Mediterranean Fruits and Berries with Bioactive and Toxic Components. A Review

Undoubtedly, natural products with bioactive components such as fruits and berries from the Mediterranean areas are largely appreciated and highly consumed around the world due to their significance as possible novel therapeutical agents, with immense medicinal properties and a possible profound effect on health. According to epidemiological information, there were positive correlations of high consumption of fruits and berries with a low risk of various chronic diseases as these foods are rich sources of nutrients, and energy with a high content of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, polyphenols, and numerous other classes of biological active compounds. Apart from the functional role of fruits and berries on health, they may contain components which in turn lead to toxicity on some occasions, inducing mild or severe symptoms (diarrhea, vomiting, paralysis, coma, or even death) that vary based on various factors such as dose, sensitivity of the individual and the way of exposure. Considering the above data, this paper aims to review the recent literature about the biological activities and therapeutic potentials, toxicity, and toxic components of selected Mediterranean fruits and berries, evaluating on the one hand the potential beneficial role of these foods, and on the other hand their possible toxic health effects.