Pharmacological and phytochemical potential of Rubus ellipticus: a wild edible with multiple health benefits

Rubus ellipticus (family Rosaceae) is used for its delicious edible fruits in the Himalayan region and other parts of the globe. However, the full potential of the species is yet to be harnessed. The current review focuses on the phytochemical, traditional uses, morphological, molecular and pharmacological potential of R. ellipticus.

The review of the literature reveals that many health-promoting compounds of R. ellipticus have been reported from the species along with the different biological properties, such as nephroprotective, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-pyretic, anti-proliferative, cytotoxicity, anti-cancer, wound healing, anti-fertility, anti-plasmodial, anti-microbial and antioxidant. Traditionally, it is used in many formulations, which are validated through primary pharmacological assays. However, several medicinal properties are still need to be validated through detailed pharmacological and clinical studies.

All the information is available in a scanty form, and the complete information is missing on a single platform. Such type of information will help researchers to better utilize the available data for initiating future research on the species as it has the potential to contribute to the food and pharmaceutical industry. The review highlights the need for further studies on the species to harness its potential in nutraceutical, functional food, energy supplement, and beneficial therapeutic drug development program.