Goji Berry (Gou Qi Zi) in Chinese Medicine
Goji berry (gou qi zi, Lycium) in Chinese medicine: its traditional uses, what small human studies found, the superfood marketing claims, and allergy and blood thinner cautions.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
What it is
Goji berry is the fruit of Lycium barbarum and related species such as Lycium chinense. It is also called wolfberry, and in Chinese medicine it is gou qi zi.[1] In Chinese medicine, the fruit is commonly used together with other botanicals, and it appears in descriptions of traditional use for poor vision, anemia and cough.[1] Broader traditional medicine in several Asian countries has used it for inflammation, skin irritation, nosebleeds, aches and pains, and as a sedative.[1]
In recent years the berry has been sold in Western markets as a "superfood" that is high in antioxidants.[1] Marketing claims and traditional use are different from clinical evidence, and the sections below keep them apart. For how practitioners think about herbs and why a traditional category such as "nourishing" is not a biological finding, see traditional frameworks versus biomedical explanations.
What research shows
Memorial Sloan Kettering states that the safety and efficacy of lycium for chronic diseases has not been established, and that human studies are limited.[1]
| Use or claim | What the sources found | Strength of evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Blood sugar | A 2017 meta-analysis of 7 randomized trials (548 people) found lower fasting glucose with L. barbarum, but no benefit for body weight or blood pressure, and cholesterol and triglyceride changes were not statistically significant.[2] | Promising but limited |
| Heart and metabolic health | Limited data suggest possible benefit, but additional studies are needed.[1] | Promising but limited |
| Eye health | Protective effects on the macula in older adults and benefit of a lycium-containing formula for dry eye have been described, but more studies are needed.[1] | Insufficient evidence |
| Cancer prevention or treatment | Clinical studies have not been conducted to evaluate anticancer potential.[1] Laboratory findings on a berry sugar compound (polysaccharide) are preclinical. | Preclinical; marketing claim |
| General well-being, "antioxidant" and immune claims | Preliminary data suggest improved well-being in healthy people; "high in antioxidants" is a marketing description, not a clinical result.[1] | Insufficient evidence |
| Aches, pains, sedation | Evidence is lacking to support these traditional uses.[1] | Traditional use only |
A 2019 systematic review of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) found most of the evidence came from laboratory and animal studies, with only two randomized trials among the 20 papers selected. It concluded that large clinical trials are needed.[3] It also noted that one major limitation is a lack of standardization and quality control for the LBP used,[3] meaning that results from one extract may not describe the dried berries you buy.
In Chinese medicine practice
A practitioner commonly uses gou qi zi together with other botanicals rather than alone.[1] If you see a practitioner, see TCM qualifications, licensing and coordinating with medical care for how to check credentials in your location. Do not stop or change prescribed medicine, including for diabetes or eye disease, because of goji.
Frequently asked questions
What is goji berry called in Chinese medicine?
Gou qi zi, the fruit of Lycium barbarum and related species; it is also known as wolfberry.[1]
Is goji berry a proven superfood?
No. It is marketed as a superfood high in antioxidants,[1] but the safety and efficacy of lycium for chronic disease have not been established and human studies are limited.[1]
Can goji berries lower blood sugar?
A 2017 meta-analysis of seven trials found some evidence of a favorable effect on glucose control.[2] The evidence is limited, and goji does not replace diabetes treatment.
Is goji safe with warfarin?
Ask your prescriber first. A few cases of raised INR have been reported in people on anticoagulants after eating lycium products.[1]
Do goji berries prevent or treat cancer?
There is no clinical evidence for this. Clinical studies have not evaluated the anticancer potential of lycium.[1]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Quick safety note
Goji berries are a food as well as a traditional medicine, and most people eat them without trouble. The main cautions are allergic reactions in people with certain plant food allergies and a few reports of raised INR (a blood-clotting test) in people taking warfarin or other anticoagulants.[1] If you take a blood thinner, tell your prescriber before adding goji products.
Safety, interactions and cautions
- Allergy. Hypersensitivity reactions have been reported in people at high risk of plant-based food allergies, and Memorial Sloan Kettering advises people with lipid transfer protein food allergies not to take lycium.[1]
- Warfarin and other anticoagulants. A few cases of elevated INR were reported after eating lycium products in people on anticoagulants.[1]
- Other medicines. Lycium extract may influence how some medicines are broken down by the liver (CYP3A4, 2C9 and 2C19 enzymes).[1] Ask a pharmacist, and see how interactions work and interactions by drug class.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children. Proper evidence not found. The sources I could read do not give pregnancy or children guidance for goji. Treat concentrated extracts and supplements with caution and ask your clinician; see pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Dried berries, juices, powders and extracts are different products. Study results from a purified extract should not be assumed to apply to a handful of dried fruit, and the reverse is also true. Labels differ in species, origin and processing, so see quality, labels and product selection and Chinese herbal products: quality, contamination and medicine interactions.
References
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Lycium (goji, wolfberry) (About Herbs). Read 2026-10-22.
- The effects of Lycium barbarum L. (L. barbarum) on cardiometabolic risk factors: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Food Funct, 2017, PubMed. Read 2026-10-22.
- A Systematic Review of Potential Therapeutic Use of Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides in Disease. Biomed Res Int, 2019, PubMed. Read 2026-10-22.