Aristotelia chilensis, commonly known as maqui berry, is a plant species native to the temperate rainforests of Chile and Argentina. It is renowned for its dark purple berries, which are celebrated for their high antioxidant content and potential health benefits.

Botanical Classification:

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Order: Malpighiales
• Family: Elaeagnaceae
• Genus: Aristotelia
• Species: Aristotelia chilensis

Plant Characteristics:
Aristotelia chilensis is a shrub or small tree that can grow up to 5 meters in height. It has glossy, evergreen leaves and produces small, inconspicuous flowers that develop into dark purple berries. The deep color of the berries is indicative of their high anthocyanin content.

Chemical Composition and Structure:
The berries of Aristotelia chilensis contain several beneficial compounds:

Vitamins: Rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin A.

Minerals: Contains essential minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

Antioxidants: Extremely high in antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins, which are responsible for the dark purple color. They also contain flavonoids and polyphenols that help combat oxidative stress.

Organic Acids: Includes organic acids like citric and malic acids, contributing to the berry's tart flavor.

Dietary Fiber: Provides dietary fiber that supports digestive health.

How to Cultivate It:

• Climate: Prefers temperate climates with cool to mild temperatures. It is adapted to the moist, forested conditions of its native range.
• Soil: Grows best in well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soils.
• Sunlight: Thrives in full sun to partial shade.
• Watering: Requires regular watering to maintain soil moisture, avoiding excess water that can cause root rot.
• Pruning: Pruning can help maintain plant shape and promote better air circulation.

Uses and Benefits:

• Culinary Uses: Maqui berries are used fresh, dried, or in powdered form. They are incorporated into smoothies, juices, and various health foods.
• Medicinal Uses: Traditionally used for their antioxidant properties and potential benefits to cardiovascular health, immune support, and anti-inflammatory effects (1).
• Economic Uses: Maqui is cultivated commercially for the health food market and dietary supplements due to its high antioxidant content.

Applications:

• Medical: Used to enhance cardiovascular health, support the immune system, and combat inflammation.
• Cosmetics: Maqui extracts are used in skincare products to improve hydration, brighten the skin, and reduce signs of aging.

INCI Functions:

Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.

• Others: Also used in dietary supplements and nutraceutical products.

Environmental and Safety Considerations:

• Pests and Diseases: Generally resilient to pests and diseases, but regular monitoring is advised to ensure plant health.
• Invasive Potential: Not typically considered invasive; however, cultivation should be managed to prevent unintended spread.
• Safety: Generally regarded as safe for topical application. However, like all extracts, it should be used in accordance with established guidelines to avoid potential allergic reactions or skin irritations. People with allergies or very sensitive skin should be careful.

References__________________________________________________________________________

(1) Romanucci V, D'Alonzo D, Guaragna A, Di Marino C, Davinelli S, Scapagnini G, Di Fabio G, Zarrelli A. Bioactive Compounds of Aristotelia chilensis Stuntz and their Pharmacological Effects. Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2016;17(6):513-23. doi: 10.2174/1389201017666160114095246. PMID: 26778456.

Abstract. Aristotelia chilensis ([Molina], Stuntz) a member of the family Eleocarpaceae, is a plant native to Chile that is distributed in tropical and temperate Asia, Australia, the Pacific Area, and South America. The juice of its berries has important medicinal properties, as an astringent, tonic, and antidiarrhoeal. Its many qualities make the maqui berry the undisputed sovereign of the family of so-called "superfruits", as well as a valuable tool to combat cellular inflammation of bones and joints. Recently, it is discovered that the leaves of the maqui berry have important antibacterial and antitumour activities. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the traditional use, phytochemistry, and biological activity of A. chilensis using information collected from scientific journals, books, and electronic searches. Anthocyanins, other flavonoids, alkaloids, cinnamic acid derivatives, benzoic acid derivatives, other bioactive molecules, and mineral elements are summarized. A broad range of activities of plant extracts and fractions are presented, including antioxidant activity, inhibition of visible light-induced damage of photoreceptor cells, inhibition of α-glucosidase, inhibition of pancreatic lipase, anti-diabetic effects, anti-inflammatory effects, analgesic effects, anti-diabetes, effective prevention of atherosclerosis, promotion of hair growth, anti-photo ageing of the skin, and inhibition of lipid peroxidation. Although some ethnobotanical uses have been supported in in vitro experiments, further studies of the individual compounds or chemical classes of compounds responsible for the pharmacological effects and the mechanisms of action are necessary. In addition, the toxicity and the side effects from the use of A. chilensis, as well as clinical trials, require attention.

