Research Summary:
Lycium barbarum (Gouqizi, Fructus Lycii, Wolfberry) is well known for nourishing the liver, and in turn, improving eyesight. However, many people have forgotten its anti-aging properties. Valuable components of *L. barbarum* are not limited to its colored components containing zeaxanthin and carotene but include polysaccharides and small molecules such as betaine, cerebroside, β-sitosterol, p-coumaric acid, and various vitamins.
Despite the fact that L. barbarum has been used for centuries, its beneficial effects on our bodies have not been comprehensively studied using modern technology to unravel its therapeutic effects at the biochemical level. Recently, our laboratory has demonstrated its neuroprotective effects in countering neuronal loss in neurodegenerative diseases. Polysaccharides extracted from L. barbarum can protect neurons against β-amyloid peptide toxicity in neuronal cell cultures and retinal ganglion cells in an experimental model of glaucoma.
We have even isolated the active component of the polysaccharide that can attenuate stress kinases and pro-apoptotic signaling pathways. We have accumulated scientific evidence for its anti-aging effects, which should be highlighted for modern preventive medicine. This review aims to provide background information and a new direction of study for the anti-aging properties of L. barbarum. We hope that new findings for L. barbarum will pave a new avenue for the use of Chinese medicine in modern evidence-based medicine.
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