An Overview of Traditional Uses, Phytochemical Compositions and Biological Activities of Edible Fruits of European and Asian Cornus Species

Abstract

Cornus species are widely distributed in central and southern Europe, east Africa, southwest Asia, and America. Several species are known for edible fruits, especially Cornus mas and Cornus officinalis. These delicious fruits, characterized by their remarkable nutritional and biological values, are widely used in traditional medicine. In contrast to the other edible Cornus species, C. mas and C. officinalis are the most studied for which little information is available on the main phytochemicals and their biological activities. Fruits are characterised by several classes of secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, anthocyanins, tannins, triterpenoids, and iridoids. The available phytochemical data show that the different classes of metabolites have not been systematically studied. However, these edible species are all worthy of interest because similarities have been found. Thus, this review describes the traditional uses of Cornus species common in Europe and Asia, a detailed classification of the bioactive compounds that characterize the fruits, and their beneficial health effects. Cornus species are a rich source of phytochemicals with nutritional and functional properties that justify the growing interest in these berries, not only for applications in the food industry but also useful for their medicinal properties.

Comparative characterization of the content and in vitro bioaccessibility of minerals in two Cornus species

“…While many studies have assessed the biological properties and chemical composition of C. mas' fruits, few phytochemical studies are present for common dogwood (Cornus sanguinea L.) fruits (Tenuta et al 2022). In addition, there is no literature information regarding the mineral content of common dogwood fruits, therefore, a comparison could not be made with other genotypes of this species.…”

Iridoid- and flavonoid-enriched fractions ofCornus sanguineaandCornus masexert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and inhibit key enzymes in the treatment of metabolic disorders

“…These five flavonoids have been previously described in C. mas fruits. 4 The iridoids loganic acid, sweroside and cornuside were identified in all the C. mas extracts, while verbenalin was only detected in MF2 and MD2. Cornuside was identified in all the C. sanguinea extracts, while sweroside was only detected in SD2 and SF4.…”

“…To date, the phytochemical composition of C. mas fruits is better known than that of C. sanguinea fruits. 3,4,[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28] In fact, few studies have analysed the chemical composition of C. sanguinea. 15,20,22 In these studies, the methanol, ethyl acetate and water extracts were investigated.…”

“…2,3 Cornus genus, widely distributed in central and Southern Europe, southwest Asia, east Africa, and America, represents a rich source of phytochemicals. 4 Cornus mas (commonly known as cornelian cherry, dogwood) is a plant that reaches 7-8 m in height and grows in temperate climates in the east and south regions of Europe and West Asia. Its fruits are edible with an oval or pear-like shape and a color ranging from red to purple.…”

Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Cytoprotective Effects of Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas L.) Fruit Extracts

“…It might be considered such plants to be berries, known for their increased quantity of sugars and phytochemical compounds [ 13 ]. Specifically, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries or cherries, with a particular interest in cornelian cherry, where recent studies suggest that it has great potential for alternative medicine applicabilities [ 14 , 15 ].…”