The Lycium genus is widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine and functional food. Many of the chemical constituents of the genus Lycium were reported previously. In this review, in addition to the polysaccharides, we have enumerated 355 chemical constituents and nutrients, including 22 glycerogalactolipids, 29 phenylpropanoids, 10 coumarins, 13 lignans, 32 flavonoids, 37 amides, 72 alkaloids, four anthraquinones, 32 organic acids, 39 terpenoids, 57 sterols, steroids, and their derivatives, five peptides and three other constituents. This comprehensive study could lay the foundation for further research on the Lycium genus.

TRAIL, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, can selectively kill cancer cells with little or no cytotoxicity toward normal human cells and is regarded as a potential relatively safe antitumor drug. However, some cancer cells are resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Thus, reagents that potentiate TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity are needed. Herein, we investigated whether shikonin, a natural compound from the root of Lithospermum erythrorhizon, can sensitize TRAIL-resistant cells to TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity. The viability of A549 cells, which were resistant to TRAIL, was significantly decreased after treatment with TRAIL followed by shikonin. The underlying mechanisms by which shikonin sensitizes cells to TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity were also examined. Combined treatment with shikonin and TRAIL activated the caspase and JNK pathways, inhibited the STAT3 and AKT pathways, downregulated the expression of Mcl-1, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, c-FLIP and XIAP and upregulated the expression of Bid. In conclusion, the results indicated that shikonin sensitized resistant cancer cells to TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity via the modulation of the JNK, STAT3 and AKT pathways, the downregulation of antiapoptotic proteins and the upregulation of proapoptotic proteins.

Lycium barbarum L. (LB) fruits have high nutritive values and therapeutic effects. The aim of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the differences in phenolic composition of LB fruits from different geographical regions. Different methods of characterization and statistical analysis of data showed that different geographic sources of China could be significantly separated from each other. The highest total phenolic compound (TPC) content was observed in LB fruits from Ningxia (LBN), followed by those from Gansu (LBG) and Qinghai (LBQ). The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of LB fruits revealed that LBQ had a peak at 2972 cm⁻¹ whereas there was no similar peak in LBG and LBQ. A new HPLC method was established for the simultaneous determination of 8 phenolic compounds by quantitative analysis of multiple components by a single marker (QAMS), including 4 phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid, and ferulic acid), 1 coumarin (scopoletin), and 3 flavonoids (kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, rutin, and narcissoside). It was showed that rutin was the most dominant phenolic compound in LBQ, although the average content of 4 phenolic acids was also high in LBQ, and scopoletin was the richest in LBG. UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to qualitatively analyze the phenolics, which showed LBN was abundant in phenolic acids, LBQ was rich in flavonoids, and coumarins were the most plentiful in LBG. In conclusion, this study can provide references for the quality control and evaluation of phenolics in LB fruits and their by-products.

Morus alba L. (M. alba) leaves, valued for their medicinal and edible properties, possess substantial economic and social importance. Notably, diverse germplasm resources of M. alba exhibit considerable variation in both metabolite composition and pharmacological activity. However, the interrelationships among genetic diversity, metabolites profiles, and pharmacological activity across different M. alba varieties remain insufficiently elucidated. This study aimed to construct simple sequence repeat (SSR) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) fingerprints, together with antipyretic clustering diagrams, for 69 different varieties of M. alba leaves, and analyze the correlations among their genetic structures, metabolite profiles, and antipyretic activities. In this study, 69 M. alba leaf samples representing different varieties were collected, and their antipyretic effects were evaluated using a rat pharmacodynamic model. SSR fingerprints were generated with TP-M13 SSR molecular markers to screen core primer pairs for variety identification. Simultaneously, metabolite fingerprints were established using UPLC-Q-TOF/MS with common peaks calibrated and compounds qualitatively identified by mass spectrometry. Finally, multivariate chemometric approaches were applied to integrate SSR data and UPLC-Q-TOF/MS fingerprint profiles, and antipyretic activity results for clustering and correlation analysis. The dominant M. alba varieties, Yantai 792, Zhesang 3, 8036, Fengyuan 1, Laiwugusang, Xiajingusang, Gaoqing 792, Zhesang 1 and Heizhenzhu exhibited the strongest antipyretic activities. In contrast, Guiyou, Danbaisang, and Dashi showed weaker effects and were clustered into a single category in the molecule-metabolite-efficacy clustering diagram, thereby indicating the substantial influence of varieties differences on genetic diversity, metabolite composition, and pharmacological activity. Pearson correlation analysis further confirmed significant correlations among genetic components, metabolites, and pharmacological effects. In addition, a core marker set comprising 7 SSR loci was identified, together with 8 key chemical markers including cryptochlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid, isoquercitrin, rutin, nicotiflorin, astragalin, salicylic acid, and umbelliferone. These findings help identify the "molecule-metabolite" dual molecular markers with the bias of antipyretic effects for M. alba leaves varieties, and provide valuable insights for refining the medicinal value of M. alba leaves and promoting the utilization of high-value resources.