Comparison of the biological activity of two different isolates from mangosteen.

Objective: Mangosteen has been used in traditional medicine for treatment of many diseases. Recent studies have reported the active constituents isolated from this plant. In this study, purified α-mangostin, a major component and partially purified water-soluble fraction found in fruit pericarps, was carefully isolated, and their biological activity was compared, i.e. antioxidative activity and cytotoxic effect in breast cancer cells: SKBR3.

Methods: Antioxidative activity was determined using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals (DPPH) assay and reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay, whereas the cytotoxic effect was evaluated by the MTT assay and morphological changes by fluorescence staining.

Key Finding: The DPPH scavenging capacities of α-mangostin and water-soluble extract were obtained, the IC50 at 183.95 and 54.57 μg/ml, respectively. Meanwhile, the intracellular ROS level was significantly decreased after treatment with α-mangostin and water-soluble extraction at 20 and 200 μg/ml, respectively. α-mangostin exhibited the cytotoxicity at ED50 8.21 μg/ml, while the water-soluble extract was non-toxic to cells at ED50 higher than 160 μg/ml. Both constituents showed antioxidative activity by chemical assay and in cells, but α-mangostin expressed strong cytotoxicity and showed apoptotic bodies.

Conclusion: The different isolated constituents would be further studied for future possible use as chemotherapy in cancer and chemoprevention in Alzheimer's disease.