Mangosteen juice: Can it relieve arthritis pain?

A number of laboratory and animal studies suggest that mangosteen has significant anti-inflammatory effects. Unfortunately, at this time, there have been no human studies to determine if these anti-inflammatory effects will be helpful to people with arthritis or other inflammatory conditions.

Mangosteen is a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia. Despite its name, mangosteen is not related to the mango. The fruit is the size and shape of a tangerine, with a thick, dark rind and creamy flesh. Mangosteen is marketed as a supplement, available as a juice and in capsule form. The juice typically consists of a mix of mangosteen and other fruit juices, such as apple, pear and blueberry — with an often undisclosed amount of mangosteen juice.

Like many fruits and vegetables, mangosteen is a rich source of antioxidants. Antioxidants are natural compounds in foods that may protect against certain diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Mangosteen also contains some unique chemicals called xanthones, which appear to have potent anti-inflammatory effects in the laboratory.

So for the time being, drink mangosteen juice if you enjoy the taste. But until human studies are completed, claims that mangosteen can cure arthritis or any other disease are just that — undocumented claims.