Natural Remedies A-Z
Goji Berries |
Also known as Gou Qi Zhi, and Chinese Wolfberry, these tasty little fruits have been getting a great deal of attention lately in the CAM press. They have a taste that is somewhere between liqorice and caramel, and I eat them by the handful. Whilst walking around the natural products trade show in london a few weeks back there were so many stalls displaying these little gems. So, I felt compelled to write a little something about them.
These fruits are incredibly dense in minerals and trace elements and are a vaery rich source of amino acids and vitamin C.
In traditional Chinese medicine, Goji was used to treat inflammation, skin irritation, nose bleeds, pain, and a was used as a sedative agent. In western herbal medicine it is used predominantly in the treatment of of eye disorders along with bilberry (vaccinium mertylis). This is mainly due to their high flavanoid content, which acts as a potent antioxidant and slows down some forms of degeneration of the eye. There are also liver protective actions attributed to Lycium. This is mainly a protection against oxidants, again due to the flavanoids and another agent - cerebroside. This constituent has been shown to block the release of glutamic pyruvic transaminase and sorbitol dehydrogenase.
One of the most exciting facts that has come to light from research into Goji is its possible inclusion in cancer treatments. This is due to the presence of long chain polysaccahrides. These substances have long been known as something that will greatly influence the activity of the immune system. The polysaccharides in Goji have been shown to increase the expression of interleukin 2 and TNF-alpha, which are involved in orchestrating specific responses and the recruitment of specific cells within the immune system which actually identify cancerous cells and destroy them. These polysaccharides have also been shown to inhibit the growth of leukemia HL-60 cells, and the Human hepatoma QGY7703.
There has also been a fair amount of attention placed on the cholesterol reducing effects of Goji. This is due to the presence of a constituent called betasitosterol. This substance actually helps to prevent the absorption of choleterol in the gut.
In light of these findings, and the fact that these berries are such a tasty treat, they will become a valuable tool for practitioners of all types of therapy. As they are a food they can be easily implemented into a patients treatment plan, and I havent met anyone yet that doesnt love them. If you havent had the pleasure of tasting these superfoods, you dont know what you are missing!!