title: Calabrian Goji vs. Chinese Goji: A Comparative Study on Biological Properties.
abstract: Lycium barbarum(Goji) fruits are mainly cultivated in northwestern China and are well known for their beneficial and healthy effects. In this work, the biological and functional properties of Calabrian Goji extract, obtained from Goji berries cultivated in the Sibari Plain (in the Italian region of Calabria), were demonstrated. In order to evaluate the use of this extract as a food supplement for cognitive and mental disorders, the quantification of Carotenoids as Zeaxanthin equivalents was made. The antioxidant activity was investigated by evaluating the scavenging properties against 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-Azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radicals and by performing the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) assay. The inhibition of lipid peroxidation was quantified by bleaching test and the ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase enzyme and to scavenge nitric oxide radical was also evaluated. All the results were compared to those obtained from a Chinese Goji extract used as a reference. Based on the reported data, Calabrian Goji might be used as a food supplement with a possible application in cognitive disorders, mental impairments and other neurodegenerative diseases, due to its biological properties and the high levels of Carotenoids.
authors.affiliation: Macrofarm s.r.l., c/o Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutrition Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy. mariarosaruffo8@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mariarosa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruffo
authors.affiliation: Macrofarm s.r.l., c/o Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutrition Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy. ortensiailaria.parisi@unical.it.|Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy. ortensiailaria.parisi@unical.it.
authors.forename: Ortensia Ilaria
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.affiliation: Macrofarm s.r.l., c/o Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutrition Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy. amonefabio@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amone
authors.affiliation: Macrofarm s.r.l., c/o Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutrition Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy. rocco.malivindi@unical.it.|Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy. rocco.malivindi@unical.it.
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malivindi
authors.affiliation: Evra s.r.l., Località Galdo Zona Industriale Lotto 20, 85044 Lauria (PZ), Italy. info@evraitalia.it.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gorgoglione
authors.affiliation: Osun Solutions s.r.l., Località Galdo, 85044 Lauria (PZ), Italy. lab@osunsolutions.it.
authors.forename: Filomena
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Biasio
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy. luca.scrivano@unical.it.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scrivano
authors.affiliation: Macrofarm s.r.l., c/o Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutrition Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy. v.pezzi@unical.it.|Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy. v.pezzi@unical.it.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pezzi
authors.affiliation: Macrofarm s.r.l., c/o Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutrition Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy. francesco.puoci@unical.it.|Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy. francesco.puoci@unical.it.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Puoci
keywords: ABTS; Calabrian Goji extract; DPPH; Nitric Oxide Radical Scavenging; ORAC; Zeaxanthin; anti-inflammatory; antioxidant; cholinesterase inhibition