A comprehensive review on fruit Aristotelia chilensis (Maqui) for modern health: towards a better understanding

Abstract

Human and animal intervention studies have provided enough evidence for the protective effects of different foods rich in polyphenols against non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. Though over the last decade South American berries, rich sources of polyphenols, especially maqui, have become the subject of research interest due to their remarkable potential health benefits, yet so far very limited studies have been conducted on the effect of maqui berry on non-communicable diseases, and information about its domestication is also still deficient. This comprehensive review focuses on the health potential of maqui, especially on its effect on non-communicable diseases. It is anticipated that this article will extend our understanding of the maqui-health benefit relationship. More detailed and long term in vivo intervention and in vitro studies are needed to fully understand how maqui interacts with human physiological and pathological processes, considering the rapid increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.