Goji Berry

Scientific Name(s): Lycium barbarum L., Lycium chinense Mill., Lycium halimifolium Mill., Lycium vulgare Dunal.
Common Name(s): Barbary wolfberry, Chinese desert thorn, Chinese wolfberry, Desert-thorn, Duke of Argylls tea tree, Fructus Lycii Chinensis, Goji, Goji berry, Gou Qi Zi, Gouqizi, Himalayan goji, Kuko, LYCH, Matrimony vine, Ningxia, Red diamonds, Tibetan goji, Wolfberry

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Oct 18, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

Limited quality clinical trials exist to support therapeutic claims. In vitro and animal experiments suggest antioxidant, hypoglycemic, immune-enhancing, and neuro-, hepato-, and ophthalmic-protective effects. A meta-analysis of several low-quality randomized controlled trials suggest a beneficial reduction in cardiometabolic risk factors may be provided for subjects at least 60 years of age who supplemented for at least 3 months.

Dosing

Data are lacking to guide dosage in the clinical setting. A dose of 150 mg twice daily was effective as an antidiabetic in a small clinical trial.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

Case reports of interactions with warfarin exist.

Adverse Reactions

Anaphylaxis and varying degrees of hypersensitivity reactions have been reported. Clinical trials report few or no adverse reactions. Information is limited.

Toxicology

Information is lacking.

Scientific Family

• Solanaceae (potato)

Botany

Two closely related species, L. barbarum and L. chinense, collectively produce the berries considered to be goji, wolfberries, or Gou Qi Zi. They are botanically related to the tomato and are deciduous woody perennials. Primarily cultivated in China, these species grow from 1 to 3 m in height; the L. barbarum tends to be the taller of the two.1 The 5-petaled flowers are lavender to light-purple in color, and the lanceolate/ovate leaves appear alternately or in bundles on the shoot. The tender, oblong berries, which must be picked carefully or shaken from the vine when ripe, are a bright orange-red color and contain between 10 to 60 yellow seeds. The berries ripen from July to October in the Northern Hemisphere. A process of slow drying is undertaken to preserve the fruit, which then appear similar in size and texture to a raisin.2 The leaves are used to make tea, and the bark is extensively used in traditional Chinese medicines.1 Synonyms are Lycium halimifolium Mill.; Lycium vulgare Dunal.

History

Gou Qi Zi is listed in the Pharmacopeia of the People's Republic of China (2000)3 and use of the berries dates back 2,300 years. Traditional use has included preventing conditions such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cancer, hepatitis, immune disorders, thrombosis, and male infertility.4, 5 In traditional Chinese medicine it is used for its anti-aging properties and tranquilizing and thirst quenching effects, as well as its ability to increase stamina. Goji is a core ingredient in most herbal eye remedies. Further uses have included nourishing the blood, enriching the yin, and as a tonic for the liver, kidneys, and lungs.6, 7, 8, 9

Chemistry

Major compounds isolated from the berries include the carotenoids beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin, zeaxanthin dipalmita...