LYCIUM CHINENSE

Lycium chinense is a valuable ingredient in cosmetics and personal care products due to its rich content of antioxidants, amino acids, polysaccharides, and vitamins.
Lycium chinense's main functions include protecting, revitalizing, and hydrating the skin.
Lycium chinense helps the skin defend against environmental stress and slows down visible aging.

CAS Number: 107-43-7
Chem/IUPAC Name: Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract is an extract of the fruit of the Chinese Lycium chinense, Solanaceae
INCI Name: Propanediol (and) Water (and) Lycium Barbarum (Goji) Fruit Extract
Molecular Formula: C16H20O6

SYNONYMS:
Goji berry extract, Lycium chinense fruit extract, Wolfberry extract, Lycium barbarum extract, Chinese wolfberry extract, Ningxia wolfberry extract, Goji fruit extract, Lycii fructus extract, Lycium barbarum var. chinense, Lycium megistocarpum var. ovatum, Lycium ovatum, Lycium potaninii, Lycium rhombifolium, Lycium sinense, Lycium trewianum, Chinese boxthorn, Chinese matrimony-vine, Chinese teaplant, Chinese wolfberry, wolfberry, Chinese desert-thorn, Lycium barbarum var. chinense (Mill.) Aiton, Lycium megistocarpum var. ovatum (Poir.) Dunal, Lycium ovatum Poir., Lycium potaninii Pojark., Lycium rhombifolium Dippel, Lycium sinense Gren., Lycium trewianum Roem. & Schult., Boberella Rhombifolia, Chinese Wolfberry, Wolfberry, Chinese boxthorn, Lycium barbarum var. chinense, Lycium chinense f. megistocarpa, Lycium chinense megistocarpa, Lycium chinense subf. trewiana, Lycium chinense subsp. normale, Lycium chinense trewiana, Lycium chinense var. potaninii, Lycium chinense var. rhombifolium, Lycium europaeum, Lycium megistocarpum, Lycium potaninii, Lycium rhombifolium, Lycium sinense, Lycium trewianum

Lycium chinense requires bright, direct sunlight for optimal growth.
Lycium chinense thrives in moderate temperatures and prefers moderate humidity levels.
Regular watering is necessary, but the soil should be allowed to dry out partially between waterings.

Lycium chinense can tolerate a range of temperatures but prefers a temperate climate.
Lycium chinense, also known as Chinese boxthorn, Chinese matrimony-vine, or wolfberry, is a deciduous, woody, perennial plant that grows 1-3 meters high.

With healthful attributes such as vitamin A, C, protein, and antioxidants to boost the metabolism, Lycium chinense produces pale violet trumpet flowers in the summer and berries in the fall.
In the second year, the flowering begins with maximum fruit production in the 4-5th year.

Lycium chinense is one of the two varieties of boxthorn plants, from which the goji berry or wolfberry is harvested, the other being Lycium barbarum.
Lycium chinense is cultivated in the southern part of China and is traditionally believed to be useful in treating various disorders.

Lycium chinense (Goji Berry) is a fruiting plant that is native to the drier regions of China.
For thousands of years Lycium chinense has been a key herb in traditional Chinese medicine.
In recent decades, the Western world has proclaimed Lycium chinense as a superfood prompting hundreds of studies into the plant.

Often sold dried due to their short shelf life, the easiest way to obtain the fruit fresh is to grow Lycium chinense in your backyard.
Suitable for Cold, Temperate, Dry, Mediterranean, Sub-Tropical and Tropical climates.
Lycium chinense also commonly known as the Chinese Boxthorn, Chinese Wolfberry or Chinese Desert Thorn.

Lycium chinense is one of two species (also Lycium barbarum) from which the Goji Berry or Wolfberry are harvested.
Lycium chinense is cooked in soups or dried for later use and is sweet with an aniseed-like flavour.
Lycium chinense, also known as Chinese Wolfberry, is a valuable ingredient in cosmetics and personal care products due to its rich content of antioxidants, amino acids, polysaccharides, and vitamins.

Lycium chinense is a woody, deciduous shrub in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), closely related to Lycium barbarum.
Lycium chinense typically grows 1–3 m tall, with highly branched, pale gray, pendulous stems featuring thorns of 0.5–2 cm.
Leaves are alternate—either solitary or in clusters of 2–4—ovate to lanceolate, generally 1.5–5 cm long and 0.5–2.5 cm wide, though cultivated varieties may reach up to 10 cm long and 4 cm wide.

Flowers grow singly or in groups of 2–3 from leaf axils.
They feature tubular or bell-shaped corollas with lavender to light purple lobes, 9–14 mm wide, often with hairy edges.
Fruits are bright orange-red berries—ovoid or oblong, 7–10 mm wide and up to 22 mm long in cultivated forms—with numerous small seeds (10–60 per berry).

