Abstract:
Nutraceutical compositions derived from the fruit of the  Garcinia mangostana  L. or mangosteen plant and methods to make the same are provided. The nutraceutical mangosteen compositions employ novel combinations of mangosteen fruit pulp and pericarp, and can be additionally complemented by selected juice concentrates to yield a composition for improving general health and wellness in humans. The methods to make the nutraceutical compositions involve the use of a mixture comprising pericarp and inner pulp from whoe fruit of a  Garcinia mangostana  L. plant.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/760,913, filed on Jan. 20, 2004, which is a division of application Ser. No. 10/283,600 filed on Oct. 30, 2002, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,730,333. The specifications of the prior applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     [Not Applicable] 
     MICROFICHE/COPYRIGHT REFERENCE 
     [Not Applicable] 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to nutraceutical compositions derived from the fruit of the  Garcinia mangostana  L. plant, otherwise known as the mangosteen plant. More particularly, the present invention relates to nutraceutical compositions comprising a mixture of the pulp and pericarp of the mangosteen fruit. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The mangosteen tree ( Garcinia mangostana  L.) was named after the French explorer Laurent Garcin (1683-1751) and has been cultivated for a considerable time in tropical areas of the world. The tree is presumed to have originated in South-east Asia or Indonesia and has largely remained indigenous to the Malay Peninsula, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Sunda Islands, and the Moluccas. Although the mangosteen fruit is highly praised as one of the best tasting of all tropical fruits, it is considered a minor tropical fruit, and the mangosteen tree has largely piqued purely botanical interests over the years. 
     The mangosteen tree is a slow-growing, smooth evergreen tree that ranges from 5 to 25 meters in height with a flaking black bark that contains a yellow, resinous latex. The mangosteen tree bears fruit when 6 to 20 years old, depending on location, and can continue to yield fruit for up to 100 years. The mangosteen fruit ripens to a dark reddish-violet to black-violet color and is normally smooth or marked with brownish scars. The pericarp, or rind, of the mangosteen fruit is thick, tough, and exudes a bitter yellowish resin. Only about 25 to 30% of the mangosteen fruit consists of the edible pulp or aril, with the remainder comprising the tough, bitter pericarp. Each mangosteen fruit usually varies in weight from 75 to 120 grams and normally contains 2 to 3 well-developed seeds. 
     Over the years, the mangosteen plant has been used in a number of different ways. The timber is used for cabinets, building materials, fencing and furniture. The pericarp, containing pectin, tannins, resins and a yellow latex, is used in tanning and dyeing leather black. The fruit pulp is mostly used as a dessert, but can also be canned or made into preserves. However, when removing the fruit pulp from the rind, care must be taken to prevent the tannins and resins of the cut pericarp from contacting the fruit pulp. The mangosteen rind, leaves and bark have also been used as ingredients in folk medicine in areas where the plant grows indigenously. The thick mangosteen rind is used for treating catarrh, cystitis, diarrhea, dysentery, eczema, fever, intestinal ailments, itch, and skin ailments. The mangosteen leaves are used by some natives in teas and other decoctions for diarrhea, dysentery, fever, and thrush. It is also known that concoctions of mangosteen bark can be used for genitourinary afflictions and stomatosis. 
