lichi

Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.): A Comprehensive Reference

1. Identity and Botanical Classification

Accepted scientific name: Litchi chinensis Sonn. (named after the French botanist Pierre Sonnerat, who formally described the species in the 18th century). Litchi chinensis Sonn. is a subtropical medium evergreen dome-shaped tree belonging to the family Sapindaceae. The plant is also referred to in the literature as Litchi sinensis in some historical sources. Common synonyms and vernacular names include lychee, litchi, and lichee (English); lì zhī (荔枝, Mandarin Chinese); and li zhi he (荔枝核) specifically for the seed in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The tree generally grows to less than 10 m in height, rarely up to 15 m or more. The pinnate leaves consist of 4–8 pairs of elliptic or lanceolate, long-acuminate, glabrous leaflets that are leathery, 5–7 cm long, and 2–4 cm broad. The fruits grow in clusters of 20 to 30, with a pinkish-red exterior and leathery skin; underneath the skin is a clear, whitish flesh which resembles the inside of a grape and covers a large seed. The fruits dehydrate naturally, with the skin becoming brown and brittle and the inner flesh becoming dry and shriveled, giving it the appearance of a nut.

Geographical origin and cultivation: Lychee has been widely cultivated in the Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, and Sichuan for more than 4,000 years. Cultivars such as Sum Yee Hong, Haak Yip, Kwai May, No Mai Chee, Wai Chee, and Seong Sue Wai date back 500 to 600 or more years, while cultivars such as Bah Lup, Heong Lai, Tim Naan, and Souey Tung are younger.

Plant parts used: The parts of the plant used medicinally and commercially are the leaves, flowers, fruits, seed, pulp, and pericarp.

Common forms and preparations: Lychee is used in multiple forms depending on the application:

• Fresh fruit: Consumed directly; the translucent aril (pulp) is the edible portion.
• Dried fruit: The whole fruit can be air-dried; historically consumed as dried "lychee nut."
• Pericarp (skin/rind) extract: Concentrated extracts of the outer husk, which is particularly rich in polyphenols and procyanidins.
• Seed extract: Lychee seed — the dried mature seed of lychee — is an ancient traditional drug–food homologous herbal medicine used to smooth Qi, dispel cold, alleviate polydipsia, and relieve pain in China.
• Oligonol® (proprietary extract): Oligonol is a lychee fruit-derived, low-molecular-weight polyphenol mixture, typically catechin-type monomers and oligomers of proanthocyanidins, produced by an oligomerization process. The oral bioavailability of Oligonol in humans is reported to be 3 to 4 times higher than that of unprocessed lychee fruit polyphenols. Oligonol received notification as a new dietary ingredient from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2007 and received notification as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) from the FDA in 2014.
• TCM decoctions, wines, soups, and porridges: Chinese traditional medicine considers lychee a "hot" food; when made into wines, soups, and porridges, it is believed to help relieve pain, nourish blood, and stop bleeding.

2. Traditional and Historical Use

2.1 Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Sweet and juicy lychee is favored by many as a tasty fruit, but it is also a multifunctional medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine. The lychee's flesh is classified as a "warm" herb in TCM that helps nourish blood, promote body fluid, benefit the spleen, and halt bleeding.

The seed (known as Li Zhi He, 荔枝核) holds particular importance in the TCM materia medica. The first recorded medicinal uses of the lychee seed date back to the 11th century. According to TCM principles, the lychee seed has sweet and warm properties and is associated with the Liver and Stomach meridians. Li Shizhen's Ben Cao Gang Mu (Ming Dynasty) provided the most influential classical analysis, noting that the paired shape of the seed resembles testicles, explaining its traditional use for hernias and testicular conditions through the "doctrine of signatures" (以形补形).

Lychee seeds are mainly discarded as waste, although they have been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for the alleviation of epigastric pain and testicular swelling and pain. The seeds are applied as a traditional medicine to treat epigastric pain, testicular swelling, and pain.

Based on Chinese medicine, lychees belong to the food groups that have a hot nature, which benefits Yang energy.

