Garcinia spp: Products and by-products with potential pharmacological application in cancer

The Garcinia genus belongs to the Clusiaceae family and is composed of approximately 240 species, distributed throughout the tropical regions, with a significant representation in Brazil. Their edible fruits have a high dietary value and have been recognized for their economic value as food and health. By-products of Garcinia fruits, such as the peel and seed of Garcinia brasiliensis, are a rich source of fibers, proteins, and bioactive metabolites, producing flour with an energetic value near wheat flour and antioxidant properties. Peel waste of G. mangostana (mangosteen) has been used as a green absorbent to recover valuable metals such as gold and silver from electronic waste. Many Garcinia species have obtained great prominence for extracts and isolated compounds, such as polyphenols, bioflavonoids, anthocyanins, benzophenones, and xanthones in the treatment of various illnesses. Thus, natural products isolated from Garcinia species have been described as having a chemical di-versity and potential for medicinal uses with emphasizing adipogenesis, diabetes, cardiovascular illness, and cancer. This review comprises works published from January 2017 to March 2022 and highlights the promising anticancer activity and potential use of natural compounds from Garcinia species and fruit wastes.

Automated summary

The Garcinia genus, belonging to the Clusiaceae family, has edible fruits with high dietary and economic values. By-products from Garcinia fruits, such as peel and seed, are rich in fibers, proteins, and bioactive metabolites, and can be used to produce flour with similar nutritional value to wheat flour and antioxidant properties. Peel waste from Garcinia mangostana has been utilized as a green absorbent to recover precious metals from electronic waste. Extracts and isolated compounds from Garcinia species, including polyphenols, bioflavonoids, anthocyanins, benzophenones, and xanthones, have shown potential in the treatment of various illnesses, emphasizing adipogenesis, diabetes, cardiovascular illness, and cancer.