     Some of the medicinal properties of the  Garcinia mangostana  L. plant have been the subject of pharmacological and clinical studies. These studies have isolated chemical constituents in the mangosteen leaves, wood, pericarp and seed aril, which were found to contain the following biologically active compounds, among others: 1,6-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-2-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)xanthone, 1,5,8-trihydroxy-3-methoxy-2-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)xanthone, maclurin, 1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxy xanthone, 1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxy xanthone-O-β-D-glucoside, chrysanthemin, cyaniding-3-O-β-D-sophoroside, 8-deoxygartanin, 1,5-dihydroxy-2-isopentenyl-3-methoxy xanthone, 1,7-dihydroxy-2-isopentenyl-3-methoxy xanthone, 5,9-di hydroxy-8-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-7-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-2(H), 6(H)-pyrano-(3,2,6)-xanthen-6-one, fructose, garcinone A, B, C, D and E, gartanin, glucose, cis-hex-3-enyl acetate, 3-isomangostin, 3-isomangostin hydrate, 1-isomangostin, 1-isomangostin hydrate, kolanone, mangostin, β-mangostin, α-mangostin, mangostin-3,6-di-O-gulcoside, normangostin, sucrose, tannins, BR-xanthone-A, BR-xanthone-B, calabaxanthone demethylcalabaxanthone, 2-(γ,γ-dimethylallyl)-1,7-dihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone, 2,8-bis-(γ,γ-dimethylallyl)-1,3,7-trihydroxyxanthone, 1,3,5,8-tetrahydroxy-2,4-diprenylxanthone, and mangostanol. Many of these chemical constituents are xanthones, which are biologically active compounds that are receiving increasing interest in pharmacological studies for a variety of health benefits. 
     However, despite the pharmacological benefits of individual xanthone compounds and the native medicinal uses of the bark, leaves and rind of the mangosteen plant in South-east Asia and Indonesia, a nutraceutical composition containing the holistic benefits of the entire mangosteen fruit, including the fruit pulp and pericarp, is not known. In fact, it is recognized that when preparing the fruit pulp for consumption, care should be taken to separate from the delicious inner fruit pulp the outer pericarp with its resins and tannins, which are traditionally used to treat and stain leathers. 
     There exists a need in the nutritional arts for a nutraceutical composition that offers the health benefits of the entire mangosteen fruit, including the pulp and the pericarp. There also exists a need for a nutraceutical composition rich in natural xanthones for treating a variety of human ailments and conditions in an efficacious manner. Further, there is a need in the art for a natural xanthone product that is economical to manufacture. 
     The present invention relates to nutraceutical compositions derived from the fruit of the  Garcinia mangostana  L., or mangosteen plant. More particularly, the present invention relates to efficacious nutraceutical compositions rich in natural xanthones that include the pulp and the pericarp of the mangosteen fruit. These compositions preferably comprise a mixture of mangosteen fruit pulp and pericarp with selected juice concentrates. In addition, the present invention relates to methods of preparing nutraceutical compositions of  Garcinia mangostana  L. plant that yield efficacious health supplements rich in natural xanthones. Further, the methods of preparing the mangosteen nutraceutical compositions are economical to operate. 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a nutraceutical composition that contributes to general human wellness and good health through a novel mixture of the pericarp and pulp of the fruit of the  Garcinia mangostana  L. plant. The effectiveness of this mixture is heightened through the addition of selected juice concentrates in varying amounts. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a nutraceutical composition that offers the holistic benefits of the entire mangosteen fruit and is an efficacious source of natural xanthone compounds. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory composition containing a therapeutic amount of natural xanthones derived from the  Garcinia mangostana  L. plant. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a xanthone-rich natural product with antioxidative properties. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a nutraceutical composition of the  Garcinia mangostana  L. plant with beneficial antibacterial action. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide a process for preparing nutraceutical compositions of the  Garcinia mangostana  L. plant yielding the holistic benefits of the unique combination of mangosteen fruit pulp and pericarp, either alone or with complementary and enhancing juice concentrates. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an economical process for manufacturing nutraceutical compositions of the entire fruit of the  Garcinia mangostana  L. plant. 
     The foregoing and other objects, advantages and characterizing features will become apparent from the following description of certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. 
     While the methods and processes of the present invention have proven to be particularly useful in the area of nutritional health supplements, those skilled in the art can appreciate that the methods and processes can be used in a variety of different applications and in a variety of different areas of manufacture to satisfy a wide-ranging variety of pharmaceutical and medicinal needs. 
