Chinese Herbs – Gou Qi Zi or Qi Zi (Fructus Lycii)

Gou Qi Zi or Qi Zi is also known as wolfberry fruit. The sweet and neutral herb has been used in TCM as anti cancer agent and to treat sore back, leg, and stomach; improves night vision, blurred vision, diabetes, premature white hair, enhance immune system, lowers blood lipids, elevate level of testosterone, simulate estrogen etc., as it nourishes and tonifies Liver and Kidneys, improve vision, moistens the Lungs, etc., by enhancing the functions of liver, lung and kidney channels.

Ingredients
1. Betaine
2. β-sitosterol
3. Linoleic acid
4. Physalien
5. Cryptoxanthin
6. Atropine
7. Hyoscyamine
8. Scopoletin
9. Amino acids
10. Physalein
11. Zeaxanthin
12. Dipalmitate
13. Carotene
14. Etc.

Health Benefits
1. Cholesterol
In the comparison of herbal extract SR10 of Radix Astragali, Radix Codonopsis and Cortex Lycii and its effect on lipoprotein oxidation found that SR10 inhibited erythrocyte hemolysis with IC50 value at 0.25 mg/ml and significantly prolonged low-density lipoprotein oxidation in vitro. SR10 attenuated platelet derived growth factor-BB-induced vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation by promoting cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase as well as inhibiting vascular smooth muscle cell migration. according to “Suppression of low-density lipoprotein oxidation, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration by a herbal extract of Radix Astragali, Radix Codonopsis and Cortex Lycii” by Chan JY, Koon JC, Leung PC, Che CT, Fung KP.(a)
2. Cervical cancer
In the evaluation of the cytotoxic and antiproliferative effect of 2-O-β-D-Glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid (AA-2βG) against cancer cells in wolfberry found that AA-2βG and vitamin C mediated antitumor activity by downregulating the expression of proteins involved in cell apoptosis and proliferation and consequently inducing Hela cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, suggesting that AA-2βG and vitamin C may share a similar mechanism of inducing Hela cell apoptosis, according to “Selective suppression of cervical cancer Hela cells by 2-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid isolated from the fruit of Lycium barbarum L” byZhang Z, Liu X, Wu T, Liu J, Zhang X, Yang X, Goodheart MJ, Engelhardt JF, Wang Y.(b)
3. Anticancer and immunomodulatory effects
In the classification of the anticancer effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used in cancer therapies found that major active ingredients, L. barbarum polysaccharides (LBP), scopoletin and 2-O-β-D: -glucopyranosyl-L: -ascorbic acid (AA-2βG), are found to have apoptotic and antiproliferative effects on cancer cell lines. Moreover, LBP also contributes to body’s immunomodulatory effects and enhances effects of other cancer therapies. It is not known whether there are any undesirable effects, according to “A review of the anticancer and immunomodulatory effects of Lycium barbarum fruit” by Tang WM, Chan E, Kwok CY, Lee YK, Wu JH, Wan CW, Chan RY, Yu PH, Chan SW.(c)
4. Hypochlolesterolemic and antioxidative effects
In the researches of the hypocholesterolemic effect and potential of tyramine derivatives from Lycii Cortex Radicis (LCR), the root bark of lycium (Lycium chenese Miller) in reducing lipid peroxidation found that The level of liver cholesterol was significantly lower in LCR1 and LCR2 groups than HF-control. Serum levels of TBARS were significantly lower only in LCR2 group when compared with HF-control group. From the observed results, we concluded that LCR can be utilized as a hypocholesterolemic ingredient in combination with ginger, especially for functional foods, according to “Study on the hypochlolesterolemic and antioxidative effects of tyramine derivatives from the root bark of Lycium chenese Miller” by Cho SH, Park EJ, Kim EO, Choi SW.(d)
5. Liver inflammation and fibrosis
In the elavuation of the effects of water extracted Lycium barbarum and Rehmannia glutinosa (HE) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced liver injury in rats found that treatment with water extracted Lycium barbarum and Rehmannia glutinosa (0.05% and 0.15% for each) for eight weeks protects against necrotic damage, indicated by decreases in plasma ALT and AST activities, and suppresses liver fibrosis by down-regulation of liver inflammation in rats with CCl(4)-induced liver injury, according to “Hot water extracted Lycium barbarum and Rehmannia glutinosa inhibit liver inflammation and fibrosis in rats” by Wu PS, Wu SJ, Tsai YH, Lin YH, Chao JC.(e)
6. Testicular oxidative stress
In the determination of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) and its protective effect against doxorubicin (DOX)-induced testicular toxicity confirmed that LBP effectively attenuated DOX-induced severe degenerative changes of seminiferous tubules. This study illustrated the capability of LBP in attenuating testicular oxidative stress and protecting testis-specific toxicity in DOX-exposed rats(f)
7. Etc.

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Sources
(a) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21513503
(b) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20717715
(c) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22189914
(d) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22125678
(e) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22083989(f) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22016089