Molecules of Interest – Mangiferin – A Review

Mangiferin is a 1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxyxanthone-C2-β-D-glucoside that has been reported to occur naturally in several genera. It exhibits a wide array of biological activities and also in several cases is responsible for the traditional use of its natural sources. It has been shown to exhibit various pharmacological activities, and thus has several possible applications in clinical research. This review presents a comprehensive literature search of different studies carried out on this secondary metabolite, especially its antidiabetic, anticancer, and antioxidant effects as well as, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, immunomodulatory and antimicrobial activities. The emphasis of the current review is on the chemistry and biological activity of mangiferin and its derivatives in addition to rational and ecologically acceptable methods for provision of this natural compound on a large scale. Therefore, further investigations may help in exploiting its properties and developing phyto-pharmaceuticals based on it.