Botanical name : Garcinia atroviridis Griff.
Family name : GUTTIFERAE
Thai name : Som-Khaek
Garcinia is a big sized perennial plant commonly found in evergreen forests in the Southern Region of Thailand. The fruit contains fruiting acid such as L-Hydroxycitric acid (HCA), Tartaric acid, Malic acid, and Ascorbic acid that have an antioxidant activity. Its leaves are also locally known as traditional vegetable that are either cooked or consumed raw as a salad.
HCA is derived from Garcinia atroviridis. It has been used extensively in South East Asia for hundreds of years. Research has indicated that Garcinia atroviridis may be beneficial as part of a complete weight loss program by maintaining the metabolic rate and increasing the rate at which fat is used as an energy source.
Nowadays, phytochemical investigations of G.atroviridis have enabled the isolation of garcinia acid identical to HCA and its gamma lactone, atroviridin, atrovirisidone and atrovirinone. HCA, being one of the important components, can help to promote weight loss, by lowering lipogenesis and increasing glycogen development, thus lowering appetite.
Some reports have shown that the extracts of G.atroviridis exhibit strong anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and anti-tumor promoting agents.
Garcinia 
