A review of botanical characteristics, phytochemistry, clinical relevance in efficacy and safety of Lycium barbarum fruit (Goji)

Lycibarbarspermidines A-O, New Dicaffeoylspermidine Derivatives from Wolfberry, with Activities against Alzheimer's Disease and Oxidation

Fifteen new dicaffeoylspermidine derivatives, lycibarbarspermidines A-O (1-15), were isolated from the fruit of Lycium barbarum (wolfberry). The structures were unambiguously determined by spectroscopic analyses and chemical methods. Dicaffeoylspermidine derivatives, a rare kind of plant secondary metabolites, are primarily distributed in the family of Solanaceae. Only six compounds were structurally identified, and all of them are acyclic aglycones. Compounds 1-15 are the first glycosidic products of dicaffeoylspermidine derivatives, and compounds 14-15 are the first cyclization products of dicaffeoylspermidine derivatives. Moreover, dicaffeoylspermidine derivatives were first isolated and identified from wolfberry. The short-term memory assay on a transgenic fly Alzheimer's disease (AD) model showed that 1-15 exhibited different levels of anti-AD activity. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay revealed that 1-15 all displayed antioxidant capacity. Both anti-AD and antioxidant functions are related to the effects of wolfberry. Therefore, dicaffeoylspermidine derivatives are considered beneficial constituents responsible for the antiaging, neuroprotective, anti-AD, and antioxidant effects of wolfberry.

A Simple HPLC-ELSD Method for Sugar Analysis in Goji Berry

Fructose, glucose, and sucrose were identified and quantified in commercial samples ofLycium barbarumL. fruits (goji berries) by high performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-ELSD) method. This study described a rapid, simple, sensitive, selective, and reliable HPLC method suitable for the profiling of major sugars in berries, the evaluation of the nutritional/energetic properties, and assessment of the maturation stage. The proposed analytical method was validated and the results showed good precision, accuracy, and linearity. In all analyzed goji fruits, glucose and fructose were the predominant sugars, while sucrose content was about ten times lower than each monose. It was observed that glucose and fructose were detected in comparable quantities in all considered samples. Quantitative analysis showed that fructose, glucose, and sucrose content ranged from 154.20 to 259.13 mg g−1, from 152.92 to 284.60 mg g−1, and from 13.75 to 36.43 mg g−1, respectively.

A rapid and effective approach for on-site assessment of total carotenoid content in wolfberry juice during processing

BACKGROUND

Carotenoid content analysis in wolfberry processed products has mainly focused on the determination of zeaxanthin or zeaxanthin dipalmitate, which cannot indicate the total carotenoid content (TCC) in wolfberries.

RESULTS

We have exploited an effective approach for rapid extraction of carotenoid from wolfberry juice and determined TCC using UV-visible spectrophotometry. Several solvent mixtures, adsorption wavelengths of carotenoid extracts and extraction procedures were investigated. The optimal solvent mixture with broad spectrum polarity was hexane-ethanol-acetone (2:1:1) and optimal wavelength was 456 nm. There was no significant difference of TCC in wolfberry juice between direct extraction and saponification extraction.

CONCLUSION

The developed method for assessment of TCC has been successfully employed in quality evaluation of wolfberry juice under different processing conditions. This measurement approach has inherent advantages (simplicity, rapidity, effectiveness) that make it appropriate for obtaining on-site information of TCC in wolfberry juice during processing.

Antioxidant, Antimicrobial Effects and Phenolic Profile of Lycium barbarum L. Flowers

L. barbarum L. is a widely-accepted nutraceutical presenting highly advantageous nutritive and antioxidant properties. Its flowers have been previously described as a source of diosgenin, β-sitosterol and lanosterol that can be further pharmaceutically developed, but no other data regarding their composition is available. The purpose of this work was to investigate the chemical constituents, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of L. barbarum flowers, as an alternative resource of naturally-occurring antioxidant compounds. The free radical scavenging activity of the ethanolic extract was tested by TEAC, two enzymatic assays with more physiological relevance and EPR spectroscopy. The presence of several phenolic compounds, such as chlorogenic, p-coumaric and ferulic acids, but also isoquercitrin, rutin and quercitrin, was assessed by an HPLC/MS method. The antioxidant assays revealed that the extract exhibited a moderate antioxidant potential. The antimicrobial activity was mild against Gram-positive bacteria and lacking against Escherichia coli. These findings complete the scarce existing data and offer new perspectives for further pharmaceutical valorization of L. barbarum flowers.

