Nestlé Research Centre Vers-chez-les Blanc, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Rejuvenation Res. 2012 Feb;15(1):89-97. doi: 10.1089/rej.2011.1241.
Wolfberry (fruit of Lycium barbarum) has been prized for many years in China for its immunomodulatory property and its high specific antioxidant content. However, clear clinical evidence demonstrating the effect of wolfberry dietary supplementation is still lacking. After our earlier report showing that a proprietary milk-based wolfberry formulation (Lacto-Wolfberry) enhances in vivo antigen-specific adaptive immune responses in aged mice, the present study aimed at demonstrating the effect of dietary Lacto-Wolfberry supplementation on immune functions in the elderly, especially vaccine response known to decline with aging. A 3-month randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study was conducted on 150 healthy community-dwelling Chinese elderly (65-70 years old) supplemented with Lacto-Wolfberry or placebo (13.7 grams/day). Immune response to influenza vaccine was assessed in the study, along with inflammatory and physical status. No serious adverse reactions were reported during the trial, neither symptoms of influenza-like infection. No changes in body weight and blood pressure, blood chemistry or cells composition, as well as autoantibodies levels were observed. The subjects receiving Lacto-Wolfberry had significantly higher postvaccination serum influenza-specific immunoglobulin G levels and seroconversion rate, between days 30 and 90, compared with the placebo group. The postvaccination positive rate was greater in the Lacto-Wolfberry group compared to the placebo group, but did not reach statistical significance. Lacto-Wolfberry supplementation had no significant effect on delayed-type hypersensitivity response and inflammatory markers. In conclusion, long-term dietary supplementation with Lacto-Wolfberry in elderly subjects enhances their capacity to respond to antigenic challenge without overaffecting their immune system, supporting a contribution to reinforcing immune defense in this population.
枸杞（宁夏枸杞果实）具有免疫调节作用和高含量的特定抗氧化剂，多年来在中国一直受到重视。然而，仍然缺乏明确的临床证据证明枸杞饮食补充的效果。在我们早期的报告显示，一种专有的基于牛奶的枸杞配方（乳枸杞）增强了老年小鼠体内抗原特异性适应性免疫反应之后，本研究旨在证明饮食中补充乳枸杞对老年人免疫功能的影响，特别是随着年龄增长而下降的疫苗反应。对 150 名健康的社区居住的中国老年人（65-70 岁）进行了为期 3 个月的随机、双盲、安慰剂对照研究，补充乳枸杞或安慰剂（13.7 克/天）。在研究中评估了对流感疫苗的免疫反应，以及炎症和身体状况。试验过程中未报告严重不良反应，也未报告流感样感染症状。未观察到体重和血压、血液化学或细胞成分以及自身抗体水平的变化。与安慰剂组相比，服用乳枸杞的受试者在接种疫苗后 30 至 90 天期间血清流感特异性免疫球蛋白 G 水平和血清转化率显著升高。与安慰剂组相比，乳枸杞组的接种后阳性率更高，但未达到统计学意义。乳枸杞补充剂对迟发型超敏反应和炎症标志物没有显著影响。总之，长期饮食补充乳枸杞可增强老年受试者对抗原刺激的反应能力，而不会过度影响其免疫系统，这支持了其对增强该人群免疫防御能力的贡献。
