# Maqui as a Chilean Functional Food: Antioxidant Bioactivity, Nutritional Value, and Health Applications **Authors:** Caterina Tiscornia, Enrique Lorca, Carolina Estremadoyro, Valeria Aicardi, Fabián Vásquez PMC · DOI: 10.3390/antiox15020204 · Antioxidants · 2026-02-03 ## TL;DR Maqui berries from Chile are rich in antioxidants and may help prevent chronic diseases like heart and kidney issues. ## Contribution This study compiles evidence on maqui's bioactive compounds and their health benefits, emphasizing its potential as a functional food. ## Key findings - Maqui berries are rich in delphinidins, fiber, and antioxidant micronutrients. - Maqui modulates oxidative stress and inflammation via Nrf2-HO-1 and NF-κB pathways. - Early evidence suggests maqui improves glycemic control, lipid metabolism, and endothelial function. ## Abstract Maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) is a berry native to southern Chile, recognized for its high content of phenolic compounds, particularly delphinidin-type anthocyanins, which confer strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and have generated growing interest as a functional food. Its scientific relevance has increased due to advances in understanding its biological mechanisms, including the Nrf2 signaling pathway, modulation of systemic inflammation, improvement in mitochondrial function, and potential applications in cardiometabolic, renal, and vascular health. Objective: The objective of this study is to analyze the available evidence on maqui in relation to its nutritional composition, bioactive profile, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms, bioavailability, and emerging clinical applications in the prevention and/or treatment of chronic non-communicable diseases. Main findings: Maqui is rich in delphinidins, dietary fiber, and antioxidant micronutrients and modulates key oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways, including Nrf2-HO-1 and NF-κB. Preclinical and early clinical evidence supports its cardiometabolic and nephroprotective effects, with improvements in glycemic control, lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and endothelial function. Conclusions: Maqui shows considerable potential as a Chilean functional food with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects relevant to human health. However, robust clinical trials and formulations with enhanced bioavailability are required to consolidate its therapeutic application. ## Linked entities - **Genes:** GABPA (GA binding protein transcription factor subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 2551], HMOX1 (heme oxygenase 1) [NCBI Gene 3162], NFKB1 (nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1) [NCBI Gene 4790] - **Species:** Aristotelia chilensis (taxon 138855) ## Full-text entities - **Genes:** HMOX1 (heme oxygenase 1) [NCBI Gene 3162] {aka HMOX1D, HO-1, HSP32, bK286B10}, Casp1 (caspase 1) [NCBI Gene 12362] {aka ICE, Il1bc}, NOS3 (nitric oxide synthase 3) [NCBI Gene 4846] {aka EC-NOS, ECNOS, MYMY8, NOSIII, cNOS, eNOS}, GSTK1 (glutathione S-transferase kappa 1) [NCBI Gene 373156] {aka GST, GST 13-13, GST13, GST13-13, GSTK1-1, hGSTK1}, ARHGEF5 (Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 5) [NCBI Gene 7984] {aka GEF5, P60, TIM, TIM1}, IL6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 3569] {aka BSF-2, BSF2, CDF, HGF, HSF, IFN-beta-2}, KEAP1 (kelch like ECH associated protein 1) [NCBI Gene 9817] {aka INrf2, KLHL19}, PRKAA1 (protein kinase AMP-activated catalytic subunit alpha 1) [NCBI Gene 5562] {aka AMPK, AMPK alpha 1, AMPKa1}, CAT (catalase) [NCBI Gene 847], TGFB1 (transforming growth factor beta 1) [NCBI Gene 7040] {aka CAEND1, CED, DPD1, IBDIMDE, LAP, TGF-beta1}, Nlrp3 (NLR family, pyrin domain containing 3) [NCBI Gene 216799] {aka AGTAVPRL, AII/AVP, Cias1, FCAS, FCU, MWS}, NFE2L2 (NFE2 like bZIP transcription factor 2) [NCBI Gene 4780] {aka IMDDHH, NRF2, Nrf-2}, NFKB1 (nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1) [NCBI Gene 4790] {aka CVID12, EBP-1, KBF1, NF-kB, NF-kB1, NF-kappa-B1}, ACTA1 (actin alpha 1, skeletal muscle) [NCBI Gene 58] {aka ACTA, ASMA, CFTD, CFTD1, CFTDM, CMYO2A}, CDKN1A (cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 1A) [NCBI Gene 1026] {aka CAP20, CDKN1, CIP1, MDA-6, P21, SDI1}, TP53 (tumor protein p53) [NCBI Gene 7157] {aka BCC7, BMFS5, LFS1, P53, TRP53}, Pycard (PYD and CARD domain containing) [NCBI Gene 66824] {aka 9130417A21Rik, Asc, CARD5, TMS-1, TNS1, masc}, CDKN2A (cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A) [NCBI Gene 1029] {aka ARF, CAI2, CDK4I, CDKN2, CMM2, INK4}, CSE [NCBI Gene 1433], NOS2 (nitric oxide synthase 2) [NCBI Gene 4843] {aka HEP-NOS, INOS, NOS, NOS2A}, Sod1 (superoxide dismutase 1) [NCBI Gene 24786] {aka CuZnSOD}, Nfe2l2 (nuclear factor, erythroid derived 2, like 2) [NCBI Gene 18024] {aka Nrf2}, PTGS2 (prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2) [NCBI Gene 5743] {aka COX-2, COX2, GRIPGHS, PGG/HS, PGHS-2, PHS-2}, TNF (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 7124] {aka DIF, IMD127, TNF-alpha, TNFA, TNFSF2, TNLG1F}, GSR (glutathione-disulfide reductase) [NCBI Gene 2936] {aka CNSHA10, GR, GSRD, HEL-75, HEL-S-122m}, NQO1 (NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1) [NCBI Gene 1728] {aka DHQU, DIA4, DTD, NMOR1, NMORI, QR1}, Il1b (interleukin 1 beta) [NCBI Gene 16176] {aka IL-1beta, Il-1b}, SI (sucrase-isomaltase) [NCBI Gene 6476], INS (insulin) [NCBI Gene 3630] {aka IDDM, IDDM1, IDDM2, ILPR, IRDN, MODY10}, COX2 (cytochrome c oxidase subunit II) [NCBI Gene 4513] {aka COII, MTCO2}, IL1B (interleukin 1 beta) [NCBI Gene 3553] {aka IL-1, IL1-BETA, IL1F2, IL1beta}, Hmox1 (heme oxygenase 1) [NCBI Gene 15368] {aka D8Wsu38e, HO-1, HO1, Hemox, Hmox, Hsp32} - **Diseases:** Type 2 diabetes (MESH:D003924), inflammatory bowel disease (MESH:D015212), renal damage (MESH:D007674), organ damage (MESH:D000092124), cardiac damage (MESH:D006331), hypersensitivity (MESH:D004342), hyperuricemia (MESH:D033461), glucose intolerance (MESH:D018149), diabetic nephropathy (MESH:D003928), periodontal diseases (MESH:D010510), chronic (MESH:D002908), caries (MESH:D003731), reperfusion injury (MESH:D015427), thrombotic (MESH:D013927), impaired glucose regulation (MESH:C565631), sore throat (MESH:D010612), atherosclerosis (MESH:D050197), CKD (MESH:D012080), cardiovascular disease (MESH:D002318), uremic (MESH:D006463), Crohn's disease (MESH:D003424), colitis (MESH:D003092), gastrointestinal disorders (MESH:D005767), cytotoxic (MESH:D064420), urinary tract infections (MESH:D014552), bone deterioration (MESH:D001847), insulin resistance (MESH:D007333), fire (MESH:D000092422), age-related diseases (MESH:D010024), allograft dysfunction (MESH:D000092122), arrhythmias (MESH:D001145), pulmonary inflammation (MESH:D011014), non-communicable diseases (MESH:D000073296), overweight (MESH:D050177), metabolic diseases (MESH:D008659), renal (MESH:D006030), ischemia (MESH:D007511), fever (MESH:D005334), loss of functional nephron mass (MESH:C536030), organelle damage (MESH:D020263), uremia (MESH:D014511), Inflammatory (MESH:D007249), neurodegenerative diseases (MESH:D019636), injury to (MESH:D014947), hyperglycemia (MESH:D006943), metabolic disturbances (MESH:D024821), platelet aggregation (MESH:D001791), Fibrosis (MESH:D005355), Mitochondrial dysfunction (MESH:D028361), tubular injury (MESH:D000230), cancer (MESH:D009369), Diabetes Mellitus (MESH:D003920), endothelial dysfunction (MESH:D014652), Chronic Kidney Disease (MESH:D051436) - **Chemicals:** protocatechuic acid (MESH:C009091), polyphenol (MESH:D059808), ATP (MESH:D000255), guar gum (MESH:C007894), fructose (MESH:D005632), glutathione (MESH:D005978), Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (MESH:D002266), pelargonidin-3-glucoside (MESH:C078485), lipid (MESH:D008055), sucrose (MESH:D013395), 2,2'-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (MESH:C002502), GA (MESH:D005708), cyanidin-3-O-sambubioside (MESH:C546691), petunidin (MESH:C473206), isorhamnetin (MESH:C047368), Anthocyanin (MESH:D000872), ellagic acid (MESH:D004610), caffeic acid (MESH:C040048), flavonoid (MESH:D005419), TNBS (MESH:D014302), magnesium (MESH:D008274), glucose (MESH:D005947), chlorogenic acid (MESH:D002726), creatinine (MESH:D003404), C3G (MESH:C462279), trisaccharides (MESH:D014312), calcium (MESH:D002118), ROS (MESH:D017382), glycosides (MESH:D006027), short-chain fatty acids (MESH:D005232), semiquinone radicals (MESH:C025232), 4'-O-methyl-delphinidin-3-rutinoside (-), superoxide (MESH:D013481), H2O2 (MESH:D006861), NO (MESH:D009614), SA (MESH:D000077145), potassium (MESH:D011188), malvidin (MESH:C065861), proanthocyanidin (MESH:C013221), DCF (MESH:D015649), Delphinidin (MESH:C017185), heme (MESH:D006418), cyanidin (MESH:C017154), proanthocyanidins (MESH:D044945), peonidin (MESH:C473205), delphinidin-3-glucoside (MESH:C494120), carbohydrate (MESH:D002241), cyanidin-3-rutinoside (MESH:C428983), water (MESH:D014867), kaempferol (MESH:C006552), carotenoids (MESH:D002338), delphinidin-3-sambubioside (MESH:C505011), metformin (MESH:D008687), disaccharide (MESH:D004187), phenolic acids (MESH:C017616), iron (MESH:D007501), myricetin (MESH:C040015), delphinidin-3-rutinoside (MESH:C010705), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (MESH:C038193), inulin (MESH:D007444) - **Species:** Oryza sativa (Asian cultivated rice, species) [taxon 4530], Stevia (genus) [taxon 55669], Rattus norvegicus (brown rat, species) [taxon 10116], Rodentia (rodent, order) [taxon 9989], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Sus scrofa (pig, species) [taxon 9823], Aristotelia chilensis (species) [taxon 138855], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090] - **Cell lines:** Caco-2 — Homo sapiens (Human), Colon adenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0025) ## Full text _Full body text omitted from this summary view._ Fetch the complete paper as Markdown: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12937973/full.md ## Figures 2 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12937973/full.md ## References 112 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12937973/full.md --- Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12937973