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STUDY OF NUTRITION INDICATORS OF MEDICINAL LYCIUM BARBARUM L.
FRUITS
Khoshimjonova Sevinch Shavkatjon kizi
Foziljonova Malika Shukhratjanovna
Pharmaceutical Education and Research Institute, Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan
Abstract:
This article presents the results of a study of the quantitative parameters of the fruits
of the Tibetan barberry, Lycium barbarum L. Their moisture content, ash, foreign impurities and
the amount of bioactive substances were determined. The studied quantitative parameters allow
the development of regulatory documents for determining the quality of medicinal plant raw
materials.
Key words:
goji fruit, bioactive substances, ash, fruit moisture, plant raw materials, regulatory
documents.
The Tibetan barberry (Goji) plant is rich in various chemical compounds and has been
traditionally used in Chinese folk medicine. Currently, there are no regulatory documents (RD)
for Goji berries in the State Pharmacopoeia of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Therefore, the
development of pharmacognostic methods and standardization of this promising plant raw
material is one of the urgent tasks [1].
Goji cultivation has been started in Uzbekistan for 4 years, and the plant is considered medicinal
when grown as a bush in a clean climate, water, and without the use of chemicals. The products
obtained include fruit juice, fruit core, flowering branches, leaves, roots, and seed oils, all of
which are used to prepare infusions, syrups, and tinctures. The fruit harvest in June and July is
sweeter, while the harvest in October and November has a lower juice content and higher
moisture content, and is more suitable for the preparation of diabetic products. It is somewhat
more difficult to separate sublimation liquid from them.
Goji berries are the most valuable and useful fruit in the world, growing wild in the Tibetan
mountains of China. Goji berries are called "Cancer Cure", "Natural Viagra", "Anti-depressant
Fruit", "Life-Prolonging Fruit", "The First Brain Refresher", "The Fruit of Happiness". It is used
in Laos, China, and Tibet as a remedy for improving the functioning of the heart, liver, and
glands, and as a means of changing the div's frequency by reducing molecular degeneration,
that is, prolonging life. The fruit is considered a power booster and is a real treasure trove of
minerals and medicinal substances. Goji berries contain 500 times more vitamin C than lemons.
The fruit contains polysaccharides with unique healing properties. In addition, it is the only
natural product that contains the element germanium, which fights cancer, and is a powerful
natural antioxidant. Goji berries also contain oxygen flavonoids. These compounds help the
div get rid of excess fat in the liver.
American pharmacist, nutritionist, and scientist Dr. Earl Mindell spent 9 years of his life
studying this plant, and in his scientific work, he identifies 33 benefits of consuming the fruits of
the Goji plant:
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-The fruit is rich in zeaxanthin, which protects the retina;
-Strengthens memory;
-Improves metabolism;
-Improves skin condition;
-Increases immunity;
-Destroys adenoids in case of colds and flu;
-Strengthens kidneys and stomach
-Improves lung function;
-Increases hemoglobin in case of anemia;
-Provides calcium to bones and strengthens teeth and joints;
-Slows down the aging process;
-Quickly restores strength;
-Reduces blood sugar levels;
-Increases heart function and prevents heart diseases;
-Increases the amount of the most necessary hormone melatonin;
-Fights Alzheimer's disease and improves memory, prevents disease;
-Improves sleep;
- It has properties to get rid of excess weight and fat.
The aim of the study is to determine the quality parameters of the raw material and the amount of
bioactive substances for the standardization of Goji berries (Lycium barbarum L.).
Materials and research methods.
The object of the study is medicinal Goji berries harvested in September 2023 in the territory of
Uzbekistan. The berries are harvested when ripe and dried in direct sunlight until the peel dries
[2]. Goji berries are red, oblong-ovate, 8-18 mm long (Fig. 1).
Picture 1. Medicinal goji berries. (Lycium barbarum L.)