Goji Berry: Quality Assessment and Crop Adaptation of Plants Cultivated in Tuscany (Italy) by Combination of Carotenoid and DNA Analyses

In this study HPLC analysis for the evaluation of carotenoids and DNA barcoding are reported for three different samples of Lycium cultivated in Tuscany (Italy). These two analytical methods can represent integrative methods for quality control of goji, giving also crucial information on the plant adaptation to different environments. Hence, carotenoids represent the quality markers proposed by the monograph of the European Pharmacopoeia, while DNA barcoding can differentiate between species and populations and is useful for the detection of the homogeneity of the samples.

Fingerprinting profile of polysaccharides from Lycium barbarum using multiplex approaches and chemometrics

Techniques including ultraviolet-visible spectra (UV), high performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and pre-column derivatization high-performance liquid chromatography (PCD-HPLC) were used in the fingerprinting analysis of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) from different locations and varieties. Multiple fingerprinting profiles were used to evaluate the similarity and classification of different LBPs with the help of chemometrics. The results indicated that sixteen batches of LBPs had good consistency, and fingerprinting techniques were simple and robust for quality control of LBPs as well as related products. In addition, fingerprinting techniques combined with chemometrics could also be used to identify different cultivation locations of LBPs samples. Finally, four monosaccharides (galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose and arabinose) and the absorptions of stretching vibration of ester carbonyl groups as well as NH variable angle vibration of -CONH- could be selected as herbal markers to distinguish different samples.

Anti-diabetic effects of the ethanol extract of a functional formula diet in mice fed with a fructose/fat-rich combination diet

BACKGROUND

Rhizoma dioscorea, Lycium barbarum, Prunella vulgaris and hawthorn are well known in both traditional food and folk medicine. Each of these plants reportedly possesses beneficial effects in the treatment of diabetes. In this study an anti-diabetic health-promoting diet was formulated by mixing the herbs in a ratio of 6:4:2:3, and the anti-diabetic effect and underlying mechanism were elucidated in vivo.

RESULTS

Compared with the model control group, the formula, especially its ethanol extract (EF), could improve glucose intolerance and normalize the lipid profile. The mechanisms responsible for the amelioration of glucose and lipid metabolism in mice were an increase in peripheral and hepatic insulin sensitivity, a decrease in serum free fatty acid level, enhanced hepatic glucokinase activity and glycogen content and improved serum antioxidant activity. Hepatic histopathological examination also showed that EF administration markedly decreased fatty deposits in the liver of mice.

CONCLUSION

The results of the present study demonstrated that the prepared functional formula diet is a potent alternative as an anti-diabetic health-promoting diet.

Identification and characterization of miRNAs in ripening fruit of Lycium barbarum L. using high-throughput sequencing

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are master regulators of gene activity documented to play central roles in fruit ripening in model plant species, yet little is known of their roles in Lycium barbarum L. fruits. In this study, miRNA levels in L. barbarum fruit samples at four developmental stages, were assayed using Illumina HiSeqTM2000. This revealed the presence of 50 novel miRNAs and 38 known miRNAs in L. barbarum fruits. Of the novel miRNAs, 36 were specific to L. barbarum fruits compared with L. chinense. A number of stage-specific miRNAs were identified and GO terms were assigned to 194 unigenes targeted by miRNAs. The majority of GO terms of unigenes targeted by differentially expressed miRNAs are "intracellular organelle," "binding," "metabolic process," "pigmentation," and "biological regulation." Enriched KEGG analysis indicated that nucleotide excision repair and ubiquitin mediated proteolysis were over-represented during the initial stage of ripening, with ABC transporters and sulfur metabolism pathways active during the middle stages and ABC transporters and spliceosome enriched in the final stages of ripening. Several miRNAs and their targets serving as potential regulators in L. barbarum fruit ripening were identified using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The miRNA-target interactions were predicted for L. barbarum ripening regulators including miR156/157 with LbCNR and LbWRKY8, and miR171 with LbGRAS. Additionally, regulatory interactions potentially controlling fruit quality and nutritional value via sugar and secondary metabolite accumulation were identified. These include miR156 targeting of fructokinase and 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase and miR164 targeting of beta-fructofuranosidase. In sum, valuable information revealed by small RNA sequencing in this study will provide a solid foundation for uncovering the miRNA-mediated mechanism of fruit ripening and quality in this nutritional food.

