Will the mangosteen help certain GI tract problems such as diarrhea, IBS and diverticulitis?
Absolutely! Perhaps the most widespread use of the mangosteen in folk medicine has to do with the gastrointestinal system. The xanthones, alpha and gamma mangostin, have been found to have both histamine and serotonin receptor blocking capacity. When serotonin is blocked in the gut, conditions of disordered motility like IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) should be affected favorably. The blocking of serotonin is also the reason mangosteen helps diarrhea sufferers. There is one study that claims, Animals treated with xanthones exhibited marked protection against ulcers. In Europe, patients with diverticulitis (small pouches in the wall of the large bowel) take low-dose antibiotics several times a week to remain free of infection. Such frequent dosing, however, leaves them susceptible to bacterial resistance. It would seem reasonable to use mangosteen to provide the same protection without the problem of bacterial resistance that exists with the frequent use of antibiotics. This has been te
