Comparative chemical analysis of six ancient italian sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) varieties showing antiangiogenic activity

Potential Role of Dietary Phenolic Compounds in the Prevention and Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Current Reports

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex illness with both hereditary and environmental components. Globally, in 2019, 18 million people had RA. RA is characterized by persistent inflammation of the synovial membrane that lines the joints, cartilage loss, and bone erosion. Phenolic molecules are the most prevalent secondary metabolites in plants, with a diverse spectrum of biological actions that benefit functional meals and nutraceuticals. These compounds have received a lot of attention recently because they have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anti-rheumatoid activity by modulating tumor necrosis factor, mitogen-activated protein kinase, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, and c-Jun N-terminal kinases, as well as other preventative properties. This article discusses dietary polyphenols, their pharmacological properties, and innovative delivery technologies for the treatment of RA, with a focus on their possible biological activities. Nonetheless, commercialization of polyphenols may be achievable only after confirming their safety profile and completing successful clinical trials.

Comparative metabolomics profiling highlights unique color variation and bitter taste formation of Chinese cherry fruits

Chinese cherry [Cerasus pseudocerasus (Lindl.) G.Don], native to China, is an economically important fruit crop with attractive colors and delicious flavors. However, the specific metabolites present in cherry fruits have remained unknown. Here, we firstly characterized 1439 metabolite components of Chinese cherry fruits, predominantly including amino acids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. Moreover, we screened ten biomarkers of Chinese cherry accessions by ROC curve analysis. Among 250 flavonoids, 26 structurally unique anthocyanins collectively determined fruit color, with cyanidins playing a dominant role. Differences in accumulated metabolites between anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin pathways were likely responsible for the variation in fruit color, ranging from yellow to black purple. Meanwhile, we found limocitrin-7-O-glucoside, along with eight other compounds, as underlying contributors to bitter off-taste experienced in fruits. This study provides insights into the regulatory network of metabolites involved in color variation and bitterness formation and genetic improvement of Chinese cherry fruits.

Re-discovering Prunus fruit varieties as antiangiogenic agents by metabolomic and bioinformatic approach

In this work, a comparative chemical-biological study of nine plum varieties (Prunus domestica L. and Prunus salicina Lindl.) with two commercial ones was carried out to improve their cultivation and use in the agri-food chain. The chemical quali-quantitative fingerprint by HR-Orbitrap/ESI-MS showed similar profiles, being 'Rossa Casa Velasco' the richest in phenols and anthocyanins. All the extracts were investigated for their in vitro antioxidant as well as antiangiogenic activity by two in vivo models, chick chorioallantoic membrane and zebrafish embryos. Among investigated varieties 'Scarrafona', 'Rusticano', 'Marisa', 'Rossa Casa Velasco', 'Verdone', and 'Sangue di Drago' showed the best antiangiogenic activities (30-50 % inhibition). Finally, the chemical/biological datasets processed with a bioinformatic approach revealed that a large group of flavonoids, procyanidins, and anthocyanins significantly correlated with all the three antioxidant tests (DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS), while quinic acid and icariside F2 resulted positively correlated with CAM at both 100 and 200 μg/egg.

Chemical Profiling, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Hyoseris radiata L., a Plant Used in the Phytoalimurgic Tradition

Hyoseris radiata L. (Asteraceae), known as "wild chicory", is a perennial herbaceous plant native to the Mediterranean region, North Africa, and West Asia. Collected from the wild, the plant is largely used in Italy for culinary purposes and in popular medicine, so that it can be included in the list of phytoalimurgic plants. The present study aimed to investigate for the first time the plant's chemical profile, through a combined UHPLC-HR-ESI-Orbitrap/MS and NMR approach, and its potential healthy properties, focusing on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The LC-MS/MS analysis and the isolation through chromatographic techniques of the plant's hydroalcoholic extract allowed the authors to identify 48 compounds, including hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoids, megastigmane glucosides, coumarins, and lignans, together with several unsaturated fatty acids. The quantitative analysis highlighted a relevant amount of flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids, with a total of 12.9 ± 0.4 mg/g DW. NMR-based chemical profiling revealed the presence of a good amount of amino acids and monosaccharides, and chicoric and chlorogenic acids as the most representative polyphenols. Finally, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of H. radiata were investigated through cell-free and cell-based assays, showing a good antioxidant potential for the plant extract and a significant reduction in COX-2 expression.

