Products
Goji berries and corresponding preparations such as capsules, juices or cosmetics are available from various suppliers, including pharmacies, drugstores and health food stores. Goji is an artificial word of recent origin, which is derived from the Chinese name. The berries belong to the so-called superfoods.
Stem plants
The berries come from two plants:
- Common buckthorn
- Chinese buckthorn
Both belong to the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Unlike other representatives from this family, they are not poisonous plants.
Medicinal drug
As a medicinal drug, the buckthorn berries (Lycii fructus) are usually used, the dried, ripe fruits. In TCM, the bark of the roots is also used (Lycii cortex, Digupi). Goji berry juice is made from the fresh, ripe fruits.
Ingredients
The ingredients of the berries include:
- -polysaccharides (LBP)
- Carotenoids: zeaxanthin, beta-carotene orange-red color of berries.
- Vitamins: Thiamine, riboflavin, ascorbic acid
- Minerals
- Flavonoids
- Amino acids
- Lipids, essential oil
- Phytosterols
- Organic acids
- Betaine
Effects
Goji berries have antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, lipid-lowering, cytoprotective, antitumor and neuroprotective properties (“anti-aging“), among others. They are often presented as actual miracle cures – however, from a scientific point of view, this should be refrained from because there are insufficient clinical data.
Areas of application
- In traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese cuisine.
- As a food and dietary supplement, for example, against age-related ailments.
Interactions
An increased bleeding tendency with concomitant use of vitamin K antagonists (warfarin, phenprocoumon) has been described.
Adverse effects
Goji berries are considered tolerable according to the literature. There are no known cases of poisoning. However, according to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), some information is missing, for example on risk groups (children, pregnant women). Goji berries can be contaminated with pesticides and undesirable substances and cause allergic reactions. Tropane alkaloids such as atropine are absent or present in insignificantly small concentrations.
