The preventive effect of strawberries against the onset of common human diseases induced by oxidative stress

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is closely related with the prevention against the development of various pathologies such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, ageing-related disorders, especially thanks to the high content of bioactive compounds with a high antioxidant activity. Strawberry possesses numerous micronutrients such as vitamins (vitamin C, folate) and minerals (K, P, Ca), but also a high amount of non-nutrients components such as polyphenols, especially flavonoids (anthocyanins and ellagitannins are the most common). The biological activity of phytochemical compounds has been widely demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo; the preventive role of these are mainly due to their capacity to protect biological macromolecules against oxidative damage, limiting the production of free radicals or detoxifying them. The main purpose of this work is to summarize the latest findings about the potential preventive effect of strawberry against the onset of neoplastic, cardiovascular and neuro-degenerative diseases.