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Wolfberry
Improves Vision: A Rich Source of Beta-carotene
Chinese
people have been using wolfberry to prevent vision
degeneration or treat mild blurry vision for more than one
thousand years. Traditional doctors commonly used wolfberry in herbal
formulas. However,
wolfberry’s benefit to our eyes remained a mystery until
modern science discovered that wolfberry fruit contained
substantial amounts of pro-vitamin A: beta-carotene and
cryptoxanthin. Beta-carotene
has received most of the attention because Beta-carotene
generates vitamin A much more efficient than alpha-carotene.
Rich Nature Laboratories’ dried berry contains more than 28,000
IU/100g beta-carotene and Rich Nature concentrated
powder, W-LBP, contains 58,000-60,000 IU/100g beta-carotene.
Beta-carotene is now believed that has many health
functions on human body (see Table 1).
Table
1: Benefits from Beta carotene in Wolfberry
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|
Beta-carotene
(IU/100g)
|
Beneficial
Effects of Beta-carotene
|
|
Rich
NatureTM Wolfberry
Rich
NatureTM W-LBP
|
28,100
(
Beta-carotene)
58,100
-60,000
(
Beta-carotene)
|
1.
Best
known for improving visual system: provide necessary nutrient for retina
2.
Antioxidant
activity:
carotene exerts significant antioxidant activity compare
to that of vitamin A.
The antioxidant activity of carotene is probably
the factor responsible for the anticancer effects noted
in population study.
3.
Anti-aging:
Carotenoid content of tissue is the most significant
factor in determining maximal life span potential (MLSP)
of mammalian species.
For example, human MLSP of approximately 90 years
correlates with a serum carotene level of 50 to 300
micrograms per deciliter while other primates, such as
the rhesus monkey, have a MLSP of approximately 34 years
correlating with a serum carotene level of 6 to 12
micrograms per deciliter.
4.
Immune
system:
Beta-carotene appears to enhance thymus gland function
and increase interferon’s stimulatory action on the
immune system. Interferon
is a powerful immune-enhancing compound that plays a
central role in protection against viral infection
5.
Reproduction:
Beta-carotene has a specific effort in fertility
distinct from its role as a precursor to vitamin A.
The carotene cleavage activity changes with the
ovulation cycle, with the highest activity occurring
during the midovulation stage
6.
Best known
for improving visual system: provide necessary
nutrient for retina.
7.
Antioxidant
activity: carotene exerts significant antioxidant
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Reference:
1.
Murray,
Michael T, Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements. Prima. 1996. P19-29.
2.
Zongshao
Qi, Shufang Le, Jiping Wu, Rong Qu, Yufang Yang, Lijuan Zhang,
Xiaoping Yang. Chemical Analysis of Wolfberry fruit and
leaves. Chinese
Herb News. 1986,
Vol.11 (3): P41-43.
Wolfberry
contains 18 types of amino acids which includes all eight
essential amino acids:
Amino-acids
|
Amount
(mg/100mg)
|
Health
Benefits
|
|
Aspartic
acid
|
1.55
|
Wolfberry
contains 18 out
of 20 amino acids, which serve as a building block
of proteins. Proteins
are now recognized as the predominant ingredients of
cells. The
20 standard amino acids also serve as raw materials for
the manufacture of many other cellular products, such as
enzymes, hormones, antibodies of immune system.
Several of these amino acids are key
intermediates in cellular metabolism.
Wolfberry
has all 8
essential amino acids.
Human
needs the essential amino acids to function but human
body cannot produce them.
The essential amino acids must obtain from food.
|
|
Threonine
|
0.37
|
|
Serine
|
0.47
|
|
Glutamic
acid
|
1.23
|
|
Glycine
|
0.34
|
|
Alanine
|
0.43
|
|
Cystine
|
0.11
|
|
Valine
|
0.37
|
|
Methionine
|
0.10
|
|
Isoleucine
|
0.29
|
|
Leucine
|
0.45
|
|
Tyrosine
|
0.15
|
|
phenylalanine
|
0.26
|
|
Lysine
|
0.31
|
|
Ammonia
|
0.38
|
|
Histidine
|
0.15
|
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Arginine
|
0.94
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Tryptophan
|
0.10
|
|
Proline
|
1.08
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Total:
|
9.14
|
More than 50% of the amino acids in Rich NatureTM
Wolfberry are free amino acids or Water-soluble amino acids,
which can be directly utilized by the body.
