Practical Application of Antidiabetic Efficacy of Lycium barbarum Polysaccharide in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Med Chem. 2015;11(4):383-90. doi: 10.2174/1573406410666141110153858.

Abstract

Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) has traditionally been used in Chinese medicine as a chief ingredient of Lycium barbarum (wolf berry/goji berry) for the treatment of various diseases with the symptoms of frequent drinking and urination. This study was conducted as a randomized, controlled clinical trial. A total of 67 patients with type 2 diabetes (30 in control group and 37 in LBP group) were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, double-blind study (administration at 300 mg/day body weight). In order to observe the hypoglycemic and lipid-lowering activity of LBP in patients with type 2 diabetes after dinner, various tests were conducted between control and LBP intervention groups in 3 months. Although, the study had small sample size and short follow-up, significant findings were observed. The results of our study indicated a remarkable protective effect of LBP in patients with type 2 diabetes. Serum glucose was found to be significantly decreased and insulinogenic index increased during OMTT after 3 months administration of LBP. LBP also increased HDL levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. It showed more obvious hypoglycemic efficacy for those people who did not take any hypoglycemic medicine compared to patients taking hypoglycemic medicines. This study showed LBP to be a good potential treatment aided-agent for type 2 diabetes.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / physiopathology
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / chemistry*
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / isolation & purification
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / isolation & purification
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Insulin / agonists
  • Insulin / blood
  • Lipoproteins, HDL / agonists
  • Lipoproteins, HDL / blood
  • Lycium / chemistry*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Insulin
  • Lipoproteins, HDL
  • lycium barbarum polysaccharide