Medicinal value of wolfberry (Lycium barbarum L.)

Abstract

Wolfberry is a kind of the multipurpose medicinal plant. In world the genus Lycium (family Solanaceae) has eighty species. Lycium species hold diverse varieties of nutrients and bioactive elements, for example vitamins, carotenoids, flavonoids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, free amino acids and elemental components. It appears very effective in treatment of liver, eyes and many other diseases. It has a plenty of several pharmacological and therapeutic actions such as antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic, anti-fibrotic, anti-mutagenic, anti-tumer, anti-radiation, anti-fatigue, anti-aging, anti-stress, anti-yeast, cardio protective and wound healing. Wolfberry has attracted attention world over due to its nutritional and medicinal values. This review paper highlights the importance of Lycium plant parts, i.e., Fruit, flower, leaves, bark and root for curing, also encourages the upcoming researchers to work on wonder species.