Comparative Study of Bioactive Compounds and Biological Activities of Five Rose Hip Species Grown in Sicily

Nowadays, research on plant extracts has attracted increasing interest. The aim of this study was to compare phenolic profile, vitamin C, and carotenoid content, as well as the biological activities of five different rose species, including Rosa canina, R. corymbifera, R. micrantha, R. rubiginosa, and R. rugosa. These species had different morphological characteristics, with R. rugosa showing higher size of flower petals and higher weight of hips. The highest vitamin C content was found in hip extracts of R. rubiginosa and R. rugosa, which also showed the highest carotenoid amount. R. corymbifera showed the highest phenolic content. No significant antimicrobial activity of extracts containing phenolic compounds against different indicator strains could be detected. Cell monolayer integrity was not affected by treatments with the above-mentioned extracts of R. canina, R. micrantha, and R. rugosa at different concentrations for up to 24 h, while those of R. rubiginosa and R. corymbifera affected intestinal permeability at the highest concentration tested. The partial least squares regression analysis generated a predictive model correlating phenolic compounds with cell monolayer integrity, suggesting a relevant role for catechin, quercitrin, and p-coumaric acid. In conclusion, this study highlights how rose hips belonging to different species can have a diverse phenolic profile, differently influencing intestinal monolayer integrity.