The research progress on desert Lycium ruthenicum

Lycium ruthenicum is a kind of representative perennial shrub with cold, drought, and salinity tolerance, windbreak and sand-fixation, and it often grows in desert of China’s northwest. L. ruthenicum play important roles in healthcare such as fatigue resistance, anti-aging, prevention and treatment of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis and tumor because this shrub is rich in protein, amino acids, oligomeric proantho cyanidin (OPC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and so on. However, L. ruthenicum growth suffered a serious threat due to long-term improper utilization, indicating natural distribution area becomes smaller. This study summarized recent advances in morphological characteristics, habitat and distributions, medical, economic and ecological values of L. ruthenicum. This study also reviewed the characteristics of adaptability to adverse and ecological and breeding methods (including tissue culture, seed germination, cutting seedlings and artificial cultivation) as well as exploitation and utilization. And then this study proposed the future directions in this field. Systematically understanding of advance in L. ruthenicum research would provide the basis of how to protect and comprehensive development and sustainable utilization of this plant resource.