Mangosteen is noted for its
nutritious and delicious fruit which is commonly consumed fresh and as a source of
candy, nut, preserve and topping for ice cream and sherbets. Many parts of the tree
are used for medicinal purposes for example, the leaves, bark, and rind are used as
herbal remedies for thrush, chronic intestinal catarrh, dysentery, diarrhea, cystitis,
gonorrhea, eczema, and other skin disorders; extracts from the leaves are also used
to clean and treat wounds and as an astringent, and decoctions from the roots can be
taken to regulate menstruation. The fruit rind contains 7-14% catechin tannin and is
used for tanning leather. It also produces a natural black dye. The wood is heavy and
moderately durable; old and unproductive trees are harvested for their wood and used to manufacture spear handles, rice
pounders, houses and cabinets. Mangosteen twigs are also used as chew sticks.