Goji berry was identified as a rich source of antioxidant compounds, with health-promoting properties comparable with other common fruit species.
A number of things lead to the confusion between the different species and genotypes of cultivated Lycium. In this study, wolfberry was identified as a rich source of antioxidant compounds; the observed analytical fingerprint demonstrated that the species represents a rich source of organic acids and polyphenolic compounds, especially cinnamic acids and catechins; this research suggested that identified nutraceuticals might contribute to the total phytocomplex of these fruits. This study developed an important tool to assess goji chemical composition and bioactivity, using different chromatographic methods for comprehensive authentication and quality control of its fruits: well-designed clinical trials with phytochemically well-characterized extracts are required before the potential of goji as a medicinal plant or food can be definitively assessed. Goji berry fruit is devoid of toxicity but caution is advised with regard to possible drug interactions as well as with products of unknown or dubious origin; for this reason, the development of rigorous quality control protocols for goji products is urgently needed: this research showed that analytical fingerprinting could be an important tool to assess quality, chemical composition, and bioactivity of wolfberry fruits, helping to find new sources of natural health-promoting compounds.
The antioxidants present in goji berries have comparable health-promoting properties to those found in other common fruits.
The researchers studied the quality traits of goji berries and the levels of potentially fruitful compounds. They employed high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) - a technique widely-used to identify and separate components in a mixture - to examine the health-promoting compounds in goji berries, comparing these to what's found in other common fruits.
The researchers found that goji berries are a rich source of antioxidant compounds. It was determined that their health-promoting properties are akin to those of other common fruits. The characteristic "fingerprint" obtained through this study could help improve our understanding of this fruit, which is increasingly being recognized as a functional food due to its antioxidant properties.
