Lycium barbarum L

Fiorito, Serena, Epifano, Francesco, Preziuso, Francesca, Taddeo, Vito Alessandro & Genovese, Salvatore, 2018, Selenylated plant polysaccharides: A survey of their chemical and pharmacological properties, Phytochemistry 153, pp. 1-10 : 7

5.14.1. Lycium barbarum L

L. barbarum , best known as “Goji”, is one of the most fashioned plants of the last decade due to many claims about the beneficial effects of its edible fruits for human welfare. Among the most effective ingredient to this aim, polysaccharides have seen to play a major role ( Li, 2007). This same fraction has been submitted to selenylation by Qiu and coworkers in 2014 obtaining a library of 9 Se-Ps samples in yields ranging from 21.7% to 40.9% and Se content of 7.65 mg /g to 13.66 mg / g. As a preliminary test the 9 samples were subjected to hydroxyl radical and superoxide anion scavenging test. All Se-Ps exhibited a good activity higher than the native polysaccharide. The best effects (52.3%–59.8%) were recorded for 3 samples that then were selected for in vivo assays. These were carried out using White Roman chickens vaccinated with the ND vaccine. Se-Ps were administered i.m. for the first 3 days of the experiment out of a total duration of 28 using a dose of 2 mg /kg. Measurements of GSH and SOD activities and MDA content were accomplished every 1 week. GSH and SOD increased its activity by more than 25% and by around the same percentage was the decrease of MDA formation.