     The above-described features and advantages of the present invention, as well as additional features and advantages, will be set forth or will become more fully apparent in the description that follows and in the appended claims. The novel features which are considered characteristic of this invention are set forth in the attached claims. Furthermore, the features and advantages of the invention may be learned by the practice of the invention, or will be obvious to one skilled in the art from the description, as set forth hereinafter. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     [Not Applicable] 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to nutraceutical compositions derived from the  Garcinia mangostana  L. plant, otherwise known as the mangosteen plant. In particular, the compositions of the invention described herein uniquely provide natural xanthone compounds through the combination of the pulp and pericarp of the mangosteen fruit, along with selected juice and other phytochemical ingredients. The invention also relates to processes for manufacturing the nutraceutical compositions described herein in an economical manner. 
     It is understood that the terminology used herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It is also understood that, as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural reference, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the disclosure and in the claims, the term “nutraceutical” shall refer to “any compounds or chemicals that can provide dietary or health benefits when consumed by humans or animals.” 
     Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Preferred methods, compositions, and materials of the present invention are described herein, although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can by used in the practice or testing of the present invention. All references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     The  Garcinia mangostana  L. plant, or mangosteen plant, is known for a variety of uses in the areas to which it is indigenous. For example, there are a number of folk medicines in South-east Asia and Indonesia that employ various decoctions of the leaves, root, and bark of the mangosteen plant, as well as of the pericarp of the mangosteen fruit. For example, according to the literature, the thick mangosteen pericarp can be used as an astringent or in various decoctions for treating catarrh, cystitis, diarrhea, dysentery, eczema, fever, intestinal ailments, itch, and skin ailments. Other medicinal uses of the leaves, root and bark would be known to one of skill in the art. Also, the outer pericarp of the mangosteen fruit, which contains pectins, tannins, resins and a yellow latex, is used for treating and staining leather black. 
     In contrast to the thick outer pericarp, the edible inner pulp of the mangosteen fruit is widely regarded for its exquisite taste. The inner pulp of a single mangosteen fruit usually consists of four to eight juicy, white-colored segments. When preparing the white pulp segments for consumption, care must be taken so as to not stain the pulp segments with the resins and tannins and other matter that oozes out of the cut outer pericarp. The need to keep the delicious white pulp separate from the dark purple, staining, bitter pericarp has long been known to those familiar with the mangosteen fruit. 
     Xanthones are biologically active plant phenols that naturally occur in a restricted group of plants. The general structure of a xanthone is: 
                                
From a biosynthetic standpoint, they are related to the flavonoids, being formed by the condensation of a phenylpropanoid precursor with two instead of three malonyl coenzyme A units. Xanthones possess significant pharmacological properties, including antidepressant, antitubercular, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, cardiotonic, antileukaemic, antitumor, antiulcer, antihepatotoxic, antiallergenic, and antirhinoviral activities and actions.
 
     Pharmacological and botanical researchers have discovered that the medicinal properties of the mangosteen pericarp can be attributed to natural xanthones contained in the rind. The unrelated plant families Gentianaceae and Gutterferae are largely where naturally occurring hydroxanthones and their methyl ethers are found. The  Garcinia mangostana  L. plant, which contains a large number of naturally occurring xanthones, belongs within the Gutterferae family of plants. 
     Recent research has shown that the γ-mangostin compound, a natural xanthone found in the  Garcinia mangostana  L. plant, inhibits type A and type B monoamine oxidases as well as cyclooxygenase and prostaglandin E 2  synthesis. (Nakatani et al., 63 Biochemical Pharmacology 73-79 (2002)). Under normal conditions in the brain, the levels of prostaglandin E 2  (PGE 2 ) are very low or even undetectable. However, during episodes of tissue inflammation, multiple sclerosis, and AIDS-related dementia, PGE 2  levels rise, and can affect the activities of neurons, glial, and endothelial cells. High levels of PGE 2  also affect microglia/macrophage and lymphocyte functions. It is widely understood that the generation of prostaglandins is associated with inflammation, pain and fever. Cyclooxygenase is the rate-limiting enzyme in prostaglandin production. There are two isoforms of cyclooxygenase (COX), constitutive (COX-1) and inducible (COX-2), which is expressed in response to inflammation stimuli. The xanthone γ-mangostin is found to directly inhibit activity of both COX isoforms as well as PGE 2  synthesis, which makes this xanthone desirable in the treatment of inflammatory conditions as well as symptoms of fever and pain. The nutraceutical compositions of the present invention offer therapeutic amounts of important xanthones, including y-mangostin, from a natural source to provide increased health and general wellness in humans. 
