Werayut Pothitirat, Mullika Traidej Chomnawang, and Wandee Gritsanapan

pp. 41 - 47

Abstract

The fruit rind of Garcinia mangostana Linn. has been traditionally used for treatment of skin infection, wounds, dysentery, and diarrhea. α-Mangostin, a major constituent of the fruit rind, was reported to possess a strong inhibitory effect against Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, which is involved in acne development. This study was conducted to quantitative analyze the content of α-mangostin in the fruit rind of this plant collected from 13 locations in the
South and East of Thailand by validated TLC-densitometric method. Antibacterial activity against P. acnes and S. epidermidis of the extracts was also determined. α-Mangostin contents in the fruit rinds and in the 95 % ethanolic extracts were found in the ranges of 3.39-5.68 and 11.83-23.11 % dry weight, respectively. The samples from the South showed higher contents of α-mangostin (average 17.64 % w/w in the extract and 4.85 % w/w in the dried powder) than the eastern samples. The MIC
values of all extracts against P. acnes and S. epidermidis were in the range of 7.81-15.63 and 15.63-31.25 μg/mL, respectively, while the MBC values were in the range of 15.63-31.25 and 62.50-125.00 μg/mL, respectively. The antibacterial activity and α-mangostin content of the samples from different locations were significantly different (p<0.05). The average MIC and MBC values indicate that the samples from the South of Thailand (MIC = 13.02 μg/mL, MBC = 15.63 μg/mL for P. acne and MIC = 23.44 μg/mL, MBC = 83.33 μg/mL for S. epidermidis) promoted stronger antibacterial effect than the samples from the East. The results suggest that the α-mangostin content in the extract of G. mangostana fruit rind correlates with the antiacne inducing bacteria activity. The fruit rinds of G. mangostana cultivated in the South seemed to be the appropriate source in terms of higher α-mangostin content and better anti-acne property