Pharmacological Activity of Garcinia indica (Kokum): An Updated Review

Garcinia indica (commonly known as kokum), belonging to the Clusiaceae family (mangosteen family), is a tropical evergreen tree distributed in certain regions of India. It has been used in culinary and industrial applications for a variety of purposes, including acidulant in curries, pickles, health drinks, wine, and butter. In particular, G. indica has been used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation, dermatitis, and diarrhea, and to promote digestion. According to several studies, various phytochemicals such as garcinol, hydroxycitric acid (HCA), cyanidin-3-sambubioside, and cyanidin-3-glucoside were isolated from G. indica, and their pharmacological activities were published. This review highlights recent updates on the various pharmacological activities of G. indica. These studies reported that G. indica has antioxidant, anti-obesity, anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, antidepressant and anxiolytic effects both in vitro and in vivo. These findings, together with previously published reports of pharmacological activity of various components isolated from G. indica, suggest its potential as a promising therapeutic agent to prevent various diseases.

Topical Delivery of Nanosized Hydroxycitric Acid Enriched Extract-Loaded Ethosomes for Suppression of Lipid Droplet Deposition

The aim of this study was to improve the skin accumulation of hydroxycitric acid by using ethosomes with nanosize. We fabricated nanosized ethosome for the topical delivery of hydrophilic hydroxycitric acid and evaluated their physical properties and furthermore cytotoxicity. As results, in cell-based experiments, the use of ethosomes encapsulating hydroxycitric acid extract reduced the lipid droplet deposition in differentiated adipocytes, which was visualized by Oil Red O staining assay and also quantitatively measured by a triglyceride assay. The observed reduction in lipid droplet deposition occurred in a hydroxycitric acid extract concentration-dependent manner. In addition, the high accumulation of hydroxycitric acid in murine skin (66.28%) was observed following treatment with hydroxycitric acid extract-loaded ethosomes compared with treatment with hydroxycitric acid alone (1.19%) without ethosome as a nanocarrier. Based on these results, our findings showed that nanosized ethosomes improved the topical delivery of hydroxycitric acid and thus reduced lipid droplet deposition in adipocytes.

Potential sources of anti-obesity compound – hydroxycitric acid among some of the underutilized fruits in the Philippines

Hydroxycitric acid (HCA), a derivative of citric acid, is one of the promising food components with reported anti-obesity properties. HCA is currently extracted only from its principal source, Garcinia cambogia, which is not readily available in the country. Herewith, the study aims to identify potential sources of HCA among local underutilized fruits to increase their current commercial use. A total of twenty underutilized fruits generally rich in citric acid were screened via histochemical staining to detect the presence of HCA. Those samples that produced the characteristic reddish orange colour complexes indicative of HCA have undergone further experiments including extraction (via water extraction method), quantification (via spectrophotometry), and identity validation (via thin layer chromatography) to determine the actual HCA sources. Out of the 20 local fruits tested, HCA was found only from Tamarindus indica L. (tamarind) flesh at 3.731±0.046 g HCA/100 g fresh weight and from Garcinia binucao (batuan) flesh and seeds at 3.447±0.059 g HCA/100 g fresh weight and 1.241±0.009 g HCA/100 g fresh weight, respectively. Meanwhile, most of the other fruits tested were found to contain merely citric acid. This study could bring new ways in utilizing batuan and tamarind fruits as functional ingredients in nutraceuticals and value-added products, thereby increasing its current health and economic significance.