2.2 Historical and Cultural Context

Yang Yuhuan — or Yang Guifei — was the best-loved concubine of Emperor Xuan Zhong, whose reign between 713 and 756 AD was the longest of China's Tang dynasty. She is famous for her love for the Emperor and her love for lychee, her favourite fruit. She adored it so much that the Emperor had couriers ride night and day to bring her the sweet treat from Guangdong, some 1,900 kilometres away.

Lychee has deep roots in traditional Chinese medicine, addressing ailments from stomach ulcers to diabetes. Traditional uses include stomach ulcers (leveraging gastroprotective properties), diabetes management (reflecting hypoglycemic properties observed in both in vitro and in vivo studies), and respiratory ailments such as cough and respiratory issues.

2.3 Traditional Use in India and Southeast Asia

Litchi chinensis belongs to the Sapindaceae family and is well-known in the Indian traditional system for its traditional uses. Litchi chinensis is an edible fruit of the soapberry family commonly known as lychee; it is traditionally used for the treatment of inflammation, headache, and body pain. Lychee cultivation has also been practiced in Thailand, with dedicated records of its traditional agricultural and medicinal use in that country.

3. Key Constituents and Active Compounds

Phytochemical investigation has revealed that the major chemical constituents of litchi are flavonoids, sterols, triterpenes, phenolics, and other bioactive compounds. More specifically, studies have resulted in the isolation of flavonoids, tannins, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, triterpenes, and sterols.

3.1 Flavanols and Procyanidins (Pericarp and Pulp)

Analysis shows that procyanidins composed of (epi)catechin units with degree of polymerization (DP) of 2–6 are dominant proanthocyanidins in lychee pulp crude extracts (HPCE). After fractionation by a Sephadex LH-20 column, 32 procyanidins were identified by LC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS in litchi pulp. Quantification of individual procyanidins indicated that epicatechin, procyanidin B2, procyanidin C1, and A-type procyanidin trimer were the main procyanidins.

Research on procyanidin profiles of lychee fruit pericarp (Huaizhi variety) suggested that the major flavonoids present were epicatechin, procyanidin B2, and procyanidin B4, while condensed tannins, epicatechin, and procyanidin A2 were identified as major phenolic compounds in pericarp of the Kwai Mi variety.

All parts of the lychee plant are rich sources of phytochemicals — epicatechin; procyanidin A2 and procyanidin B2; leucocyanidin; cyanidin glycoside; malvidin glycoside; saponins; butylated hydroxytoluene; isolariciresinol; kaempferol; rutin; and stigmasterol.

3.2 Seed-Specific Compounds

Two novel A-type trimeric proanthocyanidins — litchitannin A1 [epicatechin-(2β→O→7,4β→6)-epicatechin-(2β→O→7,4β→8)-catechin] and litchitannin A2 [epicatechin-(2β→O→7,4β→6)-epicatechin-(2β→O→7,4β→6)-epicatechin] — were isolated from lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn. cv. Heiye) seeds along with aesculitannin A, proanthocyanidin A1, proanthocyanidin A2, proanthocyanidin A6, and epicatechin. These compounds showed more potent antioxidant activity than L-ascorbic acid, with ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) values of 3.71–24.18 mmol/g and IC50 values of 5.25–20.07 μM toward DPPH radicals.

3.3 Oligonol (Processed Low-Molecular-Weight Extract)

Oligonol® is composed mainly of lychee polyphenols and is especially rich in proanthocyanidin-derived monomers (15–20%), dimers (8–12%), and oligomers (5–10%). The major phenolic contents include epicatechin (7.5%), epicatechin gallate (2.1%), epigallocatechin gallate (6.4%), procyanidin A1 (4.2%), procyanidin A2 (5.1%), procyanidin B1 (1.4%), and procyanidin B2 (2.9%).

