Endangered edible species as reservoirs of bioactive compounds for nutrition health and biodiversity conservation a systematic review

Global reliance on a few staple crops has caused rapid erosion of edible biodiversity and pervasive malnutrition. Endangered Edible Species (EES) including neglected crops, landraces, wild foods, and threatened insects are being lost along with their unique bioactive compounds and traditional knowledge. This systematic review synthesizes global evidence on EES bioactive potential, health benefits, endangerment drivers, and conservation pathways. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and CAB Abstracts (January 2000 – March 2025). Of 6,178 initial records, 122 studies met the Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome, Study design (PICOS) criteria after duplicate removal and multi-level screening. Quality assessment used adapted phytochemical checklists and the Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) risk-of-bias tool. EES possess exceptionally rich bioactive profiles. Andean tubers contain ten-fold higher anthocyanins than commercial potatoes. Mashua ( Tropaeolum tuberosum Ruiz & Pav.) glucosinolates show anti-proliferative activity (HeLa IC₅₀: 35 µg/mL). Gac fruit provides 70× more β-carotene than carrots. The edible insect Aspongopus chinensis Dallas produces antimicrobial peptides potent against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC: 8 µg/mL). In vitro and preclinical studies demonstrate antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic benefits. Mechanistic evidence reveals Nrf2 pathway activation and gut microbiota modulation. However, climate change, agricultural homogenization, and habitat loss critically threaten these species, most of which are absent from International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessments. Edible species threatened with extinction represent a vital, rapidly shrinking bio-resource for improving nutrition, discovering novel therapeutics, and building climate-resilient agricultural systems. Future priorities include clinical validation, sustainable bioprospecting integrated with Industry 4.0 technologies, and trans-disciplinary research to support SDGs 2, 12, and 15.