A search for Goji Berry: Lycium Barbarum in Bhutan and its relative.

ABSTRACT

The Goji Berry flourished in the valleys of the Himalayas especially Tibet for thousands of years and have been the secret of longevities of the people who ate them. Some internet sources also report that wolfberries have been used in traditional Chinese Medicine for at least 2,000 years. Whatever it is, one thing is clear that the Goji Berry is known in Asia as an extremely nutritious food and have been extensively eaten raw, consumed as juice or wine, brewed into an herbal tea or prepared as a tincture, eaten as salads and used widely in other culinary preparations. Its leaves are made into tea. The berries are believed to enhance immune system function, improve eyesight, protect liver, boost sperm production and improve circulation, among other good health effects. Goji Berry root bark is also good for inflammation and some types of skin diseases. The Goji Berry was first reported to grow in Tibet but its habitat has been successfully duplicated and now it is propagated popularly in many countries like USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan and primarily in Tibet and China. Since Bhutan also falls within Himalayan region, it was suspected that the same species must have been dwelling here too. Because the berry is highly nutritious, it comes with many medicinal uses, and has high economic value. ITMS looked for its possible whereabouts in Bhutan. The search, although didn’t yield any positive findings, a close relative of Goji Berry was found growing in Punakha. This is called Lycium armatum. This paper discusses about the search for Goji Berry and its literature findings.