Wolfberry (or Goji, goji berry, L. barbarum) is usually taken as a nutritious and healthy food, which is cheap and rich in nutrition. Now, wolfberry and its derivatives have become common in health management as health food or alternative medicine supplements. There is a wide variety of goji berry products such as dried fruit, tea, beer, juice, candy, musli and supplements.
Chemical Composition of Wolfberry
L. barbarum contains many nutrients with high biological activity, such as polysaccharide complexes, carotenoids, phenylpropanoid, etc. [1]
The polysaccharide complex exists as a water-soluble, highly branched L. barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) comprising six monosaccharides and eighteen amino acids.
The carotenoids in goji berries are the second very important group of bioactive components with health-promoting properties, such as zeaxanthin. Goji berries are considered the best natural source of dipalmitin zeaxanthin currently available.
Phenylpropane is a biologically active compound with very high antioxidant capacity.
The main fatty acid in wolfberry is linoleic acid, followed by oleic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid.
Other compounds present in wolfberry are: vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin and ascorbic acid, their glycoside precursors, and various mineral elements. The average values of mineral elements in fresh and dried goji berries are shown in the table below. [2]
| | Fresh | Dried | | Fresh | Dried |
|---|
| Ca | 26.6±4.90 | 101.3±22.60 | Cu | 0.3±0.04 | 0.8±0.25 |
| K | 276.2±41.00 | 881.9±239.70 | Fe | 0.9±0.22 | 3.4±1.57 |
| Mg | 12.7±2.80 | 45.9±9.20 | Mn | 0.2±0.03 | 0.5±0.18 |
| Na | 57.3±8.70 | 209.8±72.30 | Zn | 0.5±0.12 | 1.5±0.62 |
| P | 48.4±9.26 | 174.3±32.10 | Se (µg/100g) | 0.1±0.01 | 017±0.03 |
| Co | 0.001 | 0.001 | Mo(µg/100g) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Health-Promoting Properties of Wolfberry
Numerous reviews have summarized the various biological activities and health benefits of wolfberry, as shown in the figure below.
Biological activity of wolfberry and its products [3]
- Hypoglycemic properties
- Lipid-lowering properties in blood
- Immunostimulatory and anticancer activity
- Protective properties of wolfberry on retinal cells
- Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties
- Antioxidant potential
- Anti-fatigue effect
The following table lists the main results of human intervention studies on the health properties of goji berries, juice or extracts for informational purposes only. [3]
| Study Design | Study Population | Number | Intervention (Dose) | Main Outcomes |
|---|
| Parallel design intervention study | Healthy elderly subjects | 177 | 3 months (LBPs) | ↓ plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol
↑ HDL cholesterol |
| Double-blinded, placebo-controlled RCT | Healthy adults | 39 | 30 days (120 mL/d LBP-standardized juice) | ↑ SOD, GSH-Px
↓ lipid peroxidation (MDA) |
| Double-blinded, placebo-controlled RCT | Older healthy adults | 60 | 30 days (120 mL/d LBP standardized juice—equivalent at least 150 g of fresh fruit) | ↑ several immunological responses and subjective feelings of general well-being |
| Double-blinded, placebo-controlled RCT | Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients | 42 | 12 months (10 g of LB granules/d, estimated to provide 0.175 g LBPs) | LB supplement provides a neuroprotective effect for the retina and could help delay or minimize
cone degeneration in RP |
Precautions
- It is not recommended for people who have a cold, fever, inflammation, or diarrhea.
- There may be an inhibitory effect on the action of other drugs, including warfarin, or drugs for diabetes, tachycardia, or high blood pressure.
- Since goji berries can help lower blood pressure, if you already have low blood pressure, consult a doctor and monitor blood pressure levels closely before starting a goji berry extract regimen.
References- Bartosz Kulczyński. (2016). "Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum): Composition and Health Effects – a Review," Pol. J. Food Nutr. Sci. 66(2), 67–75.
- Wenli Sun. (2021). "Health benefits of wolfberry (Gou Qi Zi, Fructus barbarum L.) on the basis of ancient Chineseherbalism and Western modern medicine," Avicenna J Phytomed. 11(2), 109–119.
- Bojana B. Vidović. (2022). "Health Benefits and Applications of Goji Berries in Functional Food Products Development: A Review," Antioxidants 11(2), 248.
※ These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug
Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
disease.
