Exploiting the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anticancer potential of Rubus species.

Abstract Rubus is one of a hundred genera in the family Rosaceae . The genus Rubus comprises about 700 species naturally occurring in temperate zones. The worldwide popularity of Rubus fruits has increased because they are considered a healthy and nutritious food, containing many antioxidants. Antioxidants play a major role in protecting our body from disease by reducing the oxidative damage to cellular component caused by reactive oxygen species. Many investigations suggest that the plant origin antioxidants, like from Rubus species, with free-radical scavenging properties may have great therapeutic importance in free-radical mediated diseases such as cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, cardiovascular diseases, ageing, gastrointestinal diseases and arthritis. In this paper, current literature connected with strong antioxidant potential of various Rubus species and its possibility of pharmacological usage (such as antibacterial, antiviral, antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, etc.) is being reviewed. Antioxidant potentials and other biological properties of more than 40 Rubus species, their cultivars, various parts of the plants (flowers, leaves, buds, roots and stem) and different extraction methods have been reported in this review.