-inflammatory properties of mangosteen have been compared in strength to one of the most potent anti-inflammatory prescription drugs, Dexamethasone. In his words, "this drug knocks the socks off Vioxx in terms of potency." The following excerpt taken from the audio "The Miracle Mangosteen."

Side Effects and Cautions

Toxicity studies were done in the laboratory with rats, using the human equivalent of 3 liters of mangosteen juice per day, with no adverse behavioral or tissue effects noted. Also, there are no historical records of a ny folk medicine warnings after centuries of medicinal use of the plant in Southeast Asia. It is always recommended that you consult your physician. If you have have a known medical condition or allergy before using any food supplement. Mangosteen is safe for use by children and adults under almost any condition.

Garlic

Introduction
Garlic is the name given to the leek (herb) with gar (spear) shaped leaves. Its Latin name Allium sativum is derived from al = burning, sativum = harvested. The plant may have arisen as a wild variant (“ramson”) in Siberia, but it has spread world-wide, and is harvested in China, India, Gilroy in California, and in many other places. As a food, it was favored by the Hebrews in biblical Egypt, and it is now beloved in both homespun and gourmet cooking everywhere. Garlic has had a long-held reputation as a medicine, and it was regarded by the popular 17th century British herbalist, Culpeper, as the “poor man’s treacle”, implying that it had value as an antidote to poisons and as a panacea for illnesses. Chicago is named after the Indian term for the place where the wild garlic grows.

What It Is Used For
It's medicinal properties has been known for a long time and has been specially proven during World War II. Because of Garlic's antibacterial compound known as Allicin, lives were saved by preventing wounds from having infection and later develop into gangrene when the juice of garlic was applied to the wounds.
Garlic is known as nature's antibiotic. It's juices inhibits the growth of fungi and viruses thus prevents viral, yeast and viral infections. Preliminary test also shows some positive results in the treatment of AIDS.
Garlic contains several potent antioxidants, and there is evidence that its addition to the diet may help reduce the incidence of gastric and colorectal cancers.
The chemicals in garlic can help reduce serum cholesterol, hypertension, blood clotting, blood sugar, bowel parasites, respiratory and other infections, and the aging process itself.
Garlic has also been used topically (on the skin) to treat corns, warts, calluses, ear infections, muscle pain, nerve pain, arthritis, and sciatica.
Today as more research is done with garlic, more medicinal and therapeutic properties become more evident.

How It Is Used

• For disinfecting wound, crush and juice the garlic bulb and apply. You may cover the afflicted area with a gauze and bandage.
• For sore throat and toothache, peal the skin and chew. Swallow the juice.
• Aside from being an herbal medicine for hypertension, arteriosclerosis and other ailments, garlic is also recommended for maintaining good health - eat raw garlic bulb, and include bawang regularly in the food you eat. It's healthy and taste good in a variety of dishes.

What the Science Says
Much present research is aimed at identifying the compounds responsible for the health-protective effects of garlic. The most active medicinal components of garlic are the sulfur-containing compounds, and the compound allicin is the major source of its antimicrobial action. (The characteristic strong odor of fresh garlic is also largely due to allicin.) Some garlic experts also consider allicin the key to its cardiovascular benefits as well, but this is more controversial. Researchers report about the other benefits of garlic :

• Garlic's anti-cancer properties may be partly due to selenium -- an element found in garlic.
• Garlic may slow the progression of coronary artery calcification in patients on statin therapy.
• In addition to its cholesterol-lowering potential, blood-pressure-lowering effects and antioxidant properties, garlic may help moderate levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is a marker for coronary artery disease.
• Garlic may inhibit platelet aggregation -- a major contributing factor to cardiovascular disease -- by suppressing calcium mobilization.
• Garlic may reduce precancerous gastric lesions.
• Garlic may suppress progression of precancerous lesions of the large bowel.

Side Effects and Cautions
The ingestion of one to two cloves of raw garlic per day is considered safe in adults. The most common side effect of ingested garlic is breath and body odor. Consumption of excessive amounts of raw garlic, especially on an empty stomach, can cause gastrointestinal upset, flatulence, and changes in the intestinal flora. There have been reports of allergic dermatitis, burns, and blisters from topical application of raw garlic.
Garlic appears to have no effect on drug metabolism, although recent studies in healthy volunteers show conflicting results related to garlic's effect on protease inhibitor pharmacokinetics. It has been suggested that patients taking anticoagulants use caution when taking garlic because of its antithrombotic properties. It seems prudent to stop taking high dosages of garlic seven to 10 days before surgery because garlic can prolong bleeding time and has been associated (in one case report) with spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma.