Paper · 2026 · Phytochemistry

Metabolites and bioactivities of the Acer species with edible and medicinal values

Na Luo; Jianfen Xiao; Qingqing Huang; et al.

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claims
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verbatim quotes
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citations
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research areas
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Open access · cc-by-nc

Abstract

The genus Acer (Sapindaceae) includes numerous species with long-standing edible and medicinal applications, particularly in East Asia and North America. Notably, Acer truncatum Bunge, A. tataricum subsp. ginnala (Maxim.) Wesm., A. saccharum Marshall, A. rubrum L., A. tegmentosum Maxim., and Acer nikoense (Miq.) Maxim. have been consumed as teas, syrups, edible oils, or herbal preparations and are increasingly recognized for their health-promoting potential. This review summarizes their traditional uses, phytochemical composition, and biological activities. Phytochemical investigations reveal that the representative species have yielded structurally diverse metabolites, including flavonoids, tannins, phenylpropanoids, diarylheptanoids, terpenoids, and benzoic acid derivatives. Moreover, these species possess various bioactivities, particularly antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and cardioprotective effects. In brief, these six species exhibit both dietary and health-promoting value, supporting their relevance as promising functional food ingredients. Despite increasing attention, current research remains fragmented. Comparative studies across species are scarce, structure-activity relationships are insufficiently characterized, and systematic toxicological and safety evaluations are largely lacking. Further interdisciplinary research is needed to clarify active constituents, mechanisms of action, and translational potential, thereby facilitating the sustainable development and utilization of Acer species as edible and medicinal resources.

Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record; open copy licensed cc-by-nc. Read at the source ↗

The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.

Claims 4

Observationobservedreview summarybasis n/a

Claim · model-written summary

Representative Acer species yield diverse flavonoids, tannins, phenylpropanoids, diarylheptanoids, terpenoids, and benzoic acid derivatives.

Taxon
AcerAcere1
Outcome
structurally diverse metabolites, including flavonoids, tannins, phenylpropanoids, diarylheptanoids, terpenoids, and benzoic acid derivativese0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Acer
Acer · Taxon · picture of the genus (one of its species)Willow · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“the representative species have yielded structurally diverse metabolites, including flavonoids, tannins, phenylpropanoids, diarylheptanoids, terpenoids, and benzoic acid derivatives”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 605–786 · show in text ↑
e1

“The genus Acer (Sapindaceae)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 0–28 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedreview summarypositivebasis n/a

Claim · model-written summary

The Acer species have reported antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective bioactivities.

Taxon
AcerAcere1
Outcome
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotectivee0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Acer
Acer · Taxon · picture of the genus (one of its species)Willow · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“these species possess various bioactivities, particularly antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and cardioprotective effects”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 798–980 · show in text ↑
e1

“The genus Acer (Sapindaceae)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 0–28 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedreview summarypositivebasis n/a

Claim · model-written summary

The Acer species have reported hepatoprotective, antidiabetic and antimicrobial bioactivities.

Taxon
AcerAcere1
Outcome
hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, antimicrobiale0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Acer
Acer · Taxon · picture of the genus (one of its species)Willow · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“these species possess various bioactivities, particularly antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and cardioprotective effects”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 798–980 · show in text ↑
e1

“The genus Acer (Sapindaceae)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 0–28 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedreview summarypositivebasis n/a

Claim · model-written summary

The Acer species have reported cardioprotective effects.

Taxon
AcerAcere1
Outcome
cardioprotective effectse0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Acer
Acer · Taxon · picture of the genus (one of its species)Willow · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“cardioprotective effects”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 956–980 · show in text ↑
e1

“The genus Acer (Sapindaceae)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 0–28 · show in text ↑