Abstract The fruits of Lycium chinense Miller (Solanaceae) possess emmenagogue, diuretic, antipyretic and hepatoprotective properties and are used to stimulate the immune system, to increase hormonal growth, to improve blood circulation and eye sight and to cure morning sickness. Phytochemical investigation of a chloroform extract of the fruits gave two new aliphatic esters, characterized as n-butanyl n-octadec-9,12-dienoate (n-butanyl linoleate,1) and n-tridecanyl n-octadec-9,12-dienoate (n-tridecanyl linoleate, 2) and two new fatty acids identified as cis,cis,cis –n-octacos-5,8,11-trienoic acid (4) and cis–n-octacos -11-enoic acid (5) and along with a known saturated fatty acid, arachidic acid (3). The structures of these phytoconstituents have been elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis and chemical reactions.
Keywords Lycium chinense, fruits, aliphatic esters, fatty acids, structure elucidation.