Lycium ~ Lycium barbarum ~ (English name “Chinese wolfberry”)

Lycium

Latin name: Lycium barbarum (English name “Chinese wolfberry”)

Family: Solanaceae

Part used: root, bark, fruit (mainly)

Habitat:China,Tibet,Mongolia

Main constituents: carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, ascorbic acid, beta-sitosterol, linoleic acid, zeaxanthin, betaine, cryptoxanthin, atropine, hyoscyamine, scopoletin

Energetics: sweet, neutral (cool),

Main herbal actions: immune regulatory, hypolipidemic, liver protective, WBC restorative during chemotherapy, hypoglycemic, fruit stems and leaves: hypotensive

Minor herbal actions: phytoestrogenic, anti-carcinogenic

Main medicinal uses: lung conditions, asthma, cough, fever, sore back, leg, and stomach, blurry vision, diabetes

Minor medicinal uses: anxiety

Preparations: 6-15 g qd

Contraindications: possible interaction with warfarin

Toxicity: relatively safe for long-term use

Sources: http://alternativehealing.org/qi_zi.htm; http://www.herbmed.org/Herbs/Herb168.htm@