The Rosa genus (Rosaceae family) includes more than 260 species, and almost all species are seen in the Northern hemisphere, particularly in the temperate zones, distributed all over Asia, Europe and Mediterranean region, North America, and the Middle East (Hickey and King, 1997, Roskov et al., 2014, Czyzowska et al., 2015, Živković et al., 2015, Ahmad et al., 2016). The Rosa deciduous species are flowering shrubs widely utilized for their fruits and flowers (Ercisli, 2005, Ahmad et al., 2016). Among these species, many are the climbing plants. The common dog rose, or wild rose, or dog brier, or rosehip, is referred to the species Rosa canina L. (Ahmad et al., 2016, Ayati et al., 2018). The words ‘Rosa’ and ‘canina’ in the Latin language mean ‘rose’ and ‘dog-like’ respectively (Ayati et al., 2018). It was believed that the Roman naturalist Pliny called the plant dog rose, because of an ancient belief that the R. canina roots were effective and probably curative for the bite wound inflicted by mad dog (Haas, 1995). Before the ancient Roman, already in the Greek age R. canina was known and in particular Hippocrates cited its use (Haas, 1995). During the period of second world war, Britain extensively used the fruits of R. canina, to even replace citrus fruits, in syrup preparation, for its rich ascorbic acid content, and for the management of scurvy (Haas, 1995).

Rosa plants have been utilized in medicine, food, as well as cosmetic industry for many decades. Several studies described the medicinal value of these plants and their specific benefits using different plant parts (Nybom, 2009, Boskabady et al., 2011, Cunja et al., 2014, Ayati et al., 2018). The Rosa genus have fruits known as rosehip, which are widely utilized and can be considered an essential source of phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid (Demir et al., 2014). They have been used in inflammatory conditions, various diseases including fever as well as influenza, and chronic pain (Demir et al., 2014, Ahmad et al., 2016). The fruit powder with a high amount of phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid is widely utilized in Europe and several areas of the globe for its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and is being utilized for the management of common cold, wounds, ulcers and skin disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, knee and hip osteoarthritis, as well as other joint problems (Rein et al., 2004, Guimarães et al., 2010). Fruits can be considered laxative and in this regard potentially useful for the management of digestive issues. They also showed protective effect in preclinical and clinical models of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer due to their rich bioactive phytochemical content (Ahmad et al., 2016). They are also utilized as ingredients of several traditional plant-based formulations either dried or fresh, and in phyto-nutraceuticals for preparations that protect against several disorders including immunity (Ayati et al., 2018). In addition, the fruits are at the basis of different food, such as jam, yogurts, probiotic drinks, and soups (Uggla and Nybom, 1998, Gao et al., 2000, Chrubasik et al., 2008). Similar to other Rosa species, the dried fruits of R. canina are utilized for the preparation of tea (Sen and Gunes, 1996, Ahmad et al., 2016). The seeds of R. canina are edible, can be ground and consumed with various other foods, and are an excellent source of vitamin E. The seeds are also traditionally used for the expulsion of intestinal worms (Ayati et al., 2018). The essential oil pressed from R. canina seeds is rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs) such as linolenic acid and linoleic acid, vitamin A, and carotenoids and shows excellent skin protective properties, therefore useful for skin disorders such as burns, dermatitis, eczema, scars, and acne (Concha et al., 2006, Živković et al., 2015). This essential oil can be used as a moisturizer as well as an anti-aging agent in skin care formulations (Concha et al., 2006). Moreover, also the leaves of R. canina have been used: their infusion showed diuretic property and anti-common cold effect in Turkey (Sen and Gunes, 1996, Çoruh and Ercisli, 2010). In addition, flower decoctions have been successfully used for eye washing in the case of infections, particularly in the Etna regional park of Sicily (Živković et al., 2015). Even, the roots of R. canina along with the hips are used for the preparation of tea (Sen and Gunes, 1996, Ayati et al., 2018). The R. canina petals are edible and can be utilized for making jams. The petals together with the hips are also beneficial in digestive disorders, including diarrhea and gastritis. Another product derived from R. canina is the so called distilled water of rose used for the management of acne, sunstroke, asthenia, constipation, liver and heart injury, cosmetics (Sõukand et al., 2013). Substantially all the parts of R. canina show at least one use, ranging from therapeutic effects to gastronomic preparations and cosmetics. Given its large applications and pharmacological properties, R. canina was naturally studied in preclinical oncology, as this review explains in the sections below.