Chemical and Biological Properties of Three Poorly Studied Species of Lycium Genus-Short Review

Abstract

The genus Lycium belongs to the Solanaceae family and comprises more than 90 species distributed by diverse continents. Lycium barbarum is by far the most studied and has been advertised as a “superfood” with healthy properties. In contrast, there are some Lycium species which have been poorly studied, although used by native populations. L. europaeum, L. intricatum and L. schweinfurthii, found particularly in the Mediterranean region, are examples of scarcely investigated species. The chemical composition and the biological properties of these species were reviewed. The biological properties of L. barbarum fruits are mainly attributed to polysaccharides, particularly complex glycoproteins with different compositions. Studies regarding these metabolites are practically absent in L. europaeum, L. intricatum and L. schweinfurthii. The metabolites isolated and identified belong mainly to polyphenols, fatty acids, polysaccharides, carotenoids, sterols, terpenoids, tocopherols, and alkaloids (L. europaeum); phenolic acids, lignans, flavonoids, polyketides, glycosides, terpenoids, tyramine derivatives among other few compounds (L. schweinfurthii), and esters of phenolic acids, glycosides, fatty acids, terpenoids/phytosterols, among other few compounds (L. intricatum). The biological properties (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic against some cancer cell lines) found for these species were attributed to some metabolites belonging to those compound groups. Results of the study concluded that investigations concerning L. europaeum, L. intricatum and L. schweinfurthii are scarce, in contrast to L. barbarum.

Keywords: Lycium barbarum; Lycium europaeum; Lycium intricatum; Lycium schweinfurthii; biological properties of Lycium genus; chemical properties of Lycium genus.

Figure 1

Lycium europaeum L. (Source: https://www.plantarium.ru/lang/en/page/image/id/560323.html) (accessed on 24 September 2022).

Figure 2

Metabolites found in different parts of Lycium europaeum.

Figure 2

Metabolites found in different parts of Lycium europaeum.

Figure 3

Lycium schweinfurthii Dammer: (a) general aspects of the aerial parts (source: https://www.plantarium.ru/lang/en/page/image/id/652684.html) (accessed on 24 September 2022); and (b) general aspects of fruits (source: https://www.plantarium.ru/lang/en/page/image/id/627979.html).

Figure 4

Lycium intricatum Boiss: (a) general aspects of the aerial parts (source: https://jb.utad.pt/multimedia/10921 (accessed on 24 September 2022); Imagem da espécie Lycium intricatum do Botânico UTAD, Flora Digital de Portugal.); and (b) general aspects of fruits and leaves (https://jb.utad.pt/multimedia/15805); Imagem da espécie Lycium intricatum por Xavier Béjar do Jardim Botânico UTAD, Flora Digital de Portugal.) https://www.plantarium.ru/lang/en/page/image/id/627979.html).

Figure 5

Metabolites found in different parts of Lycium schweinfurthii.

Figure 5

Metabolites found in different parts of Lycium schweinfurthii.

Figure 6

Metabolites isolated from the endophytic Alternaria sp. isolated from the leaves of L. schweinfurthii.

Figure 7

Metabolites found in different parts of Lycium intricatum. *, **, *** The isomers were not reported by the authors [99], therefore, the compounds represented are examples and not the isomers identified.

Figure 8

Metabolites found in leaf extracts of Lycium intricatum from Algeria [101].

Figure 9

Metabolites isolated from endophytic Microsphaeropsis sp. (the first three compounds) and Phoma sp. isolated from L. intricatum.

Figure 10

Metabolites isolated from endophytic Microdiplodia sp. isolated from L. intricatum.