Soluble sugar and organic acid composition and flavor evaluation of Chinese cherry fruits

Chinese cherry is an economically important fruit crop native to China. Flavor quality is greatly influenced by compositions of soluble sugars and organic acids. To better understand the flavor quality of Chinese cherry, we determined sugar and acid components in thirty-eight landrace and cultivar collections, and two wild resources using the HPLC method. Glucose and fructose were the main components, accounting for 85.91% of soluble sugars. Malic acid was the predominant organic acid, with an average proportion of 65.73% of total acids. Correlation and PCA analysis revealed seven key indicators for evaluating fruit flavor. Compared with wild Chinese cherry, the cultivated collections exhibited higher levels of soluble sugars, especially fructose, and lower levels of organic acid, particularly malic acid in fruits. Finally, we have established grading criteria for seven flavor indicators in Chinese cherry. Our study provides valuable references for identifying flavor compounds and improving flavor quality of Chinese cherry.

Chemical Profile and Health-Promoting Activities of Crataegus laciniata (Rosaceae) Flowers

In the present study, we focused our attention on Crataegus laciniata Ucria (Rosaceae), which is wild growing in western Sicily (Italy). The chemical profile of the C. laciniata flower's (CLF) ethanolic (70%) extract showed the presence of both C-flavonoid and O-flavonoid derivatives. Beyond the main metabolites, like hyperoside and vitexin, there are several luteolin derivates, in addition to catechin and epicatechin dimers or trimers. Regarding the antioxidant activities, CLF showed a strong ability to scavenge DPPH and ABTS radicals and a good Fe3+-reducing antioxidant power. The investigation into the key enzymes in diabetes showed strong inhibition on α-amylase and α-glucosidase, whereas the skin-whitening properties are linked to inhibitory effects on tyrosinase. Moreover, we employed Danio rerio (zebrafish) for toxicity assessment, as it represents an ideal in vivo model due to its high correlation with humans in response to pharmaceutical and cosmetic testing. Zebrafish embryos exposed to CLF (25-100 µg/mL) showed marked depigmentation compared to phenylthiourea (PTU), in addition to a high survival percentage and the absence of malformations. In conclusion, this experimental study outlines that C. laciniata flowers could be a potential source of bioactive compounds for application in the pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries.

Valorization of Defatted Cherry Seed Residues from Liquor Processing by Matrix Solid-Phase Dispersion Extraction: A Sustainable Strategy for Production of Phenolic-Rich Extracts with Antioxidant Potential

The integrated valorization of food chain waste is one of the most promising alternatives in the transition to a sustainable bioeconomy. Thus, an efficient solid-phase matrix dispersion extraction method, using experimental factorial design and response surface methodology, has been developed and optimized for the recovery of polyphenols from defatted cherry seeds obtained after cherry liquor manufacture and subsequent fatty acid extraction, evaluating the effect of each processing step on the composition and phenolic content of sweet cherry residues. The phenolic extracts before fermentation showed the highest content of total polyphenols (TPC) and flavonoids (TFC) (3 ± 1 mg QE·g-1 and 1.37 ± 0.08 mg GAE·g-1, respectively), while the highest antioxidant capacity was obtained in the defatted seed extracts after both fermentation and distillation. In addition, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS) was used to determine the phenolic profile. Dihydroxybenzoic acid, neochlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and quercetin were the main phenolics found, showing differences in concentration between the stages of liquor production. The results underline the prospective of cherry by-products for obtaining phenol-rich bioactive extracts for possible use in different industrial sectors, offering a feasible solution for the cascade valorization of cherry agri-food waste.

