Chaenomeles sinensis (Thouin) Koehne fruit polyphenols alleviate high-fat diet-induced obesity and liver steatosis by improving lipid metabolism in mice

Genetic variation, functional composition, biological activity, and diverse applications of Chaenomeles: A review of current knowledge

The exploration of medicinal and edible attributes of fruit materials has significantly advanced the food industry. However, the Chaenomeles species (Chaenomeles speciosa, Chaenomeles thibetica, Chaenomeles cathayensis, Chaenomeles japonica, and Chaenomeles sinensis) remain underexplored, with notable nutritional diversity and widespread availability. This review delves into the multifaceted health benefits of Chaenomeles, examining its fruits, leaves, twigs, seeds, and petals. This intrinsic complexity underscores the substantial potential for future research across various application avenues. This article provides a thorough overview of typical Chaenomeles species, encompassing an analysis of their functional composition, nutritional attributes, and diverse applications. The genetic relationships governing variation across these species are explored, particularly concerning the challenges and potential crises of cultivating smaller crop species. This study presents a comprehensive synthesis of inherent genetic variation patterns in Chaenomeles, elucidating considerations regarding its susceptibility to viruses, bacteria, and fungi as a small crop variety. The compositional analysis reveals phenolics, glycosides, organic acids, flavonoids, lipids, and macromolecules, each with distinct nutritional attributes contributing to organ protection, arthritis alleviation, and the mitigation of metabolic diseases. Notably, the pronounced sour taste characteristic of Chaenomeles can be effectively alleviated through methodologies such as fermentation.

Antidepressant-like Effects of Chinese Quince (Chaenomeles sinensis) Fruit Based on In Vivo and Molecular Docking Studies

In this study, we examined the potential antidepressant-like effects of Chinese quince fruit extract (Chaenomeles sinensis fruit extract, CSFE) in an in vivo model induced by repeated injection of corticosterone (CORT)-induced depression. HPLC analysis determined that chlorogenic acid (CGA), neo-chlorogenic acid (neo-CGA), and rutin (RT) compounds were major constituents in CSFE. Male ICR mice (5 weeks old) were orally administered various doses (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg) of CSFE and selegiline (10 mg/kg), a monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor, as a positive control following daily intraperitoneal injections of CORT (40 mg/kg) for 21 days. In our results, mice treated with CSFE exhibited significant improvements in depressive-like behaviors induced by CORT. This was evidenced by reduced immobility times in the tail suspension test and forced swim test, as well as increased step-through latency times in the passive avoidance test. Indeed, mice treated with CSFE also exhibited a significant decrease in anxiety-like behaviors as measured by the elevated plus maze test. Moreover, molecular docking analysis indicated that CGA and neo-CGA from CSFE had stronger binding to the active site of MAO-B. Our results indicate that CSFE has potential antidepressant effects in a mouse model of repeated injections of CORT-induced depression.