Despite the variety of treatment options, many people living with bipolar disorder continue to experience symptoms following a mood episode, limiting their full recovery.
Bipolar disorder is a complex mood disorder characterised by episodes of mania and depression. While medication, psychotherapy, brain stimulation and lifestyle changes can help manage the symptoms, existing treatments are often less effective during depressive episodes. The depressive phase, also known as bipolar depression, significantly impacts quality of life, increasing the risk of disability, illness and suicide.
Researchers are exploring new treatment options to better target bipolar depression and improve recovery for people who do not respond to existing therapies.
Putting mangosteen to the test
Professor Olivia Dean explored whether mangosteen pericarp, an extract of the husk of the mangosteen fruit, could improve outcomes for people living with bipolar depression.
Mangosteen is a tropical evergreen fruit grown mainly in Southeast Asia. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may support brain health, making it a promising addition to standard bipolar depression treatments. The world-first trial explored whether a mangosteen pericarp supplement could improve outcomes when taken alongside regular treatment.
Participants experiencing bipolar depression were recruited from four sites in Australia, including the Barwon Health Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol outpatient service, and received either the supplement or a placebo, in addition to their usual treatment.
While changes in primary symptoms were limited, participants receiving mangosteen pericarp showed greater improvements in mood, clinician-rated bipolar severity and social functioning than those who received the placebo. Professor Dean noted that participants in both groups showed positive changes, making it more challenging to show a clear difference.
‘While we didn’t see a large difference, the improvements across mood and daily functioning suggest mangosteen has the potential to support a more complete recovery when used alongside standard treatment’, she says.
A step towards better treatment options
Every clinical trial adds to our understanding of bipolar disorder, bringing researchers closer to more effective treatments. These findings provide valuable evidence to guide future research and improve care for people living with bipolar depression. Moreover, improvements in everyday living have been reported to have major effects on the quality of life of people experiencing bipolar disorder.
‘After years of work, this trial marks an important step towards better treatment options and recovery pathways for people living with bipolar disorder,’ says Professor Dean.
‘Every finding contributes to a better understanding of the biological pathways involved in bipolar disorder’.
The team’s long-term goal is to discover new treatments that are both accessible and affordable, enabling them to be translated into clinical practice quickly and effectively.
Where next?
The research team is currently investigating secondary clinical outcomes including impacts on cognition and the role of underlying diet on the improvements seen in the trial.
Additionally, biological outcomes are also being explored to understand how mangosteen pericarp may be beneficial to people with bipolar depression.
This article was originally published in our 2025 Impact Report. Explore the full report.
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