Masoodi H , Villaño D , Zafrilla P . A comprehensive review on fruit Aristotelia chilensis (Maqui) for modern health: towards a better understanding. Food Funct. 2019 Jun 19;10(6):3057-3067. doi: 10.1039/c8fo02429d. 

Abstract. Human and animal intervention studies have provided enough evidence for the protective effects of different foods rich in polyphenols against non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. Though over the last decade South American berries, rich sources of polyphenols, especially maqui, have become the subject of research interest due to their remarkable potential health benefits, yet so far very limited studies have been conducted on the effect of maqui berry on non-communicable diseases, and information about its domestication is also still deficient. This comprehensive review focuses on the health potential of maqui, especially on its effect on non-communicable diseases. It is anticipated that this article will extend our understanding of the maqui-health benefit relationship. More detailed and long term in vivo intervention and in vitro studies are needed to fully understand how maqui interacts with human physiological and pathological processes, considering the rapid increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.

Velázquez L, Quiñones J, Inostroza K, Sepúlveda G, Díaz R, Scheuermann E, Domínguez R, Lorenzo JM, Velásquez C, Sepúlveda N. Maqui (Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz): A Natural Antioxidant to Improve Quality of Meat Patties. Antioxidants (Basel). 2022 Jul 20;11(7):1405. doi: 10.3390/antiox11071405. 

Abstract. Aristotelia chilensis is an endemic shrub of the South Pacific with high concentrations of bioactive compounds in its leaves and, therefore, it is highly valued. The effect of Aristotelia chilensis leaf powders (maqui leaf powders; Ma) on the quality and shelf life of beef patties during 7 days of storage was investigated. Five beef patties treatments were prepared: (1) Control without antioxidants (CT); (2) Beef patties with synthetic antioxidants plus color (250 mg/kg) (PL); (3) Beef patties with 500 ppm of maqui leaf powders (Ma500); (4) Beef patties with 1000 ppm of maqui leaf powders (Ma1000); and (5) Beef patties with 2000 ppm of maqui leaf powders (Ma2000). The quality of the beef patties was evaluated on day 0 and day 7 of storage by physicochemical analysis (moisture, ash and lipid content, color, pH, fatty acid profile and lipid oxidation) and organoleptic analysis. The addition of maqui leaf powders did not produce changes in the proximate composition of the beef patties. The pH for all treatments showed a range of 5.50−5.75 and significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed at the beginning and end of storage. The pH of the control beef patties increased during storage while the pH of the beef patties with synthetic and natural antioxidants decreased. Redness (a*) was the color indicator that was mostly affected by the inclusion of 1000 ppm and 2000 ppm powders. High lipid oxidation was observed in control samples on the seventh day of storage due to the high percentage of fat used in the formulation and the absence of any antioxidant. However, the Ma500, Ma1000, and Ma2000 treatments presented the lowest lipid oxidation rates (42.05%, 40.29%, and 43.14%, respectively) in comparison with the synthetic antioxidant (52.23%). This lipid inhibition is related to the strong antioxidant activity (29.75 µg/mL IC50 DPPH) of the maqui leaf powder due to its high content of total polyphenols (148.76 mg GAE/g), mainly characterized by having great amounts of hydroxybenzoic acids (82.5 mg GAE/g), flavonoids (7.1 mg QE/g), and hydroxycinnamic acids (3.7 mg CAE/g). Although minimal variations were observed in some individual fatty acids, and despite the trend to decrease MUFA and increase SFA with the maqui leaf powder addition, these differences were minimal and, according to the nutritional indices results, without any influence on the nutritional quality of the beef patties. The organoleptic analysis showed that the addition of maqui leaf powders did not affect the general acceptability of the new formulations. This study reports for the first time the substitution of synthetic antioxidants with Aristotelia chilensis leaves extract. Based on the results, it can be concluded that this ingredient can be used as an alternative for the production of raw meat products with clean labels.