Amino
Acid
|
Free
Amino Acid
|
Water
Soluble Amino Acid
|
Total
|
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Aspartic
acid
|
1.21
|
0.40
|
1.76
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Threonine
|
0.07
|
0.07
|
0.29
|
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Serine
|
0.14
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0.11
|
0.43
|
|
Glutamic
acid
|
0.63
|
0.28
|
1.27
|
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Glycine
|
0.04
|
0.03
|
0.19
|
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Alanine
|
0.37
|
0.18
|
0.64
|
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Valine
|
0.05
|
0.05
|
0.26
|
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Methionine
|
¾
|
¾
|
0.04
|
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Isoleucine
|
0.04
|
0.04
|
0.20
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Leucine
|
0.09
|
0.03
|
0.30
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Tyrosine
|
0.05
|
¾
|
0.16
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Phenylalanine
|
0.06
|
0.02
|
0.16
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Lysine
|
0.02
|
0.02
|
0.16
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Ammonia
|
0.30
|
0.07
|
0.58
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Histidine
|
0.04
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0.02
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0.10
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Arginine
|
0.19
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0.09
|
0.45
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Proline
|
0.65
|
0.13
|
0.91
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Total
Amount:
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3.95
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1.54
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7.90
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Total (%):
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50
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19
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100
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Reference:
Meng
Xiezhong, Hu Xiangxun, Zhang Guilan.
Chemical Analysis on Lycium Barbarum Fruit and Leaves.
Chinese Herb News. 1987, Vol.12 (5): 42-44.
Anti-Mutation
from Wolfberry- China Studies:
Mutation
is the process whereby changes occur in the quantity or
structure of the genetic material of an organism.
Mutations are permanent alterations in the genetic
material, which may lead to changes in phenotype, or in other
words, it may lead to abnormal cell types, including tumors.
Two in vitro
studies have shown that the active ingredient, wolfberry
polysaccharides inhibit mutation.
The Ames test done by
Chinese scientists has demonstrated polysaccharides inhibit
2-AF induced TA100 mutation.
An increase in inhibition was observed when the dosage
of polysaccharides was increased (Figure 1).
Lycium Barbarum
Polysaccharides (LBP) does not inhibit the mutation induced by B (a) P.
Figure
1: Ames test on LBP
|
Group
|
Polysaccharides
dosage
(ug/plate)
|
S9
|
B
(a) P
(ug/plate)
|
2-AF
(ug/plate)
|
TA98
|
TA100
|
|
Spontaneous
process
|
|
+
-
|
|
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46
29
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144
159
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Positive
control
|
|
+
-
|
10
|
10
|
71
5460
|
314
3514
|
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B
(a) P group
|
1
10
100
1000
10000
|
+
+
+
+
+
|
10
10
10
10
10
|
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62
62
59
53
52
|
219
304
347
354
336
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2-AF
group
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1
10
100
1000
10000
|
+
+
+
+
+
|
|
10
10
10
10
10
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4975
5613
5968
5613
1674
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3276
3556
2968
1658
770
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Another
study done by Chinese scientists had shown that
polysaccharides reduce the SCE (sister chromatic exchange)
induced by MMC (MMC is chemical drug for tumor cells, and also
a known agent damaging chromosome). Sister chromatid is a pair of genetically identical pieces of
double-stranded DNA and associated proteins, produced by DNA
replication of a eukaryotic chromosome.
SCE is a common indicator of gene mutation.
In this in vitro
study, scientists added MMC in lymph cells to induce SCE.
