Mangifera indica
Encyclopedia
Mangifera indica is a species of mango
in the Anacardiaceae
family. It is found in the wild in India
and cultivated varieties have been introduced to other warm regions of the world. It is the largest fruit-tree in the world, capable of a height of one-hundred feet and an average circumference of twelve to fourteen feet, sometimes reaching twenty.
The species appears to have been domesticated about 4,000 years ago. The species was brought to East Asia
around 400-500 BCE from India; next, in the 15th century to the Philippines
; and then, in the 16th century to Africa
and Brazil
by the Portuguese
. The species was described for science by Linnaeus in 1753.
Mango is the national fruit of India
, Philippines
and Pakistan
. It finds mention in the songs of 4th century CE Sanskrit
poet, Kalidasa
, prior to it is believed to have been tasted by Alexander (3rd century BCE) and Chinese pilgrim, Hieun Tsang (7th century CE). Later in 16th century Mughal Emperor, Akbar planted 100,000 mango trees in Darbhanga
, Bihar
at a place now known as Lakhi Bagh
in North Queensland
, was the centre of a thriving horse trading business between North Queensland
and India
. The crews of the ships coming in from India bought many items back with them, including seeds of the Mangifera Indica.
The Bowen Harbourmaster
and Customs Officer
at the time, Mr G.E. Sandrock, collected a quantity of mango
seeds from the sailors and planted them on his property “Woodlands” just outside Bowen
. As this initial stock came into fruit
, seeds from the better quality and better producing trees were separately collected and Mr Sandrock gave these to a friend of his, Mr McDonald, who planted them on his property at Adelaide Point near Bowen
.
A local farmer
, Mr Harry Lott, selected a good stringless type of fruit from McDonald’s harvests and used the seeds to start a small orchard
on his property, “Kensington”, in the late 1880s.
Mr Lott found that his mango
variety sold well at the local markets due its smooth stringless flesh, and attempted to monopolise the variety. Other local growers unfortunately got hold of seeds by fair and foul means, though, and within a few years this style of mango was widely distributed through the Bowen
and Burdekin regions.
The name “Kensington” has remained although this variety is also called “Bowen Special”.
(a pharmacologically active flavonoid, a natural xanthone
C-glycoside) is extracted from Mango at high concentrations from the young leaves (172 g/kg), bark (107 g/kg), and from old leaves (94 g/kg). Mangiferin shows an exceptionally strong antioxidant capacity. It has a number of pharmacological actions and possible health benefits. These include antidiabetic, antioxidant
, antifungal
, antimicrobal, antiinflamatory, antiviral, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, anti-allergic and anticancer activity.,. Along with Salacia
it is being investigated for its possible anti-obesity action.
In ayurveda
, one of its uses is clearing digestion and acidity due to pitta (heat), sometimes with other mild sours and shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) and guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia).
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
in the Anacardiaceae
Anacardiaceae
Anacardiaceae are a family of flowering plants bearing fruits that are drupes and in some cases producing urushiol, an irritant. Anacardiaceae include numerous genera with several of economic importance. Notable plants in this family include cashew , mango, poison ivy, sumac, smoke tree, and marula...
family. It is found in the wild in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and cultivated varieties have been introduced to other warm regions of the world. It is the largest fruit-tree in the world, capable of a height of one-hundred feet and an average circumference of twelve to fourteen feet, sometimes reaching twenty.
The species appears to have been domesticated about 4,000 years ago. The species was brought to East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
around 400-500 BCE from India; next, in the 15th century to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
; and then, in the 16th century to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
by the Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
. The species was described for science by Linnaeus in 1753.
Mango is the national fruit of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. It finds mention in the songs of 4th century CE Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
poet, Kalidasa
Kalidasa
Kālidāsa was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language...
, prior to it is believed to have been tasted by Alexander (3rd century BCE) and Chinese pilgrim, Hieun Tsang (7th century CE). Later in 16th century Mughal Emperor, Akbar planted 100,000 mango trees in Darbhanga
Darbhanga
Darbhangā is a twin city and a municipal corporation and the capital city of the Darbhanga district and Darbhanga Division in the state of Bihar, India. It is one of the most important districts of North Bihar situated in the very heart of Mithilanchal. According to the latest 2011 census, the...
, Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
at a place now known as Lakhi Bagh
The Australian Kensington Mango
In the latter half of the 18th century, BowenBowen
-Places:Australia* Bowen, Queensland, a town* Bowen Hills, Queensland, a suburb** Bowen Park, Brisbane, a park in Bowen Hills* Bowen Bridge, crossing the Derwent River in TasmaniaCanada* Bowen Island, British ColumbiaChina* Bowen Road, in Hong KongNigeria...
in North Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, was the centre of a thriving horse trading business between North Queensland
North Queensland
North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the state of Queensland in Australia. Queensland is a massive state, larger than most countries, and the tropical northern part of it has been historically remote and undeveloped, resulting in a distinctive regional character and...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The crews of the ships coming in from India bought many items back with them, including seeds of the Mangifera Indica.
The Bowen Harbourmaster
Harbourmaster
A harbourmaster is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular harbour or port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbour and the correct operation of the port facilities.-Responsibilities:Harbourmasters are normally responsible for issuing...
and Customs Officer
Customs officer
A customs officer is a law enforcement agent who enforces customs laws, on behalf of a government.-Hong Kong:4 931 posts, of which nine are directorate officers, 3 804 are members of the Customs and Excise Department, 504 are Trade Controls Officers and 614 are staff of the General and Common...
at the time, Mr G.E. Sandrock, collected a quantity of mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
seeds from the sailors and planted them on his property “Woodlands” just outside Bowen
Bowen
-Places:Australia* Bowen, Queensland, a town* Bowen Hills, Queensland, a suburb** Bowen Park, Brisbane, a park in Bowen Hills* Bowen Bridge, crossing the Derwent River in TasmaniaCanada* Bowen Island, British ColumbiaChina* Bowen Road, in Hong KongNigeria...
. As this initial stock came into fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
, seeds from the better quality and better producing trees were separately collected and Mr Sandrock gave these to a friend of his, Mr McDonald, who planted them on his property at Adelaide Point near Bowen
Bowen
-Places:Australia* Bowen, Queensland, a town* Bowen Hills, Queensland, a suburb** Bowen Park, Brisbane, a park in Bowen Hills* Bowen Bridge, crossing the Derwent River in TasmaniaCanada* Bowen Island, British ColumbiaChina* Bowen Road, in Hong KongNigeria...
.
A local farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
, Mr Harry Lott, selected a good stringless type of fruit from McDonald’s harvests and used the seeds to start a small orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
on his property, “Kensington”, in the late 1880s.
Mr Lott found that his mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
variety sold well at the local markets due its smooth stringless flesh, and attempted to monopolise the variety. Other local growers unfortunately got hold of seeds by fair and foul means, though, and within a few years this style of mango was widely distributed through the Bowen
Bowen
-Places:Australia* Bowen, Queensland, a town* Bowen Hills, Queensland, a suburb** Bowen Park, Brisbane, a park in Bowen Hills* Bowen Bridge, crossing the Derwent River in TasmaniaCanada* Bowen Island, British ColumbiaChina* Bowen Road, in Hong KongNigeria...
and Burdekin regions.
The name “Kensington” has remained although this variety is also called “Bowen Special”.
Medicinal properties
MangiferinMangiferin
Mangiferin is a xanthonoid, a chemical compound found in mangoes and in Anemarrhena asphodeloides rhizomes.This molecule is a natural phenol and shows antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. It shows inhibitory effects on type II 5α-reductase in vitro It shows gastroprotective and antidiabetic...
(a pharmacologically active flavonoid, a natural xanthone
Xanthone
Xanthone is an organic compound with the molecular formula C13H8O2. It can be prepared by the heating of phenyl salicylate. In 1939, xanthone was introduced as an insecticide and it currently finds uses as ovicide for codling moth eggs and as a larvicide...
C-glycoside) is extracted from Mango at high concentrations from the young leaves (172 g/kg), bark (107 g/kg), and from old leaves (94 g/kg). Mangiferin shows an exceptionally strong antioxidant capacity. It has a number of pharmacological actions and possible health benefits. These include antidiabetic, antioxidant
Antioxidant
An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions. When...
, antifungal
Antifungal
* Antifungal medication, a medication used to treat fungal infection s such as athlete's foot , ringworm, candidiasis, etc.* Antifungal protein, a protein family* an adjective referring to a fungicide compound...
, antimicrobal, antiinflamatory, antiviral, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, anti-allergic and anticancer activity.,. Along with Salacia
Salacia (genus)
Salacia is a genus of plants in the family Celastraceae.-Medicinal uses:Several species in this genus of plant have been used in traditional medical systems for thousands of years, particularly in the Ayurveda system from India. Uses have included treatment of diabetes, obesity, gonorrhea,...
it is being investigated for its possible anti-obesity action.
In ayurveda
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
, one of its uses is clearing digestion and acidity due to pitta (heat), sometimes with other mild sours and shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) and guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia).
External links
- Crop of the Day: Mango, Mangifera indica has a list of helpful resources about this species.