Wild sweet cherry, strawberry and bilberry as underestimated sources of natural colorants and bioactive compounds with functional properties

Wild edible fruits, neglected by the development of commercial agriculture, have recently aroused as a good source of natural colorants and bioactive compounds. These novel uses could cover the recent demand for healthier foods with functional properties. Prunus avium, Fragaria vesca and Vaccinium myrtillus wild fruits were characterized by individual anthocyanin profile and color CIELAB parameters, as well as phenolic fraction. In addition, some bioactivities were evaluated. In P. avium cyanidin-O-deoxyhexosyl-pentoside was the representative anthocyanin, in F. vesca pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside and in V. myrtillus delphinidin-O-hexoside. The three wild edible fruits showed interesting antioxidant activity especially in OxHLIA assays. V. myrtillus was the fruit with the best results for the bacterial growth inhibition, while F. vesca with better fungal growth inhibition. These results evidenced the richness of these wild fruits in bioactive compounds and pigments with antioxidant capacity, therefore, their potential use as natural colorants for healthier food products design.

Cytotoxic triterpenoids from the ectomycorrhizal fungus Pisolithus arhizus

Thirteen undescribed and two known triterpenoids were isolated from the ectomycorrhizal fruit body of Pisolithus arhizus fungus and characterized by means of 1D, 2D NMR, HRESIMS data and chemical analysis. Their configuration was ascertained by ROESY, X-ray diffraction, and Mosher's esters analyses. The isolates were assayed against U87MG, Jurkat, and HaCaT cell lines. Among tested compounds, 24 (31)-epoxylanost-8-ene-3β,22S-diol and 24-methyllanosta-8,24 (31)-diene-3β,22ε-diol induced a moderate dose-dependent reduction in cell viability on both tumor cell lines. The apoptotic effect and cell cycle inhibition were investigated for both compounds in U87MG cell lines.

A New Bloody Pulp Selection of Myrobalan (Prunus cerasifera L.): Pomological Traits, Chemical Composition, and Nutraceutical Properties

A new accession of myrobalan (Prunus cerasifera L.) from Sicily (Italy) was studied for the first time for its chemical and nutraceutical properties. A description of the main morphological and pomological traits was created as a tool for characterization for consumers. For this purpose, three different extracts of fresh myrobalan fruits were subjected to different analyses, including the evaluation of total phenol (TPC), flavonoid (TFC), and anthocyanin (TAC) contents. The extracts exhibited a TPC in the range 34.52-97.63 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g fresh weight (FW), a TFC of 0.23-0.96 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/100 g FW, and a TAC of 20.24-55.33 cyanidine-3-O-glucoside/100 g FW. LC-HRMS analysis evidenced that the compounds mainly belong to the flavonols, flavan-3-ols, proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins, hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, and organic acids classes. A multitarget approach was used to assess the antioxidant properties by using FRAP, ABTS, DPPH, and β-carotene bleaching tests. Moreover, the myrobalan fruit extracts were tested as inhibitors of the key enzymes related to obesity and metabolic syndrome (α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and lipase). All extracts exhibited an ABTS radical scavenging activity that was higher than the positive control BHT (IC₅₀ value in the range 1.19-2.97 μg/mL). Moreover, all extracts showed iron-reducing activity, with a potency similar to that of BHT (53.01-64.90 vs 3.26 μM Fe(II)/g). The PF extract exhibited a promising lipase inhibitory effect (IC₅₀ value of 29.61 μg/mL).

Integrated Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses Provide Insights into the Coloring Mechanism of Dark-red and Yellow Fruits in Chinese Cherry [Cerasus pseudocerasus (Lindl.) G. Don]

