Bioactive Compounds of Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.)

Abstract

Castanea genus includes several chestnut-producing species with ecological and economical interest. The current industrial processing of chestnut generates great amounts of by-products mostly epicarps and integuments; likewise, there is an immense volume of chestnut flowers, burs, and chestnut leaves that remain in the soil, often contributing to the development of insect larvae, which require effective management strategies. Both materials could be included in extraction processes aimed at recovering high-value bioactive compounds. Herein, the compounds with highest interest, as well as their main bioactivities, are thoroughly characterized in each chestnut component, viz., integuments, pericarps, flowers, bur, leaves, and chestnut tree bark.