Can Wolfberries Protect Vision?

MANHATTAN, Kan.Could goji berries, also known as Chinese wolfberries, help fight oxidative stress in the eye and prevent retina damage commonly seen in patients with type 2 diabetes? Dingbo Lin, a research assistant professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University, is starting an investigation to answer that question.

I would not say that wolfberries are a medicine, but they can be used as a dietary supplement to traditional treatments to improve vision, Lin said. Wolfberries have high antioxidant activity and are very beneficial to protect against oxidative stress caused by environmental stimuli and genetic mutations.

Lins father, a traditional medical doctor in China, mentioned the traditional use of wolfberry for boosting immunity and improving vision. Since mid-2008, Lin has examined the chemistry and potential of wolfberries, finding the fruit has high levels of zeaxanthin, lutein, polysaccharides and polyphenols.

In the current study, the researchers are using type 2 diabetic mice and examining the effects of wolfberries on oxidative stress levels and the health of the retinal pigment epithelial cell layer; oxidative stress is one of the key factors in development of diabetic retinopathy, a common complication of diabetes and leading cause of blindness in American adults.

In vitro and in vivo studies have shown wolfberrys phytochemicals protect the retinal pigment epithelial cells from elevated glucose, fights local oxidative stress, reactivates the enzyme AMPK and reduces endoplasmic reticulum stress. AMPK is a key enzyme in the balance of cell energy homeostasis, Lin said. The outcome of the current research will lead to the development of dietary regimens in prevention of an eye disease.