Validated method for the analysis of goji berry, a rich source of zeaxanthin dipalmitate

In the present study an HPLC-DAD method was developed for the determination of the main carotenoid, zeaxanthin dipalmitate, in the fruits of Lycium barbarum. The aim was to develop and optimize an extraction protocol to allow fast, exhaustive, and repeatable extraction, suitable for labile carotenoid content. Use of liquid N2 allowed the grinding of the fruit. A step of ultrasonication with water removed efficiently the polysaccharides and enabled the exhaustive extraction of carotenoids by hexane/acetone 50:50. The assay was fast and simple and permitted the quality control of a large number of commercial samples including fruits, juices, and a jam. The HPLC method was validated according to ICH guidelines and satisfied the requirements. Finally, the overall method was validated for precision (% RSD ranging between 3.81 and 4.13) and accuracy at three concentration levels. The recovery was between 94 and 107% with RSD values <2%, within the acceptable limits, especially if the difficulty of the matrix is taken into consideration.

Determination of phytochemicals and antioxidant activity of methanol extracts obtained from the fruit and leaves of Tunisian Lycium intricatum Boiss

A comparative analysis of methanol extracts from fruit and leaves of Lycium intricatum Boiss., a Solanaceous shrubbery with the potential to become a high-value crop, was performed by means of liquid chromatography with photodiode array and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometric detection (LC/PDA/ESI-MS). The total phenolic (TPC), anthocyanin (TAC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents as well as the antioxidant capacity measured by four complementary methods were performed for each sample. The results showed the tested extracts to be rich sources of phenolics; in leaves polyphenols and flavonoids dominate, while in fruit anthocyanins dominate. Nineteen phenolic compounds were detected and fifteen were identified or tentatively characterised based on Photodiode-array ultraviolet visible (PDA) UV-Vis spectra, ESI-MS spectrometric data and spiking experiments with authentic standards. Rutin and chlorogenic acid are the major constituents of the leaves and fruit, respectively. Results obtained in this study have revealed that leaves exhibit better performance in all antioxidant assays. From these results it has been shown that extracts of L. intricatum have great potential as a source of phenolics for natural health products.

Cytotoxic activity evaluation of some medicinal plants, selected from Iranian traditional medicine Pharmacopoeia to treat cancer and related disorders

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

By studying the Iranian Traditional Medicine (ITM) Pharmacopoeia, we have collected information about medicinal plants which had been used to manage cancer-like disorders over eight hundred years, from medieval to the early modern era. Exploring the ITM herbal knowledge, the selected species have been subjected to MTT assay for examining their in vitro cyototoxic activity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cancer was reviewed through the ITM and some terminologies were acquired. Five ITM Pharmacopoeia in Arabic and Persian languages from 10th to 18th century AD were explored. These Pharmacopoeia contained the ITM plants which were used to cure cancer and cancer-like diseases. The ITM names were matched with the scientific names. Then the medicinal plants were collected, authenticated and were evaluated for cytotoxic activity using MTT assay, against MCF-7, HepG-2, A-549 and HT-29 cell lines. Finally, the apoptosis induction ability of the most cytotoxic medicinal plant was investigated by activated caspase 3 inspection in MCF-7 cell line.

RESULTS

Six species of the evaluated medicinal plants revealed cytotoxic activity. The most cytotoxicity was observed in Tanacetum polycephalum subsp. argyrophyllum (K.Koch) Podlech with IC50 values of 28.3 μg mL(-1), 53.9 μg mL(-1) and 43.3 μg mL(-1) against MCF-7, A-549 and HT-29 cell lines, respectively. Caspase 3 activation was also observed in MCF-7 cells by Tanacetum polycephalum subsp. argyrophyllum. This is the first time that the cytotoxic activity of this species has been reported.

