Süstemaatiline kuuluvus (APG IV)
Riik: Taimed (Plantae)
Klaad: Soontaimed (Tracheophyta)
Klaad: Katteseemnetaimed (Angiospermae)
Klaad: Päriskaheidulehelised (Eudicotyledonae)
Selts: Maavitsalised (Solanales)
Sugukond: Maavitsalised (Solanaceae)
Perekond: Taralõng (Lycium)
Liik: Harilik taralõng - Lycium barbarum L.

Botaaniline kirjeldus
Harilik taralõng on maavitsaliste sugukonda, perekonda taralõng kuuluv puituva varrega roniv taim. Taim kasvab 0,8-2 m kõrguseks. Oksad on okkalised. Harilikul taralõngal on lantsetjad kuni elliptilised ümara tipuga lihtlehed, mis paiknevad võrsel vahelduvalt või kahe-kolmekaupa. Lehed on 2-3 cm pikad nig 3-6 mm laiad. Õied paiknevad ühe-kuni kolmekaupa kobarates. Õieraag 1-2 cm pikk. Õiekate on kaheli, viietine. Tupplehed liitlehised, moodustavad kellukakujulise või toruja õietupe. Selle otsast paistavad 5 lühikese kolmnurkse hõlmaga kroonlehte. Õiekroon on 9-14 mm lai. Tolmukad ja emakasuue on kroonist veidi väljaulatuvad. Viljad on piklikud, erkpunased marjad, mida tuntakse ka goji marjadena. Seemneid on tavaliselt 4-20, need on pruunikad-kollased, umbes 2 mm läbimõõduga. [1] 

Levila
Harilik taralõng pärineb arvatavasti Kagu-Euroopa ja Kagu-Aasia vaheliselt alalt ning on levinud paljudesse maailma piirkondadesse. [2]

Toime ja kasutamine
Hiinas traditsioonilise ravimtaime ja toidulisandina kasutatud enam kui 2000 aastat. Taim sisaldab ohtralt polüsahhariide, betaiini, fenoole, karotenoide (zeaksantiin ja β-karoteen), tserebrosiidi, 2-O-β-d-glükopüranosüül-laskorbiinhapet (AA-2βG), β-sitosterooli. flavonoidid ja vitamiinid (eriti riboflaviin, tiamiin ja askorbiinhape). [3] 

Harilikku taralõnga ehk goji marja kasutatakse eelkõige toiduks. Ravimtaimedena kasutatakse eelkõige hiina taralõnga (Lycium chinense). Harilikul taralõngal teatakse olevat mikroobivastane, kolesteroolisisaldust vähendav, palavikku alandav, vähivastane, vananemisvastane,  uriinieritust soodustav, toonust tõstev, veresooni laiendav, suhkrutõvevastane ja lahtistav toime. [4,5]


Kasutatud allikad 
1. WFO (2024): Lycium barbarum Lam. Published on the Internet;http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0001022662. Accessed on: 06 Jan 2024
2. Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.). Lycium barbarum. Retrieved November 7, 2023, from https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=286471
3. Amagase, H. (2014). Antioxidants in Goji Berry Juice (Lycium barbarum) and Effects of Processing Steps. Processing and Impact on Antioxidants in Beverages, 155–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-404738-9.00016-7
4. Gao, Y., Wei, Y., Wang, Y., Gao, F., & Chen, Z. (2017). Lycium Barbarum: A Traditional Chinese Herb and A Promising Anti-Aging Agent. Aging and Disease, 8(6), 778. https://doi.org/10.14336/AD.2017.0725
5. Raal, A. (2010). Maailma ravimtaimede entsüklopeedia. Tallinn: Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus.

Classification (APG IV)
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Lycium
Species: Chinese wolfberry - Lycium barbarum L.

Botanical Description
Chinese wolfberry (Lycium barbarum) is a climbing plant with a woody stem belonging to the Solanaceae family and the genus Lycium. The plant grows to a height of 0.8–2 m. Its branches are thorny. The common goji has lanceolate to elliptical simple leaves with rounded tips, arranged alternately or in pairs or threes on the shoot. The leaves are 2–3 cm long and 3–6 mm wide. The flowers are found in clusters of one to three. The pedicel is 1–2 cm long. The perianth is bilaterally symmetrical and five-parted. The calyx is fused, forming a bell-shaped or tubular structure with five short triangular lobes visible at the tip. The corolla is 9–14 mm wide. The stamens and pistil protrude slightly beyond the corolla. The fruit is an elongated, bright red berry, commonly known as the goji berry. There are typically 4–20 seeds per berry, which are brownish-yellow and approximately 2 mm in diameter. [1]

Distribution
Chinese wolfberry is believed to originate from the region between Southeastern Europe and Southeast Asia and has spread to many parts of the world. [2]

Effects and Uses
In China, it has been used as a traditional medicinal plant and dietary supplement for over 2000 years. The plant is rich in polysaccharides, betaine, phenols, carotenoids (zeaxanthin and β-carotene), cerebroside, 2-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid (AA-2βG), β-sitosterol, flavonoids, and vitamins (especially riboflavin, thiamine, and ascorbic acid). [3]

Chinese wolfberry fruits are primarily consumed as food, known as goji berries. The Chinese wolfberry is known for its antimicrobial, cholesterol-lowering, fever-reducing, anticancer, anti-aging, diuretic, tonifying, vasodilating, antidiabetic, and laxative properties. [4,5]

References
1. WFO (2024): Lycium barbarum Lam. Published on the Internet; http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0001022662. Accessed on: 06 Jan 2024
2. Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.). Lycium barbarum. Retrieved November 7, 2023, from https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=286471
3. Amagase, H. (2014). Antioxidants in Goji Berry Juice (Lycium barbarum) and Effects of Processing Steps. Processing and Impact on Antioxidants in Beverages, 155–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-404738-9.00016-7
4. Gao, Y., Wei, Y., Wang, Y., Gao, F., & Chen, Z. (2017). Lycium Barbarum: A Traditional Chinese Herb and A Promising Anti-Aging Agent. Aging and Disease, 8(6), 778. https://doi.org/10.14336/AD.2017.0725
5. Raal, A. (2010). Maailma ravimtaimede entsüklopeedia. Tallinn: Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus.