Chinese Herbal Medicine: Lycii Cortex—Efficacy and Effects
Disease description:
Today, I saw my mother steep Lycii Cortex (the root bark of *Lycium chinense* or *Lycium barbarum*) in hot water to drink. She said it is a traditional Chinese medicine, so I would like to consult about the efficacy and functions of Lycii Cortex in traditional Chinese medicine.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Yan Xinpeng
Lycii Cortex, also known as “Gou Qi Pi” (Chinese Wolfberry Root Bark), primarily functions to cool the blood, eliminate deficiency-heat, clear lung heat, and direct fire downward. Clinically, it is used to treat conditions such as tidal fever due to yin deficiency, cough caused by lung heat, night sweats associated with bone-steaming heat, hemoptysis, and internal heat-induced thirst and polydipsia (a symptom of diabetes mellitus). Furthermore, modern medical research indicates that Lycii Cortex possesses antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms and exhibits hypoglycemic effects.
