Compound Monograph
Xanthone
Xanthone is the parent structure of a large class of oxygenated plant polyphenols known as xanthones.
Sources · 4
Where Does It Come From?
Xanthone is a naturally occurring polyphenol (xanthone scaffold), found in Warrior's Plume, Mangosteen and 2 other sources. It is well tolerated orally (low toxicity).
Principal source Warrior's Plume Pedicularis densiflora Herb monograph → 
Source Gentian Gentiana lutea Herb monograph → 
Source St. John's Wort Hypericum perforatum Herb monograph → Concentration
Content by Source
Concentrations not reported. No percent-dry-weight or mg/g figures have been published for this compound in its source plants.
Research & Evidence
Xanthone (xanthen-9-one) is the simple parent structure that gives its name to a large family of plant polyphenols, the xanthones, which carry various hydroxyl and other substituents around this dibenzo-γ-pyrone core. Naturally occurring xanthones are well represented in plants such as mangosteen and in the Gentian and Hypericum families, and the broader class has attracted interest for antioxidant and other activities. The unsubstituted parent compound itself is more a structural reference point than a notable natural product in its own right.
Toxicity & Safety
The naturally occurring xanthones found in foods such as mangosteen are generally regarded as low in toxicity at dietary levels, but properties vary across this large and chemically diverse class, and data on the parent compound specifically are limited.
