Rosa spp. (Rosa canina L., R. macrophylla Lindl., R. moschata Herrm., R. multiflora Thunb.)

The plant species belonging the genus Rosa (Rosaceae) are the perennial shrubs mostly distributed in Europe, North Africa, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocoo, West Asia. The fruits are called rose hips and are the pseudo fruits which are oval in shape. These fruits are rich in bioactive compounds including vitamin C, carotenoids, tocopherol, phenolic acid, bioflavonoids, tannin, pectin, organic acids, amino acid, essential oil and unsaturated fatty acids which have great importance in human health. The fruits extracts exhibit different pharmacological activities like antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidaemic, anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic, gastroprotective and anti-cancer. The oil can be commercially produced from the rose hip especially from R. canina and R. rubiginosa which has the greater values in food and cosmetics industries. Various cosmeceuticals and herbal formulations are also available which contain rose hip oil or standardised rose hip powder. This chapter focuses on the scientific progress on the fruits of Rosa spp. related to nutritional and phytochemical composition and its potential in the nutraceutical market.