CONCLUSION

In the present study, some reliable references of ITM have been introduced and though many technical difficulties, linguistic problems and some other hindrances were encountered during the study, using traditional medicine texts for medicinal plant selection could be considered as a helpful starting point in the field of cancer drug discovery.

Polyphenolic content, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Lycium barbarum L. and Lycium chinense Mill. leaves

This study was performed to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and the polyphenolic content of Lycium barbarum L. and L. chinense Mill. leaves. The different leave extracts contain important amounts of flavonoids (43.73 ± 1.43 and 61.65 ± 0.95 mg/g, respectively) and showed relevant antioxidant activity, as witnessed by the quoted methods. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of target phenolic compounds were achieved using a HPLC-UV-MS method. Rutin was the dominant flavonoid in both analysed species, the highest amount being registered for L. chinense. An important amount of chlorogenic acid was determined in L. chinense and L. barbarum extracts, being more than twice as high in L. chinense than in L. barbarum. Gentisic and caffeic acids were identified only in L. barbarum, whereas kaempferol was only detected in L. chinense. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH, TEAC, hemoglobin ascorbate peroxidase activity inhibition (HAPX) and inhibition of lipid peroxidation catalyzed by cytochrome c assays revealing a better antioxidant activity for the L. chinense extract. Results obtained in the antimicrobial tests revealed that L. chinense extract was more active than L. barbarum against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. The results suggest that these species are valuable sources of flavonoids with relevant antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.

Recent Progress of Research on Herbal Products Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine: the Herbs belonging to The Divine Husbandman's Herbal Foundation Canon ( Shén Nóng Běn Cǎo Jīng)

This article will review selected herbal products from Chinese Materia Medica that are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The herbs come from the upper, middle, and lower class medicines as listed in The Divine Husbandman's Herbal Foundation Canon (神農本草經 Shén Nóng Běn Cǎo Jīng). The review will focus on the active constituents of the herbs and their bioactivities, with emphasis on the most recent progress in research for the period of 2003 to 2011.

Cloning of a cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase gene from Lycium chinense Mill. and enhanced salt tolerance by overexpressing in tobacco

To evaluate the physiological importance of cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging system, a full-length cDNA clone, named LmAPX, encoding a cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase was isolated from Lycium chinense Mill. using homologous cloning, then the expression of LmAPX under salt stress was investigated. After sequencing and related analysis, the LmAPX cDNA sequence was 965 bp in length and had an open reading frame (ORF) of 750 bp coding for 250 amino acids. Furthermore, the LmAPX sequence was sub-cloned into prokaryotic expression vector pET28a and the recombinant proteins had a high expression level in Escherichia coli. Results from a southern blot analysis indicated that three inserts of this gene existed in the tobacco genome encoding LmAPX. Compared with the control plants (wild-type and empty vector control), the transgenic plants expressing the LmAPX gene exhibited lower amount of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and relatively higher values of ascorbate peroxidase activity, proline content, and net photosynthetic rate (Pn) under the same salt stress. These results suggested that overexpression of the LmAPX gene could decrease ROS production caused by salt stress and protect plants from oxidative stress.

Pyrrole alkaloids with potential cancer chemopreventive activity isolated from a goji berry-contaminated commercial sample of African mango

Bioassay-guided fractionation of a commercial sample of African mango (Irvingia gabonensis) that was later shown to be contaminated with goji berry (Lycium sp.) led to the isolation of a new pyrrole alkaloid, methyl 2-[2-formyl-5-(hydroxymethyl)-1H-pyrrol-1-yl]propanoate, 1, along with seven known compounds, 2-8. The structures of the isolated compounds were established by analysis of their spectroscopic data. The new compound 1g showed hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity with an ED50 value of 16.7 μM, whereas 4-[formyl-5-(methoxymethyl)-1H-pyrrol-1-yl]butanoic acid (2) was active in both the hydroxyl radical-scavenging (ED50 11.9 μM) and quinone reductase-induction [CD (concentration required to double QR activity) 2.4 μM)] assays used. The isolated compounds were shown to be absent in a taxonomically authenticated African mango sample but present in three separate authentic samples of goji berry (Lycium barbarum) using LC-MS and (1)H NMR fingerprinting analysis, including one sample that previously showed inhibitory activity in vivo in a rat esophageal cancer model induced with N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine. Additionally, microscopic features characteristic of goji berry were observed in the commercial African mango sample.

The effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on the male rats׳ reproductive system and spermatogenic cell apoptosis exposed to low-dose ionizing irradiation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Lycium barbarum, a Solanaceous defoliated shrubbery, has been used as a kind of traditional Chinese herbal medicines for thousands of years. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) is the main bioactive component of Lycium barbarum. The aim of this study was to investigate the radioresistant effect of LBP on the damage of male rats' reproductive system and spermatogenic cells caused by low-dose (60)Co-γ irradiation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Male rats were randomly divided into 7 groups and treated with irradiation and/or LBP: normal control group, irradiation control group 1, irradiation control group 2, irradiation control group 3, LBP + irradiation group 1, LBP + irradiation group 2, and LBP + irradiation group 3.

RESULTS

It is found that mating function and testis organ coefficient in LBP + irradiation groups were significantly better than that of the corresponding irradiation control groups. LBP significantly up-regulates the expression of Bcl-2 while down-regulating the expression of Bax. And LBP also plays an important role in prevention mitochondrial membrane potential decrease. In addition, LBP can significantly reduce spermatogenic cells apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

LBP has obvious protective effect on the male rats' reproductive function and spermatogenic dysfunction induced by irradiation.

Identification and validation of reference genes for quantitative real-time PCR normalization and its applications in lycium

Lycium barbarum and L. ruthenicum are extensively used as traditional Chinese medicinal plants. Next generation sequencing technology provides a powerful tool for analyzing transcriptomic profiles of gene expression in non-model species. Such gene expression can then be confirmed with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Therefore, use of systematically identified suitable reference genes is a prerequisite for obtaining reliable gene expression data. Here, we calculated the expression stability of 18 candidate reference genes across samples from different tissues and grown under salt stress using geNorm and NormFinder procedures. The geNorm-determined rank of reference genes was similar to those defined by NormFinder with some differences. Both procedures confirmed that the single most stable reference gene was ACNTIN1 for L. barbarum fruits, H2B1 for L. barbarum roots, and EF1α for L. ruthenicum fruits. PGK3, H2B2, and PGK3 were identified as the best stable reference genes for salt-treated L. ruthenicum leaves, roots, and stems, respectively. H2B1 and GAPDH1+PGK1 for L. ruthenicum and SAMDC2+H2B1 for L. barbarum were the best single and/or combined reference genes across all samples. Finally, expression of salt-responsive gene NAC, fruit ripening candidate gene LrPG, and anthocyanin genes were investigated to confirm the validity of the selected reference genes. Suitable reference genes identified in this study provide a foundation for accurately assessing gene expression and further better understanding of novel gene function to elucidate molecular mechanisms behind particular biological/physiological processes in Lycium.

Overview of beverages with anti-aging functions in Chinese market

Anti-aging Chinese medicines have been used in traditional beverages to promote health and prevent diseases. Interestingly, these functional beverages may be used differently between men and women, reflecting the "yin-yang" philosophy of Chinese medicine. Modern studies have revealed that some dietary natural products can slow aging in model organisms, and functional beverages containing such products have recently emerged in Chinese market, challenging the dominance of traditional functional beverages. Here we summarize both traditional anti-aging herbs and modern natural dietary compounds currently used in functional beverages in China, and also briefly outline the underlying mechanisms of the beverages in slowing aging process.

Lycium barbarum polysaccharide LBPF4-OL may be a new Toll-like receptor 4/MD2-MAPK signaling pathway activator and inducer

Recognition of the utility of the traditional Chinese medicine Lycium barbarum L. has been gradually increasing in Europe and the Americas. Many immunoregulation and antitumor effects of L. barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) have been reported, but its molecular mechanism is not yet clear. In this study, we reported that the activity of the polysaccharide LBPF4-OL, which was purified from LBP, is closely associated with the TLR4-MAPK signaling pathway. We found that LBPF4-OL can significantly induce TNF-α and IL-1β production in peritoneal macrophages isolated from wild-type (C3H/HeN) but not TLR4-deficient mice (C3H/HeJ). We also determined that the proliferation of LBPF4-OL-stimulated lymphocytes from C3H/HeJ mice is significantly weaker than that of lymphocytes from C3H/HeN mice. Furthermore, through a bio-layer interferometry assay, we found that LPS but not LBPF4-OL can directly associate with the TLR4/MD2 molecular complex. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that LBPF4-OL markedly upregulates TLR4/MD2 expression in both peritoneal macrophages and Raw264.7 cells. As its mechanism of action, LBPF4-OL increases the phosphorylation of p38-MAPK and inhibits the phosphorylation of JNK and ERK1/2, as was observed through Western blot analysis. These data suggest that the L. barbarum polysaccharide LBPF4-OL is a new Toll-like receptor 4/MD2-MAPK signaling pathway activator and inducer.

