Tart cherry

Prunus cerasus (Tart Cherry) Fruit Ext. Dry Conc. (13:1 in 100% water) Tart cherry (Prunus cerasus), also known as sour cherry, is a fruit-bearing tree in the Rosaceae family that is distinct from sweet cherry (Prunus avium). Tart cherries have been used in traditional medicine systems, including Unani medicine, for various therapeutic purposes including treatment of renal calculi, digestive disorders, and inflammatory conditions. The fruit has gained recognition as a functional food due to its exceptionally high content of bioactive polyphenolic compounds. Tart cherries contain substantially higher levels of beneficial phytochemicals compared to sweet cherry varieties, with anthocyanin content reported to be 27-200% higher than in sweet cherries [1,2,3,4]. The primary bioactive constituents include anthocyanins (predominantly cyanidin-3-O-glucosylrutinoside, cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside, and cyanidin-3-O-sophoroside), hydroxycinnamic acids (particularly chlorogenic acid and neochlorogenic acid), flavonols (quercetin and kaempferol derivatives), flavanols (catechin and epicatechin), hydroxybenzoic acids, and melatonin. These polyphenolic compounds, especially anthocyanins 1 and 2, exhibit potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes COX-1 and COX-2, with cyanidin demonstrating anti-inflammatory activity superior to aspirin in some assays [1,2,3,4].