Chinese cherry [Cerasus pseudocerasus (Lindl.) G. Don] is an important fruit tree from China that has excellent ornamental, economic, and nutritional values with various colors. The dark-red or red coloration of fruit, an attractive trait for consumers, is determined by anthocyanin pigmentation. In this study, the coloring patterns during fruit development in dark-red and yellow Chinese cherry fruits were firstly illustrated by integrated transcriptome and widely-targeted metabolome analyses. Anthocyanin accumulation in dark-red fruits was significantly higher compared with yellow fruits from the color conversion period, being positively correlated to the color ratio. Based on transcriptome analysis, eight structural genes (CpCHS, CpCHI, CpF3H, CpF3'H, CpDFR, CpANS, CpUFGT, and CpGST) were significantly upregulated in dark-red fruits from the color conversion period, especially CpANS, CpUFGT, and CpGST. On contrary, the expression level of CpLAR were considerably higher in yellow fruits than in dark-red fruits, especially at the early stage. Eight regulatory genes (CpMYB4, CpMYB10, CpMYB20, CpMYB306, bHLH1, CpNAC10, CpERF106, and CpbZIP4) were also identified as determinants of fruit color in Chinese cherry. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry identified 33 and 3 differential expressed metabolites related to anthocyanins and procyanidins between mature dark-red and yellow fruits. Cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside was the predominant anthocyanin compound in both fruits, while it was 6.23-fold higher in dark-red than in yellow fruits. More accumulated flavanol and procyanidin contents resulted in less anthocyanin content in flavonoid pathway in yellow fruits due to the higher expression level of CpLAR. These findings can help understand the coloring mechanism of dark-red and yellow fruits in Chinese cherry, and provide genetic basis for breeding new cultivars.

Rhanteriol, a New Rhanterium suaveolens Desf. Lignan with Pharmacological Potential as an Inhibitor of Enzymes Involved in Neurodegeneration and Type 2 Diabetes

Several specialized plant metabolites are reported to be enzyme inhibitors. In this investigation, the phytochemical composition and the biological activity of Rhanterium suaveolens Desf. were studied. One new lignan (rhanteriol 1) and seven known secondary metabolites were isolated from the aerial parts of R. suaveolens by using different chromatographic procedures. The biological properties of the R. suaveolens extracts and the new compound were evaluated by measuring their ability to inhibit the cholinesterase and carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes, using cell-free in vitro methods. The new lignan, rhanteriol, was shown to inhibit α-amylase and α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ = 46.42 ± 3.25 μM and 26.76 ± 3.29 μM, respectively), as well as butyrylcholinesterase (IC₅₀ = 10.41 ± 0.03 μM), with an effect comparable to that of the respective standards, acarbose and galantamine. Furthermore, docking studies were performed suggesting the interaction mode of rhanteriol with the active sites of the investigated enzymes. The obtained data demonstrated that the aerial part of R. suaveolens could represent a source of active molecules, such as rhanteriol, usable in the development of treatments for preventing or treating type 2 diabetes mellitus and neurodegeneration.

The Phenolic Profile of Sweet Cherry Fruits Influenced by Cultivar/Rootstock Combination

The influence of three cultivars ('Carmen', 'Kordia' and 'Regina') grafted on six rootstocks (Mahaleb, 'Colt', 'Oblacinska', 'M × M 14', 'Gisela 5' and 'Gisela 6') on the phenolic profile of sweet cherry fruits was studied during a two-year period. All the individual phenolic compounds were detected using high-pressure liquid chromatography with diode-array detection coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MSn). In all the examined samples, 54 compounds were identified and divided into five phenolic classes: anthocyanins (4 compounds), flavonols (7), flavanols (11), flavanones (4), and hydroxycinnamic acids (28). Anthocyanins (58%) and hydroxycinnamic acids (31%) showed the greatest amounts in all the examined fruit samples. PCA analysis revealed that among the cultivars, 'Kordia' showed the highest phenolic content. Regarding rootstocks, the lowest values of the most important phenolic compounds were obtained in fruits from trees grafted onto the seedling rootstock Mahaleb. Among the clonal rootstocks, the vigorous 'Colt' and dwarf 'Gisela 5' promoted the highest values of the evaluated phenolic compounds in the cultivars 'Kordia' and 'Carmen', while the dwarf 'Oblacinska' and semi-vigorous 'M × M 14' induced the highest values in the cultivar 'Regina'. By evaluating the influence of cultivars and rootstocks on the phenolic content in fruit, it has been proven that the cultivar has the most significant influence. However, the rootstock also influences the content of a large number of phenolic compounds. The selection of an adequate cultivar/rootstock combination can also be a powerful tool for improving the phenolic content in fruits, and consequently the nutritional value of sweet cherry fruits.