Anti-fatigue activity of polysaccharides from the fruits of four Tibetan plateau indigenous medicinal plants

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The fruits of Hippophae rhamnoides L., Lycium barbarum L., Lycium ruthenicum Murr. and Nitraria tangutorum Bobr. are traditional medicinal food of Tibetans and used to alleviate fatigue caused by oxygen deficiency for thousands of years. The present study focused on exploiting natural polysaccharides with remarkable anti-fatigue activity from the four Qinghai-Tibet plateau characteristic berries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The fruits of Hippophae rhamnoides, Lycium barbarum, Lycium ruthenicum and Nitraria tangutorum were collected from Haixi national municipality of Mongol and Tibetan (N 36.32°, E98.11°; altitude: 3100 m), Qinghai, China. Their polysaccharides (HRWP, LBWP, LRWP and NTWP) were isolated by hot-water extraction, and purified by DEAE-Cellulose ion-exchange chromatography. The total carbohydrate, uronic acid, protein and starch contents of polysaccharides were determined by a spectrophotometric method. The molecular weight distributions of polysaccharides were determined by gel filtration chromatography. Their monosaccharide composition analysis was performed by the method of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP) pre-column derivatization and RP-HPLC analysis. HRWP, LBWP, LRWP and NTWP (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) were orally administrated to mice once daily for 15 days, respectively. Anti-fatigue activity was assessed using the forced swim test (FST), and serum biochemical parameters were determined by an autoanalyzer and commercially available kits; the body and organs were also weighted.

RESULT

LBWP, LRWP and NTWP were mainly composed of glucans and some RG-I pectins, and HRWP was mainly composed of HG-type pectin and some glucans. All the four polysaccharides decreased immobility in the FST, and the effects of LBWP and NTWP were demonstrated in lower doses compared with HRWP and LRWP. There was no significant difference in liver and heart indices between non-treated and polysaccharide-treated mice, but the spleen indices were increased in LBWP and NTWP (200mg/kg) group. Moreover, the FST-induced reduction in glucose (Glc), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and increase in creatine phosphokinase (CK), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), triglyceride (TG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, all indicators of fatigue, were inhibited by HRWP, LBWP, LRWP and NTWP to a certain extent while the effects of LBWP and NTWP were much better than that of HRWP and LRWP at the same dosage.

CONCLUSION

Water-soluble polysaccharides HRWP, LBWP, LRWP and NTWP, from the fruits of four Tibetan plateau indigenous berry plants, significantly exhibited anti-fatigue activities for the first time, through triglyceride (TG) (or fat) mobilization during exercise and protecting corpuscular membrane by prevention of lipid oxidation via modifying several enzyme activities. Moreover, it is demonstrated that LBWP and NTWP are more potent than HRWP and LRWP, which were proposed to be applied in functional foods for anti-fatigue and antioxidant potential.

Photo-damage protective effect of two facial products, containing a unique complex of Dead Sea minerals and Himalayan actives

BACKGROUND

Skin appearance is badly affected when exposed to solar UV rays, which encourage physiological and structural cutaneous alterations that eventually lead to skin photo-damage.

AIMS

To test the capability of two facial preparations, extreme day cream (EXD) and extreme night treatment (EXN), containing a unique complex of Dead Sea water and three Himalayan extracts, to antagonize biological effects induced by photo-damage.

METHODS

Pieces of organ cultures of human skin were used as a model to assess the biological effects of UVB irradiation and the protective effect of topical application of two Extreme preparations. Skin pieces were analyzed for mitochondrial activity by MTT assay, for apoptosis by caspase 3 assay, and for cytokine secretion by solid phase ELISA. Human subjects were tested to evaluate the effect of Extreme preparations on skin wrinkle depth using PRIMOS and skin hydration by a corneometer.

