The body's non-specific response to virtually al insults (such as infection, trauma, radiation damage, allergen irritation, etc.) is inflammation.

Characterized by swelling, redness, heat and pain, most inflammation is short-lived and an important part of the healing process. However, too often inflammation does not shut off when it should and can continue for weeks, months, or years (chronic inflammation).

When this occurs, the inflammation itself (which can be painless and therefore silent) becomes a serious health threat.

Although not a disease per se, chronic inflammation has been implicated in the development of many health problems, including cancer, arthritis, diabetes, skin disorders, heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases (such as MS, Parkinson 's disease, and Aizheimer's) lung disease, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's, ulcerative colitis) ulcers, gastritis, GERD, allergy, kidney failure, and even psychiatric disorders like depression, autism and sehizophrenia.

And this list is not complete because other illnesses have been shown to involve inflammatory states as greater or iesser causatory or exacerbating factors.

Therefore, it seems reasonable that supplying any nutrients which could be utilized by the body to keep inflammation within healthfull limits would be desirable.

Using nutrition as an intervention is particulary desirable since the control of inflammation with medicines such as ibuprofen, naprosyn, voltaren or other NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories), prednisone, dexamethasone or the statin class of drugs (ie. zocor, lipitor, etc.) is fraught with danger.

All drugs have the potential to cause serious harm but these drugs in particular have very dangerous track records. In the year 2000, for example, anti-inflammatories as a drug class killed more Americans than did AIDS. Once again, doctors often prescribe these products, dangerous as they may be, because they are simply not aware that diet and supplementation are a very effective means of reducing the threat of chronic inflammation. Consider the following illustration of the value of nutrition in the control of inflammation. Dr.Vaughn Johnson, a familly physician who has used the mangosteen in his practice for several years, has documented quite remarkable results with some of his patients who have tested positive for chronic inflammation.

In the U.S., any patient with significant risk factors for heart disease is likely to be tested for excessive levels of sensitive C-reactive protein. This biological marker (not a disease) is believed by experts to be an effective warning signal of potential cardiovascular events.

Sensitive C-reactive protein is therefore widely used to identify patients at higher risk. Dr. Johnson had aiways used "nutritional intervention with supplements (vitamins) as first line of therapy for the silent inflammation that C-reaction protein measures.

Serendipitousiy, he discovered that his patients with elevated levels of this marker appeared to benefit from as little as two ounces once a day of a mangosteen preparation.

Dr. Johnson was surprísed to note that virtually every patient who used the juice experienced a significant drop in the level of the marker.

I was impressed by Dr. Joiinson's results because a significant number of patients were involved and because no medicine, to my knowledge, has been approved by the EDA to treat chronic inflammation. Finally, the improvement was seen very early in these patients who responded after a single month of using the juice in small dally amounts.

In my opinion, the effective use of a natural product derived from a food to help the body rectify an imbalance (provided that the natural product is both safe and effective) is always preferable to using pharmaceutical medicines which are all inherently dangerous.

In the case of C-reactive protein, chronic inflammation, and the mangosteen, these criteria for use appear to be satisfied. As I have stated, chronic inflammation, although not a disease itself, is implleated across almost the full spectrum of problems that the body can encounter.

The phytonutrients of the mangosteen appear to be useful elements that may help the body to decrease this substantial threat to homeostasis and good health.

Bellow you can see the results of those preclinical studies which provide the evidence that these nutrients can be used by the body in re-establishing homeostasis when the problem is inflammation.

Catechin research in the area of inflammation shows:

• Ability to chelate iron and copper, two metals frequently involved in the production of free radicals

• Excellent antioxidant activity that even exceeds the antioxidant power of vitamin C

Xanthone research in the area of inflammation shows:

• Antioxidant capability which exceeds that of vitamin E

• All 43 mangosteen xanthones have antioxidant capabiity

• The capability of blocking the most common inflammatory cascade (arachadonic acid to prostaglandin E2) at the genetic level (COX-2 biockade)

• Antioxidant effect in an animal experiment that equaled the power of the drug dexamethasone and exceeded the effect of the drug Indomethacin.

Proanthocyanidin research in the area of inflammation shows:

• Effective inibition of the proinflammatory enzyme COX-2 (again at the ievel of the COX-2 gene)

• The ability to inhibit the formation of copper-linked free radicals

• Chemoproteetive effects on cells threatened with inflammatory damage