Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Faculty of Preventive Medicine, Ningxia Medical College, Yinchuan 750004, China.
The protective effects of total flavonoids from Lycium Barbarum L. (TFL) on lipid peroxidation in mitochondria and red blood cells (RBC) induced by oxygen radicals produced by Fe2+ cysteine system were investigated. The mitochondria lipid peroxidation (measured as malondialdehyde, MDA) was significantly inhibited by TFL with a dose-response relation between the concentrations of 0.025 and 2.0 mg/ml, and the fluidity of mitochondria membrane was also protected effectively. It was observed by scan electron microscope, that the shape of RBC in the Fe2+ system was damaged significantly. The shape of RBC was remained with the addition of TFL.