3.4 Antioxidant Capacity Across Cultivars

The ORAC values of nine litchi varieties ranged from 430.49 to 1752.30 μmol TE/100 g FW, averaging 820.07 μmol TE/100 g FW. Considerable variation exists between cultivars in total phenolic, total flavonoid, and total proanthocyanidin content. Procyanidin composition of lychee fruit pericarp may be more affected by environmental and post-harvesting conditions and extraction means than by cultivar alone.

3.5 Toxic Constituent: MCPG

Lychee contains methylenecyclopropylglycine (MCPG) at lower levels. This toxicant is also called hypoglycin A. In animal experiments, MCPG has been found to induce encephalopathy and hypoglycemia. Encephalopathy is explained by the mitochondrial inhibition of fatty acid β-oxidation and accumulation of toxic metabolites.

4. Established Mechanisms of Action

4.1 Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms

Flavanol-rich lychee fruit extract (FRLFE) decreased the mRNA and protein expression of the iNOS gene, leading to suppression of IL-1β-induced NO production. FRLFE also inhibited the phosphorylation of NF-κB inhibitor α (IκB-α) and reduced the mRNA levels of NF-κB target gene TNF-α.

In human cell studies, Oligonol (25 μg/ml) was shown to decrease the production of IL-6 and TNF-α from human primary monocytes as measured by flow cytometry and ELISA. Such an anti-cytokine effect was likely mediated by the suppression of NF-κB activation without inducing cell death.

Oligonol is an optimized phenolic product containing catechin-type monomers and oligomers (dimers, trimers, and tetramers) of proanthocyanidin that are easily absorbed. It has been reported to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Supplementation with Oligonol decreases serum concentrations of cortisol, IL-1β, and IL-6, which are fever-related hormones or cytokines released after heat stress.

4.2 Antioxidant Mechanisms

Flavonoids, polyphenols, proanthocyanidins, and anthocyanins have attracted increasing attention for their significant bioactivities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antitumor activities. The A-type trimeric proanthocyanidins isolated from lychee seeds demonstrate direct radical scavenging via electron-donation mechanisms, with DPPH and FRAP assays confirming potency exceeding that of ascorbic acid in isolated compound studies.

4.3 Anti-Aging / SIRT1-AMPK Pathway

Oligonol specifically induces the expression of SIRT1, whose activity is linked to gene expression, metabolic control, and healthy aging. In vivo studies in animal models and human studies indicate that oligonol has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, suggesting it could serve as a potential candidate for the treatment and prevention of cancer, type-2 diabetes, inflammatory, and metabolic diseases.

4.4 Hypoglycemic Mechanisms (Seed)

Lychee seed extracts decrease insulin resistance and blood glucose levels by enhancing pancreatic function, upregulating glucose transporter expression, and restoring impaired insulin signaling pathways in the liver. Research also demonstrates that lychee seed extracts broadly regulate glucose and fatty acid metabolism.

5. Scientific Evidence by Area of Use

5.1 Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Human / clinical evidence: A study published in Nutrition Research and Practice (2010) verified the anti-inflammatory effects in humans of Oligonol® lychee fruit polyphenol. The study examined Oligonol intake on cortisol and related cytokines in healthy young men. Both cortisol and cytokine concentrations are inflammatory markers known to increase when stress such as exercise is applied to the body. The study showed that oral intake of Oligonol had a significant effect on inhibiting cortisol and key inflammatory markers.

Flavanol-rich lychee fruit extract (FRLFE) is a mixture of oligomerized polyphenols primarily derived from lychee fruit and is rich in flavanol monomers, dimers, and trimers. Supplementation with this functional food has been shown to suppress inflammation and tissue damage caused by high-intensity exercise training.

Evidence characterization: The anti-inflammatory signal of lychee-derived Oligonol in humans is supported by multiple controlled trials, though most involve healthy or athletic populations, are of short duration, and frequently use the proprietary Oligonol® formulation (not whole lychee fruit). Funding links between investigators and the manufacturer (Amino Up Chemical Co., Sapporo, Japan) are disclosed in some publications and represent a potential source of bias.

5.2 Metabolic Health: Visceral Fat and Obesity

Human / clinical evidence: The effect of Oligonol on metabolic syndrome characterized by abdominal obesity was examined in a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Eighteen adult volunteers with abdominal circumference over 85 cm were enrolled and divided into Oligonol and placebo groups. All subjects took two capsules of Oligonol (50 mg/capsule) or placebo twice a day for 10 weeks, and a CT scan of the abdomen was carried out before and after Oligonol intake. Clinical parameters of body weight, abdominal circumference, and visceral fat volume were significantly decreased in the Oligonol group compared to control. Insulin resistance was improved by Oligonol in conjunction with elevation of serum adiponectin.

Waist circumference was significantly reduced from 93.5 ± 11.0 cm to 90.7 ± 9.8 cm by 10-week Oligonol intake (P < 0.01), whereas no significant change was found by placebo intake.

Evidence characterization: This trial was small (n=18), short-term (10 weeks), and involved a proprietary processed extract rather than whole-food lychee. Additional independent replication is needed.

5.3 Exercise Performance and Fatigue Reduction

Human / clinical evidence: In the athletic field, high-intensity exercise-induced inflammation is significantly reduced after a 100 mg/day OLFE (oligomerized lychee fruit extract) intervention for two months in male endurance athletes and four weeks in healthy young men. Supplementation with OLFE at a 200 mg/day dose for two weeks elevated maximum oxygen uptake in 20 sets of high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) in male athletes. Another study showed that supplementation with the same dose for 26 days decreased subjective fatigue in athletes after training. These results suggest that OLFE supplementation from 100 to 200 mg/day enhances aerobic capacity and reduces exercise-induced inflammation without harmful effects.

A pilot study using a crossover design administered two capsules of OLFE per day, after breakfast and dinner, for seven days; the total daily intake of polyphenols was 200 mg.

Evidence characterization: Preliminary to moderate. Multiple small trials in predominantly male athletic populations show consistent signals for reduced exercise-induced fatigue and improved endurance. Studies are mostly pilot-scale and use a proprietary extract.

5.4 Hypoglycemic Effects (Blood Glucose Regulation)

Human / clinical evidence (seed): A systematic review published in Frontiers in Pharmacology (2021) summarized human clinical data. In one clinical trial (n=45), extract tablets of lychee seed administered orally at 30 g/day for 12 weeks decreased fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in patients with type 2 diabetes. In a second clinical trial (n=30), water extract tablets of lychee seed at 3.6–5.4 g/day for 12 weeks lowered blood glucose and ameliorated symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Accumulating evidence has shown that lychee seed, lychee seed extracts, and related compounds have promising antihyperglycemic activities, including improving insulin resistance, anti-inflammatory effect, lipid regulation, neuroprotection, antineurotoxic effect, and renoprotection.

Preclinical evidence (fruit and extract): Results in Wistar rat models indicated that stage I pulp (immature fruits) and stage II peel and seed (export mature fruits) reduced blood glucose levels, and the effects of the former two were synergistic with metformin. The pulp of mature fruits, however, lacked a hypoglycemic effect.

Evidence characterization: The human clinical data for lychee seed on glucose regulation are limited and come primarily from small, older Chinese trials that have not been independently replicated in Western-standard randomized controlled trials. Lychee seed shows promising potential as a natural hypoglycemic agent, though more human clinical trials are needed.

5.5 Hepatoprotective Effects

Preclinical evidence: In vivo evaluation of the hepatoprotective effect of litchi procyanidin extract (LPE), rich in epicatechin and procyanidin A2 (PA2), was investigated in comparison with silymarin in a CCl4-induced liver injury mouse model for a duration of 6 weeks. Injection of CCl4 induced liver injury with clinical signs including the presence of serum biochemical markers of acute hepatitis, early liver tissue necrosis, and metabolic dysfunction. Animals gavage-fed with a high dose of LPE (200 mg/kg BW/day) exhibited favorable outcomes compared to controls.

Evidence characterization: Hepatoprotective evidence is entirely preclinical (rodent models). No human clinical trials assessing lychee for liver disease have been identified. The animal data are mechanistically consistent with the established antioxidant profile of lychee procyanidins.

5.6 Anticancer Properties

Preclinical evidence: Various lychee extracts and constituents have been studied for anticancer effects. In vitro studies showed that litchi-derived components reduced cell proliferation, induced cytotoxicity, and promoted autophagy via increased cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Based on in vivo studies, litchi flavonoids and other extracted constituents significantly reduced tumor size, number, volume, and metastasis. Major signaling pathways impacted by litchi constituents were shown to stimulate proapoptotic, antiproliferative, and antimetastatic activities.

A more recent xenograft study (2025, PMC) found that lychee seed extract (LCSE) significantly inhibited tumor growth in HT-29 xenografts and dose-dependently reduced EGFR, p21, p53, cell cycle proteins, and proliferation/differentiation markers. In SW480 tumors, inhibitory effects were evident primarily at the higher dose. Bax levels remained unchanged in both models, indicating a non-apoptotic mechanism. No systemic toxicity was observed in treated mice. LCSE exhibits dose-dependent anti-tumor activity in CRC xenografts, likely mediated through suppression of proliferation and modulation of key regulatory proteins rather than apoptosis.

Evidence characterization: Despite promising antineoplastic activities, additional research — especially in vivo and clinical studies — is necessary before litchi-derived products and phytochemicals can be used for human cancer prevention and intervention. All anticancer evidence to date is in vitro or animal-based; no human clinical trials have been conducted.

5.7 Cardiovascular and Peripheral Circulation

Human / clinical evidence: Results from a pilot study suggest that Oligonol might act as a vasodilator and be an effective treatment for a variety of vasoconstriction symptoms such as cold hands and feet, shoulder discomfort, and diabetes-related vascular problems.

Oligonol has been the subject of a number of clinical trials and has been shown to exhibit numerous health benefits including protection against oxidative stress, prevention and treatment of hyperuricemia, reduction in fatigue, and reduction of visceral fat. It has also been shown to inhibit inflammatory markers following exercise.

Evidence characterization: Preliminary. Human cardiovascular data are limited to small pilot studies focusing on peripheral blood flow and vasoconstriction symptoms. Larger, independent, placebo-controlled trials assessing hard cardiovascular endpoints are absent.

5.8 Skin Health

Human / clinical evidence (topical): In a clinical evaluation of standardized Litchi chinensis extract for skin hyperpigmentation and aging treatments, skin lightening efficacy of the 0.1% and 0.05% litchi serum was significantly (P<0.001 and P<0.05, respectively) higher than placebo. Skin elasticity and wrinkle reduction was significantly (P<0.05 and P<0.005) achieved by the 0.1% litchi serum. The efficacy of litchi serums was confirmed by a split-face, randomized, single-blind controlled design; safety and efficacy of litchi extract are clinically confirmed for hyperpigmentation and aging of skin treatments.

Evidence characterization: Topical application data are limited to a single small split-face trial. The study design (single-blind) limits conclusions. Additional independent replication is needed.

5.9 Antiviral Activity

Preclinical evidence: Studies have shown that lychee seeds exhibited anti-influenza virus and visceral-obesity-reducing properties. The A-type proanthocyanidins and litchitannins isolated from lychee seeds have been investigated for antiviral mechanisms in cell-based assays.

Evidence characterization: Entirely in vitro and animal-based. No human antiviral clinical trials have been conducted with lychee extracts.

6. Body Systems and Health Areas of Association

Investigations of L. chinensis have focused on its biological activities, including anticancer, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-platelet, antiviral, anti-mutagenic, antimicrobial, anti-hyperlipidemic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory properties.