García-Milla P, Peñalver R, Nieto G. A Review of the Functional Characteristics and Applications of Aristotelia chilensis (Maqui Berry), in the Food Industry. Foods. 2024 Mar 9;13(6):838. doi: 10.3390/foods13060838. 

Abstract. The Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz, also known as Maqui, is an endemic berry native to southern Chile. It is a very popular berry for its nutritional attributes and health benefits, provided mainly by its polyphenols. This review aims to investigate the Maqui and its nutritional characteristics, its health benefits, and the application of Maqui in the food industry. This fruit provides 150 calories per 100 g of product and has a low protein content and a high fiber content. Its seeds contain monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs); however, its most outstanding feature is its high value of bioactive compounds, mainly anthocyanins, indole alkaloids and flavonoids, coumarins, caffeic and ferulic acids, and delphinidin 3-O-β-glucoside, the latter being the most representative, providing Maqui with high antioxidant activity. Maqui is considered a fruit of high interest as a nutraceutical product for the control and prevention of ongoing diseases, and among its benefits, we can highlight glycemic and metabolic control; the control and prevention of obesity, cancer, cognitive decline, and dementia; the prevention and treatment of bone structure alterations; prevention against oxidative stress, particularly in cigarette smoke-induced stress. In addition to its nutraceutical use, Maqui has been used in the food industry to improve the shelf life (by controlling lipid oxidation) and nutritional value of food products and as a substitute for synthetic additives. In addition, the inclusion of Maqui improves the organoleptic and sensory characteristics of foods. The incorporation of this fruit has been observed mainly in drinks, meat products, bakery products, and milk products. Evidence has shown that Maqui consumption, as well as products with Maqui added, have a good acceptability and exert benefits on people's health. Knowledge about the application of Maqui in food will allow us to create new nutraceutical and food products that improve their nutritional and functional value.

Del Campo A, Salamanca C, Fajardo A, Díaz-Castro F, Bustos C, Calfío C, Troncoso R, Pastene-Navarrete ER, Acuna-Castillo C, Milla LA, Villarroel CA, Cubillos FA, Aranda M, Rojo LE. Anthocyanins from Aristotelia chilensis Prevent Olanzapine-Induced Hepatic-Lipid Accumulation but Not Insulin Resistance in Skeletal Muscle Cells. Molecules. 2021 Oct 12;26(20):6149. doi: 10.3390/molecules26206149. PMID: 34684731; PMCID: PMC8537850.

Abstract. Type 2 diabetes and obesity are major problems worldwide and dietary polyphenols have shown efficacy to ameliorate signs of these diseases. Anthocyanins from berries display potent antioxidants and protect against weight gain and insulin resistance in different models of diet-induced metabolic syndrome. Olanzapine is known to induce an accelerated form of metabolic syndrome. Due to the aforementioned, we evaluated whether delphinidin-3,5-O-diglucoside (DG) and delphinidin-3-O-sambubioside-5-O-glucoside (DS), two potent antidiabetic anthocyanins isolated from Aristotelia chilensis fruit, could prevent olanzapine-induced steatosis and insulin resistance in liver and skeletal muscle cells, respectively. HepG2 liver cells and L6 skeletal muscle cells were co-incubated with DG 50 μg/mL or DS 50 μg/mL plus olanzapine 50 μg/mL. Lipid accumulation was determined in HepG2 cells while the expression of p-Akt as a key regulator of the insulin-activated signaling pathways, mitochondrial function, and glucose uptake was assessed in L6 cells. DS and DG prevented olanzapine-induced lipid accumulation in liver cells. However, insulin signaling impairment induced by olanzapine in L6 cells was not rescued by DS and DG. Thus, anthocyanins modulate lipid metabolism, which is a relevant factor in hepatic tissue, but do not significantly influence skeletal muscle, where a potent antioxidant effect of olanzapine was found.