Himalayan Goji, also known as wolfberry, Lycium chinense, Lycium barbarum, matrimony vine, and Chinese boxthorn, is an evergreen shrub grown in subtropical regions, according to Dr. Ralph Moss in an article in the "CancerDecison.com" newsletter. This plant originated in Tibet, Mongolia and western China, and produces small, tart-tasting orange berries that are made into a fruit juice or extract and have been purportedly used for treating a variety of medical conditions, including high blood pressure, nosebleeds, anemia, inflammation and coughs. It is important to note that there is much ongoing debate about the benefits of Goji berry juice and Goji berry extract, as it has become something of a medicinal legend due to the lack of scientific study.
Diabetes medication interference
Despite these unproven, anecdotal, and sometimes outrageous claims about the benefits of Goji juice and extract, controlled medical research has yet to be done to comprehensively test the efficacy and safety of this plant in treating medical conditions. It is noteworthy that according to the Mayo Clinic, there are no human trials on the effects of Goji products. However, this source also states that Goji juice and extract have been known to interfere with certain medications, most notably, medications for diabetes, presumably based on anecdotal patient experiences with combining the two.
Effects on immune function
Besides reportedly being a tasty juice drink, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, there is early preliminary evidence that Goji juice contains, like most juice drinks, both a potent immune boosting antioxidant that promotes immune system functioning, as well as a refreshing juice drink that provides antioxidant benefits for the cardiovascular system. However, the Mayo Clinic reports skepticism and concern about possible side effects in light of the lack of medical research.
Interaction with cancer drugs
According to Dr. Ralph Moss, of the 15 million citations in the PubMed database, there are 102 article citations that directly apply to Goji extract or the Lycium plant species. Of these, there are 50 article citations for Lycium barbarum, and only five mention cancer. Of these, there is just one relevant article for clinical trials on Goji and cancer. This one study of 79 people with advanced cancer is by G.W Cao et al, at the Second Military Medical University in Shanghai, published in the Chinese Journal of Oncology. Essentially, the participants were divided into two groups. The first did not get Goji, the second did. The first group's response rate was 16.1 percent; the second group's response rate was 40.9 percent. It was also found that the cancer remission period of the group that received Goji extract lasted longer. However, this study was considered preliminary as the medications were non-standard treatment for cancer, and further controlled medical research study is needed particularly for understanding how Goji extract interferes with cancer medications as it may affect dosages and laboratory levels.
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