     In the present invention, it has been discovered that a mixture of the mangosteen pericarp and fruit pulp in a single nutraceutical composition yields surprising health benefits. The efficacy of this xanthone-rich mixture of mangosteen pericarp and pulp is enhanced through the addition of selected juice and phytochemical ingredients, which are believed to synergistically react with the natural xanthone compounds. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mixture of mangosteen fruit pulp and pericarp is complemented by the addition of one or more juice concentrates selected from the group consisting of alfalfa juice concentrate, apple juice concentrate, apricot juice concentrate, banana juice concentrate, blueberry juice concentrate, cantaloupe juice concentrate, carrot juice concentrate, celery juice concentrate, cherry juice concentrate, cranberry juice concentrate, grape juice concentrate, grapefruit juice concentrate, green barley juice concentrate, green lettuce juice concentrate, kale juice concentrate, kiwi fruit juice concentrate, orange juice concentrate, papaya juice concentrate, parsley juice concentrate, pear juice concentrate, pear puree, pineapple juice concentrate, prune juice concentrate, raspberry juice concentrate, spinach juice concentrate, strawberry juice concentrate and tomato juice concentrate. 
     The nutraceutical compositions of the present invention deliver therapeutic amounts of natural xanthone compounds derived from the mangosteen fruit pulp and pericarp mixture. In one embodiment of the present invention, the mixture of mangosteen fruit pulp and pericarp is present in an amount ranging from between 3 and 50%, preferably between 5 and 25%, and most preferably between 10 and 20% of the total weight of mangosteen mixture and selected juice concentrates. In another embodiment of the invention, the nutraceutical composition comprising mangosteen fruit pulp and pericarp is formulated for oral administration. However, the present compositions can be delivered in any form known in the art, such as tablets, capsules, dispersions, solutions, suspensions, transdermal delivery systems, etc. If the mangosteen pericarp and fruit pulp mixture is complemented with selected juice concentrates, then a liquid beverage is a convenient delivery form, but other delivery forms are equally efficacious and would simply require the use of powders or other equivalent forms of the juice concentrates. Tablets or capsule forms of the present nutraceutical compositions can be prepared and coated by methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art. When the nutraceutical compositions of the present invention are presented in liquid beverage form, the ratio of water to mangosteen mixture and selected juice concentrates can be 1:1, preferably 3:1 and most preferably 4:1. 
     The nutraceutical compositions of the present invention can be produced through large-scale, economical operations. In one embodiment of the invented process, whole fruit from the  Garcinia mangostana  L. plant is picked and transported to a production facility. The fresh fruit can kept at ambient air temperatures during transportation or it can be frozen, depending on need. The entire mangosteen fruit, including the fruit pulp and pericarp, is then ground into a pulp and pericarp mixture using commercial grinding or mixing equipment. The resulting mixture of mangosteen fruit pulp and pericarp can then be further processed through the addition of one or more of the selected juice concentrates listed above. In preferred embodiments of the beverage form of the invention, the selected juice concentrates and water are then added to the mixture in accordance with the amounts, ranges and ratios specified above. The liquid nutraceutical compositions can then be treated, bottled or packaged for distribution to consumers using a variety of methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art, such as pasteurization, flash pasteurization, sterilization, UHT sterilization, pressure sealing, freezing, freeze drying, irradiating, etc. Dehydrated and other forms of the nutraceutical compositions can also be prepared using standard techniques. 
