title: An evidence-based update on the pharmacological activities and possible molecular targets of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides.
abstract: Lycium barbarum berries, also named wolfberry, Fructus lycii, and Goji berries, have been used in the People's Republic of China and other Asian countries for more than 2,000 years as a traditional medicinal herb and food supplement. L. barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) are the primary active components of L. barbarum berries and have been reported to possess a wide array of pharmacological activities. Herein, we update our knowledge on the main pharmacological activities and possible molecular targets of LBPs. Several clinical studies in healthy subjects show that consumption of wolfberry juice improves general wellbeing and immune functions. LBPs are reported to have antioxidative and antiaging properties in different models. LBPs show antitumor activities against various types of cancer cells and inhibit tumor growth in nude mice through induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. LBPs may potentiate the efficacy of lymphokine activated killer/interleukin-2 combination therapy in cancer patients. LBPs exhibit significant hypoglycemic effects and insulin-sensitizing activity by increasing glucose metabolism and insulin secretion and promoting pancreatic β-cell proliferation. They protect retinal ganglion cells in experimental models of glaucoma. LBPs protect the liver from injuries due to exposure to toxic chemicals or other insults. They also show potent immunoenhancing activities in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, LBPs protect against neuronal injury and loss induced by β-amyloid peptide, glutamate excitotoxicity, ischemic/reperfusion, and other neurotoxic insults. LBPs ameliorate the symptoms of mice with Alzheimer's disease and enhance neurogenesis in the hippocampus and subventricular zone, improving learning and memory abilities. They reduce irradiation- or chemotherapy-induced organ toxicities. LBPs are beneficial to male reproduction by increasing the quality, quantity, and motility of sperm, improving sexual performance, and protecting the testis against toxic insults. Moreover, LBPs exhibit hypolipidemic, cardioprotective, antiviral, and antiinflammatory activities. There is increasing evidence from preclinical and clinical studies supporting the therapeutic and health-promoting effects of LBPs, but further mechanistic and clinical studies are warranted to establish the dose-response relationships and safety profiles of LBPs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, People's Republic of China ; Department of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Zhi-Wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hui-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lan-Jie
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xue-Wen
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Research Center and Sino-US Joint Laboratory for Medical Sciences, Guiyang Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Xu
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Craniocerebral Diseases of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xueji
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sarasota, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Ruan Jin
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: School of Biology and Chemistry, University of Pu'er, Pu'er, Yunnan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Chuanhai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA ; Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Research Center and Sino-US Joint Laboratory for Medical Sciences, Guiyang Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shu-Feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D032305:Lycium / Q000737:chemistry*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D011134:Polysaccharides
keywords: T cell; anti-aging; antioxidant; apoptosis; cancer; chemotherapy; ischemic/reperfusion injury; mechanism; natural killer