Review Article

A Systematic Review of Potential Therapeutic Use of Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides in Disease

Table 1

Clinical studies demonstrating the therapeutic effects of LBP.

SourceCountryGroupsSample sizeMethodParametersOutcomesRemarks

Cai et al., 2015 [13] ChinaType II DM subjects: LBP 300mg/day vs Type II DM control37/30Double blind RCTSerum glucoseGlucose AUC decreased in LBP group vs placebo (-7.86 % vs. 1.61 %) RCT evidence for clinical efficacy of supplementary LBP treatment for vascular risk factor control in type II DM subjects
However, potential impact limited by a small sample size
Insulinogenic indexIncreased from -0.98 % to 0.04 % in LBP treated
Serum lipidSignificantly raised HDL in LBP compared to control

Amagase and Nance, 2011 [16] United statesOverweight subjects: LB juice (30/60/120ml) vs control8Double blind, placebo controlled RCTRMR + PPEELB group: 58.26±5.72ml/min (VO2) increase 1hr after intake, significantly higher than baseline RCT evidence for clinical efficacy of supplementary LBP treatment in waist circumference reduction for overweight subjects
Mechanism suggested to be through increase in basal metabolic rate
However, it is important to note that change in VO2 is a crude measurement for basal metabolic rate
14/19Waist circumferenceLB group: 5.54±0.65cm reduction after 15 days treatment compared to baseline

Total papers = 2

Abbreviations. a-Lycium barbarum, b-randomised control trial (RCT), c- resting metabolic rate (RMR), postprandial energy expenditure (PPEE), d-area under curve (AUC), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), and breath oxygen volume (VO2).