EVALUATION OF THE ANTIINFLAMMATORY HEPATOPROTECTIVE AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF LYCIUM CHINENSE FROM TAIWAN

The relationship between pharmacological and antioxidant activity of t he roots, aerial parts and fruits gathered from Lycium chinense were i nvestigated in this study. The extracts of L. chinense showed anti-inf lammatory activity against carrageenan induced rat paw edema and CCl4- induced liver injury. Lycium chinense also exhibited antioxidant effec ts in FeCl2-ascorbic acid-induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver homo genates. Moreover, the free radical scavenger effect of L. chinense wa s demonstrated using electron spin resonance (ESR) and a spin-trapping technique. Based on these findings, the pharmacological of L. chinens e possibly involves mechanisms related to free radical scavenger activ ity.