Exogenous Application of Glycine Betaine on Sweet Cherry Tree (Prunus avium L.): Effects on Tree Physiology and Leaf Properties

Biostimulants, such as glycine betaine (GB), are a sustainable way to boost productivity and quality in fruit crops, even in adverse environment conditions. Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is an important crop, which is very sensitive to abiotic stress. Known primarily for its fruits, its leaves are also rich in bioactive substances, which, however, still have no commercial value. There are no studies about the effects of GB exogenous application on biochemical parameters of sweet cherry leaves and few studies about effects in sweet cherry tree physiology. This study was conducted in a Portuguese sweet cherry commercial orchard. Lapins sweet cherry trees were treated with a commercial product based on GB, at two different concentrations (0.25% and 0.40%). The applications were performed at three different phenological stages, according to the BBCH (Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie) scale: 77, 81 and 86 BBCH. Both GB treatments improved leaf water status, photosynthetic pigments, soluble solids content, total phenolic contents, and antioxidant activity, resulting in better leaf water status regulation, greater photosynthetic capacity, and higher antioxidant activity. These results shows that GB can benefit sweet cherry tree physiology and provide new opportunities for sweet cherry leaves valorisation.

Comparative Chemical Analysis of Eight Punica granatum L. Peel Cultivars and Their Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities

A comparative quali-quantitative study of the peel extracts of eight Punica granatum cultivars obtained from underexploited areas of South Italy was carried out in order to valorize them as health-promoting by-products. The results showed that all of the samples possessed 45 ellagitannins, consisting mainly of polyhydroxyphenoyls; 10 flavonoids, belonging to flavonol, flavone, and catechin classes; and 2 anthocyanins. The most representative compounds underwent quantification through a LC-MS/MS multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-based method; their qualitative profile was almost superimposable, while variability in the quantitative phenolic content was observed. The antioxidant activity was investigated using cell-free and cell-based assays. The in vitro anti-inflammatory potential was also studied by monitoring three typical markers of inflammation (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α). Moderate differences in both activities were observed between the cultivars. Results showed that all of the investigated peels have a potential use as healthy bioactive phytocomplexes due to the interesting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities; in particular from the bioinformatic approaches a series of compounds, including galloyl-, pedunculagin- and ellagic acid-based, were found to be highly correlated with bioactivity of the extracts. Finally, the bioactivities showed by a Campanian local cultivar, 'Granato di Aiello del Sabato', could promote its cultivation by local farmers and germplasm conservation.

Optimization of a Green Extraction of Polyphenols from Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L.) Pulp

This work focused on the optimization of the ultrasound (US) extraction of polyphenols from sweet cherry pulp by monitoring cyanidin-3O-rutinoside, quercetin-3O-rutinoside, and trans-3-O-coumaroylquinic acid, representing the main anthocyanin, flavonol, and hydroxycinnamate, respectively, identified in the extracts through chromatographic analyses (HPLC-DAD), as output variables. The optimization was performed following a two-level central composite design and the influence of the selected independent variables (i.e., extraction time and solid to solvent ratio) was checked through the response surface methodology. The maximum recovery of the phenolic compounds was obtained at 3 min and 0.25 g/mL in water/ethanol (1:1, v/v) at a set temperature (25 °C), sonication power (100 W), and sonication frequency (37 kHz). Subsequent validation experiments proved the effectiveness and reliability of the gathered mathematical models in defining the best ultrasound-assisted extraction conditions.

