Lycium

Lycium is a native Chinese deciduous shrub with bright red berries. The dried berries and root bark are used to make medicine.

Lycium is used for many conditions, but so far, there isn’t enough scientific evidence to determine whether or not it is effective for any of them.

Lycium is used for diabetes, high blood pressure, poor circulation, fever, malaria, and cancer. It’s also used for erectile dysfunction (ED), dizziness, ringing in the ears (tinnitus); and to reduce fever, sweating, irritability, thirst, nosebleeds, cough, and wheezing.

Some people use lycium as an eye tonic for blurred vision, for macular degeneration, and for other eye disorders. Lycium is also used to strengthen muscles and bone, and as a blood, liver, and kidney tonic.

In foods, the berries are eaten raw or used in cooking.

The use of lycium was first described in the first century AD in Chinese literature. Traditionally, lycium has been used to promote longevity. Legend claims that one herbalist who used lycium in combination with other tonic herbs lived 252 years.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.

The effectiveness ratings for LYCIUM are as follows:

• Diabetes.
• High blood pressure.
• Fever.
• Malaria.
• Cancer.
• Blood circulation problems.
• Sexual problems (impotence).
• Dizziness.
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
• Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of lycium for these uses.

Lycium contains chemicals that might help lower blood pressure and blood sugar.

Lycium is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth. It can cause some side effects such as nausea and vomiting.

Special precautions & warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Taking lycium during pregnancy is LIKELY UNSAFE. It contains a chemical, betaine, which could cause miscarriage. Don’t use lycium if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Low blood pressure (hypotension): Lycium might lower blood pressure. If your blood pressure is already low, taking lycium might make it drop too much.

High blood pressure (hypertension): Lycium might lower blood pressure. It might cause blood pressure to drop too much if you are taking high blood pressure medications.

Diabetes: Lycium root bark might lower blood sugar. It might cause blood sugar to drop too much if you are taking medications for diabetes. Monitor your blood sugar levels carefully.

Moderate

Lycium root bark might lower blood pressure. Using it along with other herbs and supplements that lower blood pressure might lower blood pressure too much. Some of these products include danshen, ginger, Panax ginseng, turmeric, valerian, and others.

Lycium root bark might lower blood sugar. Using it along with other herbs and supplements that lower blood sugar might lower blood sugar too much. Some of these products include bitter melon, ginger, goat's rue, fenugreek, kudzu, willow bark, and others.

There are no known interactions with foods.

The appropriate dose of lycium depends on several factors such as the user’s age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for lycium. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.

Baies de Goji, Baies de Lycium, Barberry Matrimony Vine, Chinese Boxthorn, Chinese Wolfberry, Di Gu Pi, Digupi, Épine du Christ, Fructus Lychii Chinensis, Fructus Lycii, Fructus Lycii Berry, Fruit de Lycium, Goji, Goji Berry, Goji Chinois, Goji de l’Himalaya, Goji Juice, Gou Qi Zi, Gouqizi, Jus de Goji, Kuko, Lichi, Licium Barbarum, Litchi, Litchi Chinensis, Lychee, Lyciet, Lyciet Commun, Lyciet de Barbarie, Lyciet de Chine, Lycii Berries, Lycii Chinensis, Lycii Fruit, Lycium barbarum, Lycium chinense, Lycium Fruit, Matrimony Vine, Ning Xia Gou Qi, Wolfberry.

To learn more about how this article was written, please see the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database methodology.methodology (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/methodology.html).

To see all references for the Lycium page, please go to http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/1025.html.

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Page last updated: 27 September 2012