Nutraceutical potential of rose hips of three wild Rosa species from Western Himalaya, India

Recently, the use of hips of different rose species has increased due to its nutritional and health-promoting benefits. Rose hips contain a rich amount of ascorbic acid, phenolics, and various other bioactive constituents. Based on the distribution and variation in the morphological characters, rose hips of nine accessions belonging to the three species viz. Rosa webbiana Wall. ex Royle, R. moschata Herrm., and R. canina L. were studied. The rose hips were evaluated for moisture, carbohydrates, total protein, crude fat, total phenolic, crude fibers, water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins, and mineral contents. An appreciable amount of the studied biochemical parameters with significant variations was observed in the rose hips originated from different regions. Results demonstrated the high nutraceutical potential of these species and indicated that their rose hips could be promoted as a functional food in the region. Furthermore, the phytonutrient-rich composition of the region's rose hips was revealed when the current study's findings were compared to previous studies. Therefore, they may be considered ingredients in food and dietary supplement formulations, phytopharmaceutical sector and can be quickly brought under cultivation. Furthermore, findings based on the scientific evidence indicate that the information on the pharmacological and toxicological of R. webbiana and R. moschata is very scanty or lacking; therefore, needing more research interest.