Rosehip (Rosa spp.) as a Source of Bioactive Compounds for Functional Foods and Therapeutic Applications

Global health challenges, including the growing burden of chronic diseases and persistent micronutrient deficiencies, underscore the need for novel functional resources. Rosehip, the fruit of the Rosa spp. has a rich history of medicinal and nutritional use, suggesting its potential as an underused source of diverse bioactive compounds. However, research on rosehips remains scattered, with limited systematic integration of their ethnomedicinal uses, bioactive compounds, and therapeutic potentials. This review critically synthesizes recent advances in the identification of rosehip bioactive compounds, their pharmacological activities, traditional medicinal applications, and available clinical safety evidence. The review also identifies the primary constraints affecting the broader application of rosehips, including inefficient resource utilization, fragmented evidence, limited clinical validation, and weak commercialization pathways. The objective is to critically evaluate the existing evidence to assess the potential for developing functional foods and therapeutic products based on rosehips.