They ripen between July and October.
Wolfberry species are deciduous woody shrubs, growing 1–3 metres (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in) high, somewhat shorter than L. barbarum.
The stems are highly branched.
Branches are pale gray, slender, curved or pendulous, with thorns 0.5–2 centimetres (0.20–0.79 in) long.

USES and APPLICATIONS of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
Lycium chinense's fruit is one of the most popular tonics used in traditional Chinese medicine, while the root is also used, believed to promote long life.
Uses of Lycium chinense: Interesting ornamental landscape shrub which can also be grown for harvest of leaves, berries, young shoots and roots for culinary purposes.

Lycium chinense is used informal hedge, Shrub border, Dry/sandy banks or slopes, and Spreads rapidly.
The fruits of Lycium chinense may be infused with hot water to make goji tea.
Lycium chinense has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine for treating various disorders, although there is no high-quality clinical evidence that consuming it has any effect on health or disease.

Lycium chinense, also known as Chinese Wolfberry, is a valuable ingredient in cosmetics and personal care products due to its rich content of antioxidants, amino acids, polysaccharides, and vitamins.
Lycium chinense's main functions include protecting, revitalizing, and hydrating the skin.

Lycium chinense helps the skin defend against environmental stress and slows down visible aging.
The vitamin C present in Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract improves the skin tone.

In its raw form, Lycium chinense appears as a yellow powder that is soluble in water and has a low to moderate viscosity.
Lycium chinense is also safe and non-comedogenic.

-Culinary & Traditional Medicine uses of Lycium chinense:
Lycium chinense, known as goji berries, is infused into teas, eaten fresh or dried, and is a staple in Eastern culinary and medicinal traditions.

Leaves and young shoots are also edible—Lycium chinense is used as vegetables or in herbal infusions.
The root bark (Lycii Radicis Cortex, 地骨皮) is used in traditional Chinese medicine, particularly for respiratory and yin-tonic purposes.

-Health and Functional Uses of Lycium chinense:
Rich in nutrients (vitamins A, C, proteins, fibres, minerals) and bioactive compounds like polysaccharides, carotenoids (notably zeaxanthin dipalmitate), flavonoids (e.g. rutin), alkaloids, and cyclic peptides.
Lycium chinense is traditionally used as a tonic, incorporated into teas, juices, wines, and other preparations.

-Ornamental & Environmental Uses of Lycium chinense:
Grown as an ornamental shrub, informal hedge, or border plant; also used for erosion control and stabilizing dry slopes.
Ecologically tolerant—adapted to varied soils and grows in disturbed habitats.

Lycium chinense is one of two species of boxthorn shrub in the family Solanaceae.
Along with Lycium barbarum, it produces the goji berry ("wolfberry").

Two varieties are recognized: L. chinense var. chinense and L. chinense var. potaninii.
It is also known as Chinese boxthorn, Chinese matrimony-vine, Chinese teaplant, Chinese wolfberry, wolfberry, and Chinese desert-thorn.

MODERN CLINICAL INSIGHTS of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
*Recognized as a functional food, studied for Lycium chinense's antioxidant properties and health benefits.
*Potential health benefits of Lycium chinense include immune modulation and antioxidative effects.
*Ocular protection, thanks to high zeaxanthin.
*Skin, metabolic, and cardiovascular support.
*Galled goji leaves have shown elevated polyphenols—chlorogenic acid increased by 36%, and higher rutin—boosting antioxidant activity.

GROWTH of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
Lycium chinense is a flowering deciduous shrub that grows to heights of up to 2.5 metres (8 feet) by 2 metres (7 feet) wide.
Lycium chinense is cold and drought tolerant and is used as a soil protection plant on the fringes of desert regions in China.

Once established Lycium chinense tolerates temperatures as cold as -20°C / -4°F.
Leaves of Lycium chinense form on the shoot either solitary or in an alternating arrangement.
They vary in shape from ovate, rombic or lanceolate and reach up to 5 cm (2 inches) long.

Flowers grow in groups of 1-3 in the leaf axils with pedicals about 2 cm long.
They occur during Summer and are purple in colour.

FACTS ABOUT of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
Lycium chinense is a major Chinese tonic herb with a history of almost 2,000 years of medicinal use.
The root bark contains betaine which increases the growth rate of animals, for example the weight of eggs produced by chickens.

Roots are traditionally harvested in the spring and can be dried for later use.
The fruits are infused with hot water to make Goji Tea.

Lycium chinense, commonly known as Chinese wolfberry or goji berry, is a deciduous shrub native to China.
Lycium chinense belongs to the Solanaceae family and is known for its bright red berries, which are often used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Lycium chinense prefers temperate climates and can tolerate a range of soil types.
Lycium chinense undergoes a dormancy period during the winter months.