• Metabolic / Endocrine System: Hypoglycemic effects (seed extracts; limited clinical evidence), insulin sensitization, lipid regulation, and visceral fat reduction (Oligonol; small RCT evidence).
• Cardiovascular System: Preliminary evidence for vasodilatory effects, peripheral circulation improvement, and antithrombotic/antiplatelet activity (preclinical and small human pilot data).
• Musculoskeletal / Exercise Physiology: Reduction of exercise-induced inflammation and oxidative stress; improved endurance in athletes (multiple small human trials with Oligonol).
• Hepatic System: Hepatoprotective antioxidant activity in CCl4 animal models; no human trials.
• Immune / Inflammatory System: Suppression of NF-κB, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β pathways (in vitro and human monocyte data; small human trials for exercise-related inflammation).
• Integumentary System (Skin): Topical extract shown in one small clinical trial to reduce hyperpigmentation and improve elasticity.
• Oncology (Preclinical): Antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic, antimetastatic effects in cell lines and xenograft models; no human cancer trial data.
• Reproductive / Urogenital System (TCM): Traditional use for hernia, testicular pain, and menstrual cramps attributed to Cold stagnation; no modern clinical evidence.

7. Dosage Forms and Dosages Reported in Studies

The following dosages are reported as stated in the scientific literature and do not represent recommendations:

• Oligonol® (oral, exercise/inflammation): 100 mg/day OLFE for two months in male endurance athletes and four weeks in healthy young men (exercise-induced inflammation trials). 200 mg/day dose for two weeks (maximum oxygen uptake / HIIE trial in male athletes).
• Oligonol® (oral, visceral fat/obesity): Two capsules of Oligonol (50 mg/capsule) or placebo twice a day for 10 weeks (abdominal obesity trial).
• Lychee seed extract tablets (human T2D trials): 30 g/day for 12 weeks (n=45, FPG reduction); 3.6–5.4 g/day for 12 weeks (n=30, blood glucose reduction and symptom amelioration).
• Litchi procyanidin extract (animal hepatoprotection model): 200 mg/kg BW/day (high dose, 6-week duration, CCl4-induced mouse model).
• Topical litchi serum (skin): 0.1% and 0.05% litchi serum in a split-face, randomized, single-blind controlled trial.

8. Safety Considerations and Drug Interactions

8.1 MCPG Toxicity and Encephalopathy Risk

Unripe lychee contains methylenecyclopropyl glycine (MCPG), a hypoglycin-A-related toxin that reduces hepatic glucose levels and inhibits β-oxidation. These effects can worsen acute hypoglycemia and encephalopathy, particularly among undernourished children. MCPG has been detected in lychee pulp and seeds, with outbreaks often coinciding with pesticide co-exposures.

A 2017 Lancet report established a link between the consumption of unripened lychees — which contain hypoglycin A or the related compound methylenecyclopropylglycine (MCPG) — resulting in hypoglycaemia and death from acute toxic encephalopathy.

MCPG suppresses rates of hepatic β-oxidation as reflected by reductions in hepatic ketogenesis, reducing both short- and medium-chain hepatic acyl-CoA concentrations. The hypoglycemia associated with ingestion of these toxins can be ascribed mostly to MCPG-induced reductions in hepatic pyruvate carboxylase flux due to inhibition of β-oxidation of short-chain acyl-CoAs, with resultant reductions in hepatic acetyl-CoA content.

While moderate consumption of ripe lychee pulp is considered safe, unripe fruit and excessive intake pose risks of hypoglycemia, particularly in malnourished populations.

8.2 Hypoglycemic Risk with Medications

Lychee may lower blood sugar levels. Caution is advised when taking insulin or drugs for diabetes; consumption by mouth should be monitored closely.

8.3 Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Interactions

Lychee may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with drugs including aspirin, anticoagulants such as warfarin or heparin, antiplatelet drugs such as clopidogrel, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen. It also has potential interactions with anticancer agents, anti-inflammatory agents, antivirals, cardiovascular agents, cholesterol- or lipid-lowering agents, immune-modulating agents, and pain relievers.

