Abstract
Fructus lycii (F. lycii) is an exotic “berry-type” fruit of the plant Lycium barbarum that is characterized by a complex mixture of bioactive compounds distinguished by their high antioxidant potential. F. lycii is used in traditional Chinese home cooking and in the Chinese Pharmacopeia as an aid to vision and longevity as well as a remedy for diabetes to balance “yin” and “yang” in the body for about two centuries. Although a myriad of bioactive compounds have been isolated from F. lycii, polysaccharides, carotenoids, flavonoids, and phenolics represent the key functional components of F. lycii. F. lycii has been shown to exhibit a wide range of biological activities in experimental settings including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and neuroprotective effects. Despite its medicinal role dating back to the eighteenth century in the Far East and robust evidence of beneficial effects on ocular health and retinal diseases originating mainly from studies in animal models, the role of F. lycii in the clinical management of retinal diseases is yet to be established. This article comprehensively reviews the literature germane to F. lycii and retinal diseases with particular emphasis on age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa, which are commonly seen in clinical practice.
Highlights
The protective effect of F. lycii on retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells is believed to be exerted by the following mechanisms: first, antioxidant property resulting in decreased levels of endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS); second, modulating action on apoptosis-related genes leading to increase in Bcl-2/Bax ratio with resultant decrease in cell apoptosis; third, attenuation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage in a dose-dependent manner
Photopic b-wave changes in the form of decreased latency and increased amplitude as well as larger scotopic a- and b- waves were observed on ERG. These findings suggest that F. lycii may potentially improve visual processing at multiple stages of information transmission via protecting photoreceptor, bipolar cells, and ganglion cells, and perhaps, function of higher brain centers, as suggested by enhanced visual behavior
It is evident that existing literature in relation to F. lycii and retinal diseases detailed are mainly from experimental studies in animal models or human cell lines with a paucity of data from human subjects
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Fructus lycii (F. lycii) is a “berry-type” fruit of the plant Lycium barbarum, which is a deciduous shrub belonging to the family Solanaceae. The berry fruits from L. barbarum and its closely related species, L. chinense, L. ruthenicum, and. L. yunnanese, are interchangeable, L. barbarum is the most dominant species and produces larger berry fruits compared to other species. Chinaisisthe theworld’s world’slargest largestproducer producerof of including lycii with with farms farms in in several several regions, regions, such such as asQinghai, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Xinjiang, Shaanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Gansu, Hebei, Hebei, F.F lycii inner innerMongolia, Mongolia,and andTibet. Lycii is isfast result, cultivation cultivation of of F.F lycii lycii has has started started in in many many regions regions in in the thewest, west,including includingdiverse diverseparts partsof of Europe.
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