Many of you may know about the history of use of cherry bark in cough drops and syrups, and to address symptoms of colds, fevers, and sore throats. Research has more recently shown that extract of the bark may prevent the proliferation of human colorectal cancer cells. Cherry blossoms are used to flavor sweets/desserts, teas and liqueurs in Japan. Did you know that the beautiful blossoms are edible, and that the bark has been used for many things over the course of centuries, especially as an anti-inflammatory? You can find cherry blossoms in skin care products used to address irritation, and also to soothe and rejuvenate skin. Indeed, research on cherry blossom extract (Prunus yedoensis) showed a good anti- inflammatory effect in vitro (in lab settings) and in vivo (in living beings) and represents a promising functional ingredient in soothing skincare products by reducing skin inflammation. Further, leaves from the double cherry blossom tree (termed as ‘Gosen-Sakura’ of Gosen-city, Niigata-prefecture, Japan), which have been long used in the preparation of the traditional Japanese sweet, ‘sakura-mochi’, have been found to contain biomolecules, with anti-tumor activity. Sakura-cha (salted cherry blossom tea), a Japanese tea that is traditionally served at celebrations such as wedding ceremonies, is produced through the immersion of cherry blossom flowers in Japanese plum vinegar, and through this process, a byproduct (plum vinegar extract of cherry blossom) is obtained. In another study, the antioxidant activity of this plum vinegar extract was examined and found to be superior to that of red wine, which is a well-known antioxidant. So, the next time you look at cherry blossoms, you might stop to consider the medicine contained in the flower and the leaf – as well as the bark – or perhaps just give the blossom a nibble!
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