Current findings and future prospective of high-value trans Himalayan medicinal plant Lycium ruthenicum Murr: a systematic review

Abstract

Background The genus Lycium is commercially known for its nutrient dense goji-berries, among these berries, black goji-berries obtained from Lycium ruthenicum Murr are highly valued and widely used as traditional medicine in trans-himalayan cold desert Ladakh and as functional food in several countries. Methods The current collection of data and literature was done by exploring different scientific portals like SciFinder, Google scholar, PubMed, Dictonary of Natural Products, Institute for Scientific Information, Web of Science and Scopus by searching keywords like black goji berry, crystal pearl, and trans-Himalayan plant. Results Fruits of L. ruthenicum Murr, are overwhelmingly enriched in anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, polysaccharides, spermine and spermidine alkaloids. The presence of these bioactive phyto-chemicals has been linked with reported anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fatigue, anti-atherosclerosis and neuro-protective properties of black goji berries. A unique color of these berries makes them exceptional as compared to other berries. Conclusions In this article, we have reviewed the variety of high value phytochemicals of Lycium ruthenicum Murr, with a special focus on health promoting anthocyanins which will provide an insight to the readers for exploring novel applications of L. ruthenicum Murr in field of medicine and food industries.

Himalayan Sources of Anthocyanins and Its Multifunctional Applications: A Review

“…The fruits are 6-9 mm long, color ranges from black to purple berries commonly called goji berries. Seeds germinate in the late spring or early summer, while the bushes bloom in the months of June and July and bear fruit in the months of August and September [77].…”

“…Anthocyanins: The anthocyanin content in the fruits was estimated to be 9.28 ± 1.19 to 82.58 ± 0.95 mg CGE per g of dry weight (C3GE/g DW) [77].…”

Black Goji Berry (Lycium ruthenicum Murray): A Review of Its Pharmacological Activity

“…Carbohydrates were the most prevalent nutrient in LRM, followed by dietary fiber, and the remaining nutrients comprised protein, ash, and fat [11]. LRM is composed mostly of anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and carotenoids, as well as fatty acids, essential oils, coumarin and cinnamate derivatives, polysaccharides, alkaloids, and phenolic acids [12]. The majority of LRM research has concentrated on anthocyanins and polysaccharides, and Figure 1 shows the chemical structures of typical LRM components.…”