Common wolfberry

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Common wolfberry
Common wolfberry (Lycium barbarum)

Common wolfberry ( Lycium barbarum )

Systematics
Asterids
Euasterids I
Order : Nightshade (Solanales)
Family : Nightshade family (Solanaceae)
Genre : Box thorn ( Lycium )
Type : Common wolfberry
Scientific name
Lycium barbarum
L.
Illustration in Thomés Flora from 1885

The common wolfberry ( Lycium barbarum ) is a species of the genus of the wolfberry ( Lycium ) within the nightshade family (Solanaceae). In Central Europe it is a neophyte and is also called common wolfberry , common devil's twine , just devil's twine - not to be confused with the parasitic creeper devil's twine ( Cuscuta australis ) - or witch's twine or Chinese wolfberry . In China it is called Níngxià gǒuqǐ ( Chinese  寧夏 枸杞  /  宁夏 枸杞  - "Gouqi from Ningxia "). In Chinese, this name is also synonymous with wolfberry of high quality, as the best quality wolfberry grows in the Ningxia region of China, the berries of which are used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as well as in Chinese cuisine .

In English-speaking countries, the berries of the common wolfberry, together with those of the Chinese wolfberry ( Lycium chinense ), are known as goji (goji berries) or Chinese wolfberry . It is used as an ornamental plant and is part of Chinese cuisine and traditional Chinese medicine. The EPPO code is LYUHA.

description

Vegetative characteristics

The common wolfberry is a deciduous shrub that reaches heights of 2 to 4 meters. Its rod-shaped, mostly prickly branches hang down like an arch. There are few slender thorns.

The short-stalked, slightly fleshy and (alternate) leaves sit individually or in groups on the branch. With a width of 1 to 2 centimeters and a length of 3.5 to 7 centimeters, the simple leaf blade is ovate to lanceolate, oblong, less often obovate and entire. The tip is rounded to mostly pointed.

Generative characteristics

Five-fold bloom in detail
Ripe wolfberry berries

The blooming time of the common wolfberry extends from June to August and partly to September. The axillary inflorescence contains one or more flowers. The flower stalk is 1 to 2 inches long.

The hermaphrodite flowers are five-fold with a double flower envelope . The calyx is bell-shaped with a diameter of 4 to 5 millimeters and somewhat two-lipped. The corolla is green-purple and funnel-shaped. The corolla tube is 8 to 10 millimeters long. The spreading corolla lobes are 5 to 6 millimeters long and almost bare at the edge. The ovary is on top, with a long stylus with a cephalic scar . The stamens and stylus sitting in the corolla tube protrude slightly above the corolla .

When ripe, the bright red or orange-yellow berries are elongated to ovoid with a length of 4 to 20 millimeters and a diameter of 5 to 12 millimeters. The fruits ripen from August to October. Each fruit contains 4 to 20 seeds. The brown-yellow, rounded and flattened seeds are about 1.5-2.5 millimeters in size.

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 24.

ecology

The common wolfberry is very hardy and can withstand frost down to −25 ° C. At the site, wolfberry spreads through roots ( rhizomes ) and is therefore limited by rhizome barriers. Cuttings from drooping branches are known as a way of spreading.

The pollination is effected by insects ( bees ) or self-pollination . The seeds are spread with the help of the animals that eat the fruit.

On the Wolfberry were caterpillars of the species tobacco hornworm , Manduca Quinquemaculata and skull hornworm observed. Powdery mildew in particular can be found on wolfberry. Lice of the genera Aphis and Paratrioza occur as pests, and occasionally snails.

Occurrence

According to Ellenberg , the common wolfberry is a full light plant. It occurs mainly in and near the cities in eastern Germany, overgrown on walls and fences. You see him less often in western Germany. It does not tolerate salt or heavy metals . Due to the frequent use for dam planting and as an ornamental plant , wolfberry occurs overgrown, especially in southern countries. In Europe it behaves invasively , which is why its planting in the open countryside can lead to undesirable displacement of native ruderal vegetation .

Picking wolfberry berries in Ningxia

Origin and history

It is unclear where the real home of the wolfberry is. Its natural habitat can be found from southeast Europe to China . A typical wolfberry region in China is Ningxia. From there it spread as a cultivated plant to all of Asia , Europe , North America , North Africa and Australia / New Zealand . Others give only the Mediterranean area as the distribution area. The related species Lycium chinense , Lycium ruthenicum and Lycium turcomanicum are particularly widespread in Asia. The species Lycium pallidum is found in Central America and Lycium europaeum in the Mediterranean area to Portugal. The wolfberry is widespread in the northwestern Chinese provinces of Gansu , Ningxia , Qinghai and Inner Mongolia .

Systematics

The first publication of Lycium barbarum was in 1753 by Carl von Linné . Synonyms for Lycium barbarum L. are Lycium halimifolium Miller and Lycium vulgare Dunal .

