Red raspberry fruit is sweet and tart.  The edible fruit is laxative and refrigerant[1] as well as, antacid, and parturient.[2] 

Red raspberry is astringent, tonic, hemostatic, antiseptic, antiabortient, parturient, antigonorrheal, antileucorrheal, and antimalarial[3] as well as stimulant, alterative, stomachic, anti-emetic, and cathartic.[4]  There are some constituents, especially the ellagalic acid, which is an isolate of ellagitannins, in raspberry that have been shown in studies to be anti-carcinogenic, especially in the cervix, colon, mouth, and esophagus[5] as well as the prostate, pancreas, breast, and skin cancers.[6]  The quantity of ellagitannins found in raspberry has been studied and, when compared to other plants like strawberries and walnuts, which are known to contain ellagitannins, it seems to be more bioavailable.  This could be due to lack of study in the other plants or the fact that they contain smaller quantities of the ellagic acid than raspberries.  The other possibility is that those plants, which contain a similar quantity of ellagitannins, have their own unique mix of these tannins.  As a result, they might produce a slightly different effect on the body.[7]  One animal study showed a tendency of raspberry to reduce blood glucose levels; therefore, it may be beneficial in diabetes.[8]