Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum): Composition and Health Effects – a Review
Bartosz Kulczyński*, Anna Gramza-Michałowska Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 31, 60–624 Poznań, Poland
Key words: goji berries, Lycium barbarum, bioactive compounds, antioxidants, polyphenols, health benefits
Abstract
Goji berries contain many nutrients and bioactive compounds which allowed to classify them as superfruits. A short description of the fruits is presented together with cultivation requirements. The chemical composition of the berries and their health-promoting properties are described later in this literature review. Based on the available data, their potentially beneficial application in dietary prevention of diseases of affluence, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer, is elaborated. We also refer to the safety of Goji consumption in the context of ingredients potentially harmful for human health, allergic reactions and the interactions with other substances.
Conclusions
Goji berry is well-known in traditional Chinese medicine and has been utilized as an important element of a health-promoting diet for hundreds of years. Recently, there has been rapidly growing attention surrounding goji berries in the Western world. Health food stores provide a rich variety of Goji products, such as dried fruits, tea, beer, juice, sweets, musli and supplements. L. barbarum is a plant that could be cultivated in Europe. The main aim of this review was to gather and present state of the art data regarding the health-promoting properties of Goji fruits. Goji berry is a source of many bioactive compounds, characterized by high antioxidant potential. Goji fruits with a wide spectrum of biological effects have numerous implied health effects. Wolfberry may be an effective supplement in prophylaxis of diseases of affluence, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Goji is a safe food supplement, free from toxins; however, it can cause allergies; thus, the risks should be taken into consideration in individuals with food allergies, due to the high degree of cross-reactivity between wolfberry and peach and tomato. On the grounds of harmful herb-drug interactions that enhance drug performance, an anticoagulation therapy (warfarin) is a contra-indication to use Goji berry and any product containing wolfberry. The majority of published studies have used animal models in experiments. The results have been very optimistic and promising. However, additional research must be done with a greater number of experiments involving a larger number of animals, as well as experiments involving human subjects.
* This is a literature on the study of goji berry and antioxidants . You can click here to read the full text.