Molecular biological studies confirm a strongly supported clade , which, in addition to the common wolfberry ( Lycium barbarum ), consists of Lycium ruthenicum and the Chinese wolfberry ( Lycium chinense ). The relationships between the three species and other ancient world species have not been clearly established.

Of Lycium barbarum there are two varieties:

  • Lycium barbarum var. Auranticarpum K.F. Ching : This variety occurs only in China. The leaves are rather narrow and fleshy. There are only four to eight seeds in the orange-yellow fruits.
  • Lycium barbarum L. var. Barbarum : The leaves are rather broad, thin or even paper-like. The number of seeds per fruit is higher than 15. The fruits are red in color.

use

kitchen

Dried wolfberry berries

Wolfberry is used in China for cooking and natural medicine. In summer and autumn the fruits are harvested and dried in the sun. The fruits are cooked or, if they are sweet, eaten raw; some variants are very acidic. Leaves from young plants are also used as leafy vegetables.

Since other parts of the plant are not permitted as food in Europe, only the berry is processed here in the food industry . The fruit juice was initially offered by some manufacturers. The wolfberry, to which a particularly high proportion of so-called vital ingredients was attributed, was later marketed as a superfood under the name Goji . As a result, it became a trend food and more and more dried berries are being imported, although they often have strong pesticide residues . So were z. For example, all random samples from 2009 were highly contaminated with the insecticide acetamiprid , with more than ten other active ingredients being detected.

Since 2013, fresh fruits from European cultivation have also been offered, which can be frozen or stored in a dried state. The juice or fruits are used for mueslis, yoghurt or smoothies.

Ornamental plant

The wolfberry is also used as an ornamental plant.

Erosion control

Wolfberry is also used as a shrub to plant dams as protection against erosion .

Traditional Chinese medicine

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), dried wolfberry berries are used for high blood pressure and blood sugar , as well as for eye problems, to support the immune system and to prevent and treat cancer . As a single dose, 6 to 15 grams of the dried berries are given as decoction , in wine or as a tincture .

Traditionally, the Chinese have used goji berries to enhance yin . If there is a lack of Yin in the liver and kidneys, TCM has the following indications: drowsiness , diabetes mellitus , anemia , colds , exhaustion, impotence , fatigue, premature aging, night sweats , weakness in the back and knees, dizziness , tinnitus and poor eyesight , overexertion and Infertility .

pharmacology

Studies on effects

Various scientific and laboratory studies on postulated medical effects, in particular the ingredients zeaxanthin and lutein :

  • Common wolfberry extracts are said to protect against destruction of the optic nerve if glaucoma is present.
  • Polysaccharides from the plant have an immunomodulating effect.
  • Aqueous extracts of common wolfberry have strong antioxidant properties , according to some studies .

There are no meaningful laboratory studies or clinical studies based on standard conditions on the effectiveness against cancer.

The European Food Safety Agency , EFSA, examined a number of studies that claimed that goji berries would protect the body's cells from free radicals and oxidative stress due to their antioxidant content, and concluded that the scientific evidence so far did not support this claim with certainty. According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, there is no evidence of harmful effects of goji berries when consuming goji berries in normal quantities (50 g dried goji berries corresponding to approx. 66 mg zeaxanthin).

According to a statement by the head of the nutritional science institute at the University of Granada in 2010, the consumption of goji berries is just as "healthy" as the consumption of other types of fruit and vegetables; any other positive effects experienced after consumption can only be attributed to a placebo effect . Even in randomized , placebo-controlled, double-blind Chinese studies conducted up to 2010 , the physiological and clinico-chemical parameters remained unchanged.

Earlier assumptions that the wolfberry contained hyoscyamine go back almost without exception to a study from 1890 and have not been confirmed since then. Current pharmacological studies refute these statements.

Toxicity

There are no known cases of poisoning in humans. Therefore, wolfberry is not classified as poisonous. The toxicity described by Roth is based on an article from 1890, which, however, was refuted in 1891.

allergy

The fruit can cause allergies. There are various cross-reactions and a high potential for sensitization .

Interactions

Since the ingredients of the wolfberry react with cytochromes and thus influence the liver metabolism , drug interactions are possible. If vitamin K antagonists (e.g. Marcumar), which are used to thin the blood, are taken at the same time , the blood-thinning effect is increased. There is an increased risk of bleeding.

Web links

Commons : Common wolfberry ( Lycium barbarum )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

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    Claim: Contains antioxidant / s; Is a source of antioxidant / s. With antioxidant / s. Contributes to the cell protection against free radicals Can protect your cells and tissues from oxidation Can contribute to the total antioxidant capacity of the body , and: Reasons for non-authorization: […] assessed on the basis of the scientific evidence, this claimed effect for this food has not been substantiated ).
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