What is it about?
Plant-based diets are linked to both physical health and psychological wellbeing. Among bioactive fruits and vegetables, kiwifruit has been reported to show antidepressant activity. Using preclinical models and advanced chemical analyses, we identified quinic acid—a fruit-derived compound particularly abundant in kiwi—as the key molecule behind this effect. Quinic acid rapidly reaches the brain, where it exerts its antidepressant action.
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Photo by Mohamed Marey on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Major depression is a serious condition that urgently requires new and effective treatment options. Our discovery of quinic acid as the active antidepressant compound in kiwifruit represents an important step forward. This molecule could be developed as a new drug, while at the same time a diet rich in quinic acid–containing fruits, such as kiwi, may help support existing therapies.
Perspectives
I truly hope that this discovery can inspire the development of new solutions for depression. If industry takes up the challenge, quinic acid could become the basis for new medicines or natural products that work alongside existing therapies, offering people better chances for recovery and wellbeing.
Flavia Guzzo
Università degli studi di Verona
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Untargeted metabolomics reveals quinic acid as the kiwifruit component that affects brain activity in mice, PLOS One, August 2025, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0326134.
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