RESULTS

UVB irradiation induced cell apoptosis in the epidermis of skin organ cultures and increased their pro-inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis α (TNFα) secretion. Topical applications of both preparations significantly attenuated all these effects. Furthermore, in human subjects, a reduction in wrinkle depth and an elevation in the intense skin moisture were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The observations clearly show that EXD and EXN preparations have protective anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties that can attenuate biological effects of skin photo-damage. Topical application of the preparations improves skin appearance by reducing its wrinkles depth and increasing its moisturizing impact.

[Preparative isolation and purification of scopoletin from Lycium barbarum L. by high-speed countercurrent chromatography]

An effective and rapid method for the separation of scopoletin from Lycium barbarum L. by high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was established. The ethyl alcohol extract of the Lycium barbarum L. was initially separated using D-101 macroporous resins and further purified by HSCCC. The thin layer chromatography coupling with fluorometric spectrophotometry (TLC-F) method was used to determine the partitioning coefficient of scopoletin in different solvent systems. The results showed the solvent system of chloroformmethanol-water (10:7:3, v/v/v) was the best one for the HSCCC separation. A total of 10.2 mg of scopoletin with high purity (98. 3%, analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)) was obtained in one step by the following separation procedures: the upper phase as the stationary phase, the lower phase as the mobile phase, with a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min, with the apparatus rotated at 850 r/min, and detected at 365 nm. The structure of the obtained compound was identified by 'H-nuclear magnetic resonance and 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance. The sample could be injected into HSCCC twice successively and the whole separation was achieved with satisfactory peak resolution. These results suggested that the TLC-F method is useful in measuring the partitioning coefficients of the target compound in HSCCC solvent systems and HSCCC is a fast and convenient method for the separation of scopoletin.

Probable interaction between Lycium barbarum (goji) and warfarin

Lycium barbarum (also called goji berry), a Chinese herb used as a supplement for health benefits, is traditionally consumed by the Chinese in the form of a tea. Goji juice, a widely available beverage in the United States, also contains this herb. We describe a 71-year-old Ecuadorean-American woman who was taking warfarin and was hospitalized for a markedly elevated, indeterminate international normalized ratio (INR) (prothrombin time > 120 sec) after consumption of goji juice. She had undergone knee surgery approximately 3 months earlier at which time warfarin therapy was started. She reported no changes in dietary habits or lifestyle other than drinking goji juice for 4 days before hospitalization. On presentation to the emergency department, she described symptoms of epistaxis, bruising, and rectal bleeding. After discontinuation of the goji juice and warfarin, the patient was treated with phytonadione, and her INR decreased to 2.6 over 2 days. Application of the Naranjo adverse drug reaction probability scale indicated a probable relationship (score of 6) between the patient's elevated INR with associated bleeding and her concomitant use of L. barbarum and warfarin. Two other published reports have described similar interactions between warfarin and a tea containing L. barbarum. Patients should be educated about avoiding popular herbal drinks, such as goji juice, that contain L. barbarum while they are taking warfarin. In addition, clinicians should question patients about their use of herbal therapies and document such use in their medical records before prescribing drugs such as warfarin.

Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of vegetables and fruits commonly consumed in Thailand