WHAT DOES LYCIUM CHINENSE DO IN A FORMULATION?
*Antioxidant

HARVEST of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
Lycium chinense, commonly known as Chinese wolfberry or goji berry, is typically harvested in late summer to early autumn when the berries are fully ripe and have turned a bright red color.
Harvesting is usually done by hand to avoid damaging the delicate berries.
It is important to wear gloves during harvest to protect the berries and to avoid staining hands.
The berries should be picked carefully and placed in shallow containers to prevent crushing.
After harvesting, the berries can be dried in the sun or in a dehydrator for preservation.
Regular monitoring of the plant for pests and diseases is also recommended to ensure a healthy and productive harvest.

LEAVES of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
Lycium chinense leaves form on the shoot either solitary in an alternating arrangement or in bundles of 2 to 4.
Their shape may be ovate, rombic, lanceolate, or linear-lanceolate, usually 1.5–5 centimetres (0.59–1.97 in) long and 0.5–2.5 centimetres (0.20–0.98 in) wide, but up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long and 4 centimetres (1.6 in) wide in cultivated plants.

FLOWERS of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
The flowers of Lycium chinense grow in groups of one to three in the leaf axils, with pedicels 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) long.
The bell-shaped or tubular calyx (eventually ruptured by the growing berry) splits halfway into short, triangular, densely ciliate lobes.

The corolla is a tube that splits into lavender or light purple petals, 9–14 mm (0.35–0.55 in) wide with five or six lobes longer than the tube, with short hairs at the edge.

The stamens are structured with filaments longer than the anthers, slightly shorter or longer than the corolla, with a villous ring slightly above the base and the adjacent corolla tube.
The anthers are longitudinally dehiscent.

FRUIT AND SEEDS of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
Lycium chinense produces a bright orange-red berry, whose shape is ovoid or oblong, 7–15 millimetres (0.28–0.59 in) long and 5 to 8 mm wide, but up to 22 millimetres (0.87 in) long and 10 millimetres (0.39 in) wide in cultivation.

Lycium chinense contains compressed yellow seeds, from 2.5 to 3 mm wide, with a curved embryo.
Their number varies widely based on cultivar and fruit size, from 10 to 60.
Lycium chinense ripens from July to October in the Northern Hemisphere.

SOIL of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
Lycium chinense prefers well-draining loamy soil.
Lycium chinense can tolerate a range of soil types but performs best in soil that is rich in organic matter.
Good drainage is essential to prevent root rot.

FERTILIZER of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
A balanced fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio of 10-10-10 is recommended for Lycium chinense.
Fertilize the plant during the growing season, typically in spring and summer, to promote healthy growth and berry production.

REPOTTING of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
Repot Lycium chinense every 2-3 years or when the plant outgrows its container.
Choose a pot that is slightly larger than the current one and ensure it has good drainage.
Repotting is best done in early spring before the growing season begins.

PROPAGATION of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
Lycium chinense can be propagated through seeds or cuttings.
Seeds should be sown in spring, while cuttings can be taken in late spring or early summer.
Ensure the cuttings have at least two nodes and plant them in a well-draining soil mix.

PRUNING of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
Pruning is essential for maintaining the shape and health of Lycium chinense.
Prune the plant in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.
Remove any dead or damaged branches and thin out crowded areas to improve air circulation.

DISEASE of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
Lycium chinense can be parasitized by the oomycete species Peronospora lycii.

SIMILAR SPECIES of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
Lycium chinense can be distinguished from the very similar Lycium barbarum by morphological traits of the flowers.
The corolla tubes of barbarum are significantly longer than the lobes, and the calyx of chinense usually has more than two lobes whereas barbarum has just two.

CHEMISTRY of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
The fruit composition is similar to that of L. barbarum, with polysaccharides, carotenoids and flavonoids as main constituents.
Rutin is a prominent flavonoid, while the main carotenoid is zeaxanthin dipalmitate (49% of the carotenoid fraction), with β-carotene, two cerebrosides, and three pyrrole derivatives as other constituents.

Dozens of secondary metabolites have been isolated and identified from the roots, root bark, and leaves, including cyclic peptides, alkaloids, and flavonoids.
Citric acid is the major nonvolatile organic acid in the leaves followed by oxalic acid.

CULTURE of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
Grow in moderately fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun.
Plants tolerate some light shade.
Established plants tolerate some drought.

Lycium chinense may be grown from seed.
Where winter hardy, this shrub will naturalize by self seeding (sometimes aggressively) and by suckering.

Stems may be pruned back to 2' tall in late winter each year to keep plants at a reasonable size with less sprawling.
If grown for fruit production, branches may be attached to a trellis to facilitate harvest.