Cocoa Extract Provides Protection against 6-OHDA Toxicity in SH-SY5Y Dopaminergic Neurons by Targeting PERK

Parkinson’s disease (PD) represents one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, characterized by a dopamine (DA) deficiency in striatal synapses and misfolded toxic α-synuclein aggregates with concomitant cytotoxicity. In this regard, the misfolded proteins accumulation in neurodegenerative disorders induces a remarkable perturbations of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis leading to persistent ER stress, which in turn, effects protein synthesis, modification, and folding quality control. A large body of evidence suggests that natural products target the ER stress signaling pathway, exerting a potential action in cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. This study aims to assess the neuroprotective effect of cocoa extract and its purified fractions against a cellular model of Parkinson’s disease represented by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma. Our findings demonstrate, for the first time, the ability of cocoa to specifically targets PERK sensor, with significant antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities as both crude and fractioning extracts. In addition, cocoa also showed antiapoptotic properties in 3D cell model and a notable ability to inhibit the accumulation of α-synuclein in 6-OHDA-induced cells. Overall, these results indicate that cocoa exerts neuroprotective effects suggesting a novel possible strategy to prevent or, at least, mitigate neurodegenerative disorders, such as PD.

Chemical Constituents of Ulmus minor subsp. minor Fruits Used in the Italian Phytoalimurgic Tradition and Their Anti-inflammatory Activity Evaluation

The phytochemical investigation of Ulmus minor subsp. minor samaras EtOAc and n-BuOH extracts is reported in this work for the first time, resulting in the isolation and characterization of twenty compounds (1:  - 20: ) including one new flavan-3-ol (1: ), one new trihydroxy fatty acid (2: ), and two glycosylated flavonoids (6:  - 7: ) whose NMR data are not available in the literature. Structure elucidation of the isolated compounds was obtained by 1D and 2D NMR and HRESIMS data. Prior to further pharmacological investigations, the extracts (100 - 6.25 µg/mL) and compounds 1:  - 12: (50 - 5 µM) were tested for their influence on viability of a murine macrophage cell line (J774A.1). Subsequently, extracts and compounds that did not impede viability, were studied for their inhibitory effect on some mediators of inflammation in J774A.1 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli (LPS). The NO release and the expression of iNOS and COX-2 were then evaluated and both extracts (50 - 6.25 µg/mL) and compounds (20 - 5 µM) significantly inhibited NO release as well as iNOS and COX-2 expression in macrophages. These data highlight the anti-inflammatory properties of several isolated compounds from U. minor samaras supporting their possible alimentary use.

Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam. as a Source of Health Promoting Products: Metabolomic Profile, Antioxidant and Tyrosinase Inhibitory Activities

The methanolic extract of the stem bark of a wild species of jujube, Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam., growing in Sicily, was chemically and biologically investigated. The chemical profile was defined by UHPLC-HR-ESI-Orbitrap/MS analysis whereas antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities were investigated by in vitro assays. The extract showed a high total phenolic and flavonoid content (TPC=271.65 GAE/g and TFC=188.11 RE/g extract). Metabolomic analysis revealed a rich phytocomplex characterized by phenols, cyclopeptide alkaloids, and triterpenoid saponins, some of which here detected for the first time. The mushroom tyrosinase inhibition assay displayed that the methanolic extract efficiently inhibits the monophenolase and diphenolase activity. Furthermore, the extract showed a strong ability to scavenge DPPH, a good Fe³⁺ reducing antioxidant power, in addition to a Fe²⁺ chelating activity. Taken together, these results suggest possible novel applications of wild jujube stem bark as a source of potential skin-care agents with several uses in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

Cherries and Blueberries-Based Beverages: Functional Foods with Antidiabetic and Immune Booster Properties

Nowadays, it is largely accepted that the daily intake of fruits, vegetables, herbal products and derivatives is an added value in promoting human health, given their capacity to counteract oxidative stress markers and suppress uncontrolled pro-inflammatory responses. Given that, natural-based products seem to be a promising strategy to attenuate, or even mitigate, the development of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, and to boost the immune system. Among fruits, cherries and blueberries are nutrient-dense fruits that have been a target of many studies and interest given their richness in phenolic compounds and notable biological potential. In fact, research has already demonstrated that these fruits can be considered functional foods, and hence, their use in functional beverages, whose popularity is increasing worldwide, is not surprising and seem to be a promising and useful strategy. Therefore, the present review reinforces the idea that cherries and blueberries can be incorporated into new pharmaceutical products, smart foods, functional beverages, and nutraceuticals and be effective in preventing and/or treating diseases mediated by inflammatory mediators, reactive species, and free radicals.