The vegetables and fruits commonly consumed in Thailand have been suggested as rich sources of beneficial phytochemicals. In this study, vegetables and fruits native to the Northeast region of Thailand were evaluated for antioxidant and antibacterial activities. For vegetables, the extracts of Limnophila aromatica (Lamk.) Merr. (extracted by 80% ethanol) and Sauropus androgynus (Linn.) Merr. (extracted by distilled water) were found to have significant levels of antioxidant activities measured by DPPH scavenging (IC5o at 4.92+/-0.01 and 4.71+/-0.01 mg mL-1, respectively) and FRAP antioxidant assays (74.38+/-0.25 and 74.00+/-0.04 mmol FeSO4 g-' of dry weight of vegetable, respectively) and also total phenolic compounds (10.96+/-0.02 and 10.34+/-0.01 mg gallic acid eq g-1 of dry weight of vegetable). For fruits, the extracts derived from Terminalia chebula Retz. when using distilled water and 80% ethanol as solvents were shown to have significantly high levels of DPPH scavenging (IC50 at 3.73+/-0.01 and 3.81+/-0.01 mg mL-1, respectively), FRAP antioxidant activities (80.85+/-0.10 and 65.93+/-0.11 mmol FeSO4 g-1of dry weight of fruit, respectively) and total phenolic compounds (13.10+/-0.06 and 10.66+/-0.02 mg gallic acid eq g-1 of dry weight of fruit, respectively). The antibacterial assays showed that Moringa oleifera Lam., Limnophila aromatica (Lamk.) Merr., Terminalia chebula Retz. and Phyllanthus emblica Linn. that were extracted using 80% ethanol as solvent were found to have antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Straphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pyogenes and Propionibacterium acnes. The results in this study may be useful for future application of edible plants that are native to Thailand to be used as cosmetic or therapqutic products.

A meta-analysis of clinical improvements of general well-being by a standardized Lycium barbarum

Four randomized, blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials were pooled to study the general effects of oral consumption of Lycium barbarum at 120 mL/day, as a standardized juice, GoChi(®) (FreeLife International, Phoenix, AZ, USA). A questionnaire consisting of symptoms graded 0-5 was given to the participants. For each question, the score changes in the questionnaire between pre- and postintervention were summarized by the standardized mean difference and associated SE to perform the meta-analysis. The change was also characterized into a binary outcome, improved or not, to derive odds ratio (OR) and associated SE derived by a binary outcome using the Mantel-Haenszel method. The meta-analysis and heterogeneity were evaluated with the R program using the rmeta package. Statistical significance was set at 5%. In total, 161 participants (18-72 years old) were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with the placebo group (n=80), the active group (n=81) showed significant improvements in weakness, stress, mental acuity, ease of awakening, shortness of breath, focus on activity, sleep quality, daydreaming, and overall feelings of health and well-being under a random effects model. A fixed effects model showed additional improvements in fatigue, depression, circulation, and calmness. The OR indicated significantly higher chance to improve fatigue, dizziness, and sleep quality. Three studies had statistically significant heterogeneity in procrastination, shoulder stiffness, energy, and calmness. The present meta-analysis confirmed the various health effects of L. barbarum polysaccharides-standardized L. barbarum intake found in the previous randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human clinical trials and revealed it resulted in statistically significant improvements in neurological/psychological performance and overall feelings of health and well-being compared with the placebo group under both the fixed and the random effects models of the R program.

Lycium barbarum increases caloric expenditure and decreases waist circumference in healthy overweight men and women: pilot study

BACKGROUND

Lycium barbarum (L. barbarum), a traditional Asian medicinal therapy for diabetes and other conditions, has been shown to increase metabolic rate and to reduce body-weight gains in rodent models, as well as to produce clinical improvements in general feelings of well-being including energy level.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impact of L. barbarum consumption on (1) caloric expenditure and (2) changes in morphometric parameters (waist circumference) in healthy human adults.

METHOD

Two separate randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, small clinical studies were conducted using a standardized L. barbarum fruit juice, GoChi, and assessing its effects on (1) resting metabolic rate (RMR) and postprandial energy expenditure (PPEE) as measured by indirect calorimetry after single-bolus intake of 3 doses of L. barbarum (30, 60, and 120 ml) and placebo; and (2) waist circumference and other morphometric changes in a 14-day intervention trial (120-ml daily intake) in the subjects (age = 34 years, body mass index = 29 kg/m(2)).

RESULTS

(1) A single bolus of L. barbarum intake increased PPEE 1 through 4 hours postintake over the baseline level in a dose-dependent manner and was significantly higher than the placebo group by 10% at 1 hour postintake of 120 ml (p < 0.05). (2) In a 14-day intervention trial, L. barbarum was found to significantly decrease waist circumference by 5.5 ± 0.8 cm (n = 15) compared with the preintervention measurements and placebo group at postintervention day 15 (p < 0.01). By contrast, the changes in the placebo group (n = 14) from preinterventions was 0.9 ± 0.8 cm, which was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

These results show that L. barbarum consumption increases metabolic rate and reduces the waist circumference, relative to placebo treated control subjects.