Primary processing of the product is based on eliminating the shortcomings made during
preparation, that is, cleaning the product from defective parts, remaining impurities, and drying
the product. In this case, various processes are carried out depending on the type of product
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being prepared. During primary processing of fruits, fruit bunches, flower parts, branches and
leaf parts, unripe fruits, and fruit parts damaged by insects were cleaned. The medicinal plant
product was dried until it reached a "dry state", and then brought to a state that fully meets the
requirements of the regulatory document. At the same time, a batch of the same weight and
quality was formed for the type of product being tested. The studies were conducted by taking
samples from 3 batches of the tested raw material. Moisture is understood as the loss of
hygroscopic moisture and volatile substances in medicinal plant raw materials and medicinal
preparations when dried to constant weight or by another method described in regulatory
documents. Goji berries were crushed, 3-5± 0.01 g were taken from each sample, weighed on an
analytical balance. They were placed in a box previously dried to constant weight and placed on
a drying rack at 100 - 105 ° C. The drying process was carried out on the remaining samples at
the same temperature. The moisture content of goji berries was determined in accordance with
the publication of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Republic of Uzbekistan [3].
To determine the moisture content, the plant raw material was dried to constant weight. The total
ash and ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid solution (HCl=10%) of goji berries were determined
according to the instructions in section UzRDF.2.8.1 [4]. The determination of ash is based on
the combustion of the raw material and then reaching a constant weight. The determination of the
amount of foreign impurities in the composition of the medicinal plant raw material was carried
out according to UzRDF.2.8.2 [5]. The determination of the amount of bioactive substances was
carried out according to the procedure UzRDF.2.8.6 [6]. Their content was expressed
quantitatively as a dry residue (percentage). To determine the bioactive substances,
approximately 1.0 g (accurate weight) of crushed medicinal plant raw material was placed in a
250 ml conical flask, 50 ml of solvent was added and left for 1 hour. The flask was connected to
an inverted condenser and heated for two hours (Figure 2). The experiments were conducted in
the Laboratory of Biological Preparations of the Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums.
The substances in the flask were filtered through dry filter paper into a separate 200 ml flask.
25.0 ml of the resulting filtrate was taken into the flask and evaporated. The amount of bioactive
substances was calculated relative to the absolute dry plant raw material (%). Various extractants
were used to determine the bioactive substances, including purified water, 40%, 70%, 96% ethyl
alcohol and ether. The moisture content of goji berries was determined to be from 5.0% to 7.4%.
Based on this, it can be determined that the moisture content of Lycium barbarum L. berries
should not exceed the standard 10%. The total ash content was from 2.61% to 2.76%, and the ash
insoluble in HCl was from 2.65% to 2.76%. Thus, the following norms were established for
these indicators: total ash content - not more than 5%; The ash content insoluble in 10%
hydrochloric acid should not exceed 3%. The amount of foreign matter was low. The results are
presented in Table 1.
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Figure 2. The process of isolating bioactive substances.
Table 1
Quantitative parameters of goji berries (n=3)
№
Numerical indicators
Quantity, %
Proposed standard
1
Humidity
5,5705-7,3777
Not more than 10%
2
Common ash
2,7153-2,8623
Not more than 5%
3
Ash insoluble in 10% hydrochloric
acid
2,6794-2,7504
Not more than 3.0%
4
Parts of raw materials that have lost
their natural color (yellow, blackened)
2,843
Not more than 5%
5
Other parts of the plant that do not
correspond to the description of the
specified raw material
(root, fruit)
0,0747
Not
more
than
0.5%
6
Organic foreign substances
0
Not more than 0.5%
7
Mineral foreign substances (sand,
stone and ...)
0
Not
more
than
0.5%
The water-extracted substances were 52.56%, 70% ethyl alcohol-extracted substances were
35.87%, 96% ethyl alcohol-extracted substances were 41.92%, and 40% ethyl alcohol-extracted
substances were 59.48%, which is the maximum amount of bioactive substances isolated from
the ACA. The yield of bioactive substances extracted from the fruits in petroleum ether was
about 0.50% - 0.64%. The results are presented in Figure 3.
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60
40
40% ли спирт
20
0
сув
96% ли спирт
70% ли спирт
ЭМ %
ЭМ %
ЭМ %
эфир
70% ли спирт
96% ли спирт
сув
40% ли спирт
Figure 3. Quantification of bioactive compounds in various natural solvents (n=3).
Conclusion: Studies were conducted on the quantitative parameters of bioactive compounds in
goji berries, establishing standards for the moisture content of the raw material, total ash, ash
insoluble in HCl, and bioactive compounds isolated using various solvents. The results obtained
allow standardization of plant raw materials for the development of regulatory documents.
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