In this review we focused on the traditional and on the modern
uses of the edible parts of jaboticaba (i.e. peel and pulp). It is an
exhaustive survey of this fruit's secondary products. Most of them
are polar or semipolar metabolites, including volatiles, anthocyanins,
flavonoids, gallo-/ellagi-tannins, depsides, and other phenolics. We
will further discuss the medicinal activity of jaboticaba fruit metabolites,
especially for their potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
activities, and their potential to treat COPD. We will relate this
medical research to the ethnobotanical use of this plant in Brazil,
and discuss the implications of these compounds to human health.
Optimization of extraction, focusing on bioactive constituents from
this fruit will also be examined. Finally, prospects and challenges of
future jaboticaba studies are described.