NOTEWORTHY CHARACTERISTICS of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
Lycium chinense, commonly called Chinese matrimony vine, Chinese boxthorn, Goji berry and Chinese wolfberry, is a vine-like, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub with sprawling branches that typically grows to 3-6' (sometimes to 12') tall.

Occasional thorns appear on the stems.
It is native to slopes, roadsides, disturbed areas and wastelands in southern China.
Ovate, rhombic, elliptic or lanceolate leaves (to 1-3" long) are bright green.

Small, tubular, pale purple to lavender flowers bloom in spring on stalks rising from the leaf axils.
Bright red berries (Goji berries) are about 7/8" long and mature in fall.
Ripe berries are edible (sweet licorice flavor).

Berries (fresh or dried), young shoots and leaves are used in oriental cooking.
Lycium chinense is used to make an herbal tea.
Lycium chinense is dried for herbal use (China reportedly produces over 5 million kilograms of dried fruit per year).

This is a long time medicinal plant (leaves, roots and berries) in China.
Genus name comes from the Greek lykion, a thorny tree from Lycia, a south-west region of Asia Minor, that was used medicinally.
Specific epithet means Chinese.

PROBLEMS of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
No serious insect or disease problems.
Powdery mildew may appear.

PHYSICAL and CHEMICAL PROPERTIES of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
CAS Number: 84929-27-1
EC Number: 284-554-0
Appearance: Light yellow to brown powder
Solubility: Soluble in water
pH: Typically between 4.0 and 7.0
Molecular Weight: Varies based on the active compounds
Density: Varies depending on preparation
Boiling Point: Not applicable

Melting Point: Not applicable
Extraction Method: Typically water or ethanol extraction
Main Active Compounds: Polysaccharides, Betaine, Zeaxanthin
Chem/IUPAC Name: Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract is an extract of the fruit of the Chinese Lycium chinense, Solanaceae
COSING REF No: 57464
FAMILY: Solanaceae
CLIMATE: Cold to Warm Temperate
TEMPERATURE RANGE: -20 °C to 28 °C / -4 to 82 °F
SOIL TYPE: Well draining, moist nutritious soil

LOCATION: Full Sun – Light Shade
HEIGHT: Up to 2.5 metres (8 feet)
WIDTH: Up to 2 metres (7 feet)
pH: 5.5-7.5
GROWTH TYPE: Deciduous
WATER REQUIREMENTS: Low-Medium
POLLINATION: Pollinated by Bees or by hand
MATURITY: 3-4 years

GERMINATION RATES: 35-55%
GERMINATION TIME: 2-3 weeks germination
SEEDS PER GRAM: Approximately 600
MEDICINAL QUALITIES: Yes
WEED POTENTIAL: No
EDIBLE: Yes
SEED STORAGE & VIABILITY: Cold Storage at 4 °C (Fridge) up to 3 years

FIRST AID MEASURES of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
-Description of first-aid measures
*General advice:
Show this material safety data sheet to the doctor in attendance.
*If inhaled:
After inhalation: 
Fresh air.
*In case of skin contact: 
Take off immediately all contaminated clothing. 
Rinse skin with
water/ shower.
*In case of eye contact:
After eye contact: 
Rinse out with plenty of water. 
Call in ophthalmologist. 
Remove contact lenses.
*If swallowed:
After swallowing: 
Immediately make victim drink water (two glasses at most). 
Consult a physician.
-Indication of any immediate medical attention and special treatment needed.
No data available

ACCIDENTAL RELEASE MEASURES of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
-Environmental precautions:
Do not let product enter drains.
-Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up:
Cover drains. 
Collect, bind, and pump off spills. 
Observe possible material restrictions. 
Take up dry. 
Dispose of properly. 
Clean up affected area.

FIRE FIGHTING MEASURES of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
-Extinguishing media:
*Suitable extinguishing media:
Carbon dioxide (CO2) 
Foam 
Dry powder
*Unsuitable extinguishing media:
For this substance/mixture no limitations of extinguishing agents are given.
-Further information:
Prevent fire extinguishing water from contaminating surface water or the ground water system.

EXPOSURE CONTROLS/PERSONAL PROTECTION of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
-Control parameters:
--Ingredients with workplace control parameters:
-Exposure controls:
--Personal protective equipment:
*Eye/face protection:
Use equipment for eye protection. 
Safety glasses
*Body Protection:
protective clothing
*Respiratory protection:
Recommended Filter type: Filter A 
-Control of environmental exposure:
Do not let product enter drains.

HANDLING and STORAGE of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
-Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities:
*Storage conditions:
Tightly closed. 
Dry.

STABILITY and REACTIVITY of LYCIUM CHINENSE:
-Chemical stability:
The product is chemically stable under standard ambient conditions (room temperature) .
-Possibility of hazardous reactions:
No data available