     The effectiveness in improving general health and wellness of the nutraceutical mangosteen compositions described herein is demonstrated from the following clinical examples; which are listed for illustrative purposes only and are not meant to be limiting instances of therapeutic use. A therapeutic composition of the mangosteen fruit pulp and pericarp mixture was prepared according to the embodiments described herein. Each subject ingested 3 ounces of the beverage daily for a three week period. The following qualitative results were obtained: 
     EXAMPLE 1 
     The subject was a 62-year-old female suffering from chronic back pain, nausea and chronic vertigo. Prior to the study, the pack pain was treated with oral doses of morphine three times a day. After a regiment of the mangosteen nutraceutical composition, the subject experienced improved energy, less nausea and a decrease in the vertigo symptoms. 
     EXAMPLE 2 
     The subject was a 56-year-old male suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, muscle aches, fatigue and dysthemia. After a regiment of the mangosteen nutraceutical composition, the subject experienced improvement in mood, energy and muscle aches in the shoulders and back. 
     EXAMPLE 3 
     The subject was a 55-year-old male suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. After a regiment of the mangosteen nutraceutical composition, the subject experienced regularization of bowel movements. 
     EXAMPLE 4 
     The subject was a 30-year-old male suffering from chronic neck pain, familial hyperlipidemia, fatigue and insomnia. After a regiment of the mangosteen nutraceutical composition, the subject experienced improved energy and a decrease in low-density lipoproteins. 
     EXAMPLE 5 
     The subject was a 52-year-old male suffering from hypokelemia, fatigue and weight gain. After a regiment of the mangosteen nutraceutical composition, the subject experienced improved energy and a normalization of potassium levels. 
     EXAMPLE 6 
     The subject was a 63-year-old female suffering from degenerative arthritis, C-difficile colitis, fatigue, decreased appetite hypokelemia, and numbness of the fingers and toes. After a regiment of the mangosteen nutraceutical composition, the subject experienced improvement in colitis, reduction of pain in wrists and hands and a normalization of potassium levels. 
     EXAMPLE 7 
     The subject was a 66-year-old male suffering from a severe allergy reaction causing desquamation of palms, fingers, soles of feet and the inside of the mouth and esophagus. After a regiment of the mangosteen nutraceutical composition, the subject was completely cured. 
     EXAMPLE 8 
     The subject was a 57-year-old male suffering from malaise, muscle aches, hepatitis, glomerionephritis, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. After a regiment of the mangosteen nutraceutical composition, the subject experienced a 30-point decrease in low-density lipoproteins, a 10-point increase in high-density lipoproteins, improved energy, a 14-pound weight loss and the malaise was eliminated. 
     EXAMPLE 9 
     The subject was a 30-year-old male suffering from a chronic dermal rash. After a regiment of the mangosteen nutraceutical composition, the rash was completely eliminated. 
     EXAMPLE 10 
     The subject was a 25-year-old female suffering from low energy levels. After a regiment of the mangosteen nutraceutical composition, the subject experienced increased energy. 
     EXAMPLE 11 
     The subject was a 28-year-old female suffering from extreme fatigue and depression. After a regiment of the mangosteen nutraceutical composition, the subject experienced a significant increase in energy. 
     EXAMPLE 12 
     The subject was a 26-year-old female suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. After a regiment of the mangosteen nutraceutical composition, the subject experienced a decrease in cramping and stool frequency and increased energy. 
     EXAMPLE 13 
     The subject was a 32-year-old male marathon runner and iron man competitor. After a regiment of the mangosteen nutraceutical composition, the subject experienced increased energy levels. 
     EXAMPLE 14 
     The subject was a 70-year-old female suffering from severe arthritis. After a regiment of the mangosteen nutraceutical composition, the subject experienced complete elimination of arthritic symptoms and increased energy. 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.