SCE increases to 33.17/cell after adding MMC to the
cell (Table 2). After
applying LBP to the cell, SCE is reduced in proportion with
the dosage of polysaccharides (Table 2).
Table
2:
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Group
|
MMC
(ug)
|
LBP
Dosage
|
SCES
(`x ±
SD)
|
SCE
Rate
(%)
|
|
(ug)
|
Log
|
|
Blank
|
|
|
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3.87
1.57
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Positive
control
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0.16
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0
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33.17
10.46
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100
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Experimental
Group
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1
|
0.16
|
20
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1.3010
|
32.01
6.77
|
96.59
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2
|
0.16
|
80
|
1.9031
|
25.73
6.43
|
77.57
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3
|
0.16
|
320
|
2.5052
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17.73
5.69
|
53.45
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4
|
0.16
|
1280
|
3.1072
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16.36
2.95
|
49.32
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Reference:
Maoxuan
Tao, Zhongliang Zhao. In vitro study: Anti-genetic Damage
Effect from Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharide.
Chinese Herbs. Vol. 23(9), 1992: 474-476.
Wolfberry
Protect Cells:
Cell
damage is closely related to aging and cancer.
Cell protection effects from wolfberry have been shown
in many human studies in China.
In
one study conducted by Ning Xia Medical University, thirty
healthy people between 60 and 80 years of age were given 50g
of wolfberry to chew every day.
After 10 days, blood samples were drawn to measure the
level of SCE (Sister Chromatid Exchange, a popular marker for
genetic toxicity relating to aging and the cancer process.
SCE levels are lower in young people than that in aging
people) and lymph cell proliferation. The result demonstrated that after taking Wolfberry, the SCE
declined and lymph cell proliferation improved (Table 1 and
Table 2).
Table
1: A comparison of SCE and lymph cell proliferation in young
and elderly people
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Group
|
MMC
(ug/ml)
|
SCE/cell
|
Cell
proliferation (%)
|
PRI
|
|
Number
`x
± s
|
Number
M1 M2
M3
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Young
Group
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0
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14
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5.40±0.33
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14
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30.14
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53.92
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15.93
|
1.86
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|
0.0125
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9
|
16.72±1.68
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9
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36.22
|
56.00
|
7.78
|
1.72
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|
0.025
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24
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21.41±2.90
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14
|
40.07
|
56.29
|
3.64
|
1.64
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Elder
Group
|
0
|
30
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7.39±1.92
|
30
|
57.07
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40.10
|
2.83
|
1.46
|
|
0.0125
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30
|
15.04±1.60
|
29
|
62.65
|
35.90
|
1.45
|
1.39
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|
0.025
|
26
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23.71±2.93
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30
|
69.00
|
30.23
|
0.77
|
1.32
|
P
<
0.05
Table
2: Changes of SCE and lymph cell proliferation before and
after taking Wolfberry
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Group
MMC
(ug/ml)
|
SCE/cell
Lymph cell proliferation (%)
|
PRI
|
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n `
x ±
s
n
M1 M2 M3
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Before
23 7.40
±1.82
22 55.23
41.50
3.27 1.48
0
After
20
5.67 ± 1.15
22
50.91
44.77 4.32 1.53
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|
Before
20
14.99±
1.69
19
60.16
37.68 2.16
1.42
0.0125
After
20 11.65± 1.22
19
57.10
40.9 1.95
1.45
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Before
23 23.69±
3.06
21
66.29
32.62 1.09
1.35
0.025
After
23 18.69±
1.98
21
66.67 36.00 1.33
1.39
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Reference:
1.
Jie Gan, Mudi
Wang, Nianju Liu,
Xiaohang Zhao, Shouzhi Dai. Wolfberry Promotes Proliferation
of Lymph Cell in Seniors.
Journal for Seniors, vol.12, Issue 2, 1992.
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Information on these pages is
provided for informational purposes and is not meant to
substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or
other medical professional. You should not use the information
contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem
or disease, or prescribing any medication. You should read
carefully all product packaging. If you have or suspect that
you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care
provider.
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