Objective: This review focuses on mangosteen pericarp extracts, xanthones and derivatives for the future laboratory experiment and development in pharmacological aspects.
Material and Method: All relevant literature databases were searched up to 2 March 2014. The search terms included mangosteen, xanthone, mangostin, and gatanin in all of the human, animal, in vitro and in vivo studies. Anti-inflammation, antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer and antiulcer properties of each substance were the key parameters.
Results: Xanthones are a group of oxygen-containing heterocyclic compounds including alpha-mangostin, gamma-mangostin, mangosteen extract, xanthone derivatives and synthetic xanthones, which provide remarkable and diverse pharmacological effects such as anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities.
Conclusion: These xanthone compounds may play a major role in therapeutic treatment of the diseases but precise mechanisms of action are still unclear and need further investigation.

Keywords: Mangosteen, Xanthones, Mangostin, Anti-inflammation, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anti-cancer