8.4 Acute Toxicity Data

Acute toxicity of lychee has been established at a very low oral dosage of 20 g/kg, and no deaths were reported after 3 days of administration. Safety of Oligonol as a processed supplement has been evaluated in liver, kidney, and heart function studies in rats. Oligonol's GRAS status was granted by the FDA in 2014, as noted above.

8.5 Minor Adverse Effects in Clinical Trials

In the abdominal obesity clinical trial (n=18), one female volunteer complained of minor diarrhea. No other significant adverse events were reported across the human Oligonol trials reviewed.

8.6 Elevated Risk in Vulnerable Populations

Heavy ingestion of the immature aril of lychee (Litchi sinensis) or other members of the Sapindaceae family by an undernourished child with low glycogen/glucose stores probably has the potential to result in toxic hypoglycemic syndrome. Assessment of finger-prick blood glucose levels provides a rapid and convenient screening tool to identify suspected cases; intravenous administration of glucose is the first line of treatment, along with serial monitoring of glucose, serum aminotransferase, and serum creatinine levels.

References

• Biological and Phytopharmacological Descriptions of Litchi Chinensis — PubMed (PMC4791990)
• Biological and Phytopharmacological Descriptions of Litchi Chinensis — PMC Full Text
• Litchi chinensis: Medicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology — ScienceDirect (Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015)
• Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.), the King of Fruits, with Both Traditional and Modern Pharmacological Health Benefits — Pharmacognosy Communications, 2021
• Lychee Seed as a Potential Hypoglycemic Agent, and Exploration of its Underlying Mechanisms — Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2021
• Lychee Seed as a Potential Hypoglycemic Agent — PMC Full Text
• Oligonol Suppresses Inflammatory Cytokine Production from Human Monocytes — PMC (Kang et al.)
• Oligonol, a Lychee Fruit-Derived Low-Molecular Form of Polyphenol Mixture, Suppresses Inflammatory Cytokine Production from Human Monocytes — PubMed
• Oligonol Promotes Anti-Aging Pathways via Modulation of SIRT1-AMPK-Autophagy Pathway — PMC
• Amelioration of Abdominal Obesity by Low-Molecular-Weight Polyphenol (Oligonol) from Lychee — Journal of Functional Foods, 2009
• Oligomerized Polyphenols in Lychee Fruit Extract Supplements May Improve High-Intensity Exercise Performance in Male Athletes: A Pilot Study — PMC
• Effect of Lychee Fruit Extract (Oligonol) on Peripheral Circulation, a Pilot Study — Natural Medicine Journal
• Hepatoprotective Effects of Litchi (Litchi chinensis) Procyanidin A2 on Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Injury in ICR Mice — PMC
• A-Type Proanthocyanidins from Lychee Seeds and Their Antioxidant and Antiviral Activities — Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
• Identification of Proanthocyanidins from Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) Pulp by LC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS and Their Antioxidant Activity — PMC
• Phenolic Profiles and Antioxidant Activity of Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) Fruit Pericarp from Different Commercially Available Cultivars — PMC
• In Vivo Studies on the Mechanism of Methylenecyclopropylacetic Acid and Methylenecyclopropylglycine-Induced Hypoglycemia — PMC
• Probable Toxic Cause for Suspected Lychee-Linked Viral Encephalitis — PMC
• Formulation and Clinical Evaluation of the Standardized Litchi chinensis Extract for Skin Hyperpigmentation and Aging Treatments — PubMed
• Lychee Seed Extract Targets Proliferation, Differentiation, and Cell Cycle Proteins to Suppress Human Colorectal Tumor Growth in Xenograft Models — PMC
• Oligonol®, an Oligomerized Polyphenol from Litchi chinensis, Enhances Branched-Chain Amino Acid Transportation and Catabolism to Alleviate Sarcopenia — PMC
• Safety of Oligonol, a Highly Bioavailable Lychee-Derived Polyphenolic Antioxidant, on Liver, Kidney and Heart Function in Rats — PubMed
• Li Zhi He (Lychee Seeds) — TCM Herb Information, Me & Qi
• Leechee Nut (Li Zhi He) — Acupuncture Today Herbs & Botanicals