Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Goji fruits (Lycium barbarum L.) Cultivated in Serbia

Objective: Goji fruit extracts, methanol (MGE) and hexane (HGE), were subjected to evaluation as potential source of phenolic antioxidants and antiradical activity.Methods: Some phenolic compounds (gallic, protocatechuic, vanillic, chlorogenic, coumaric, caffeic and ferulic acid and catechin and rutin), vitamin C and carotenoids were identified and quantified by HPLC. Antioxidant activity was tested by measuring ability to scavenge DPPH and hydroxyl radicals. Also, reducing power of goji fruit extracts was determined.Results: HPLC analysis results showed predominance of gallic acid (40.44 mg/g g.f). Vitamin C content in MGE was 716.91 mg vitC/100 g g.f. IC50DPPH· varied from 26.64 μmolTEAC/g for HGE to 62.15 μmolTEAC/g for MGE, while RP0.5 values varied from 952.23 μmolTEAC/g for MGE to 1360.48 mg/mL for HGE. IC50·OH for MGE was 1844.01 μmolTEAC/g.Conclusions: Our results support the use of goji fruits as rich sources of phytochemicals for further utilization in the food industry as supplements and functi...