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All About Ginseng:
An Introduction
"Root of Immortality."
What is Ginseng ?
Family: Araliaceae
Genus and Species: Panax ginseng
The genus name of ginseng "Panax" is derived from the Greek pan (all) akos (cure), meaning "cure-all".
This alone tells you a lot about this herb: no single herb can be considered a panacea but ginseng comes close to it.
Ginseng is a tonic herb, or an adaptogen that helps to improve overall health and restore the body to balance, and helps
the body to heal by itself. Ginseng has been used for centuries to boost energy, sharpen the mind, reduce stress,
treat impotence, and extend life.
Other traditional uses include: to enhance the immune system, control blood pressure, regulate blood sugar levels, and
stengthen the cardiovascular system.
Ginseng is a slow growing perennial herb (reaches about 2 feet tall) native to the mountainous area of north eastern China,
Korea and far eastern regions of Russia. The older the root, the greater the concentration of ginsenosides, the active chemical
compounds, thus the more potent the ginseng becomes. Ginseng roots can live longer than hundreds of years.
Ginseng has been cultivated extensively in China, Korea, and Japan, and Russia. Ginseng starts flowering
in fourth year, and the roots take 4-6 years to reach maturity. Ginseng is a protected herb in China and Russia: exporting
ginseng seeds is banned in China, and harvesting wild ginseng is illegal in Russia. Natural white ginseng is often steam-
processed to produce "red ginseng" with different, higher medicinal potency.
History
Ginseng is the most famous Asian herb, and has been in medicinal use for thousands of years. Materia Medica of Divine
Plowman written in China about 2,000 years ago records ginseng as the highest quality herb. Ginseng has been exalted in
many folklores and mythology in Asia and by Native Americans.
The modern story of ginseng began in the early 18th century when Father Jartoux, a Jesuit missionary working in China, found
the potency of this herb, and published a paper titled "The Description of the Tartarian Plant Ginseng" in the Philosophical
Transactions of the Royal Society of London in 1714 [Secrets of Ginseng, by Winifred Conkling, 1999]. Once introduced
with ginseng, Canada became one of the large producers and exporters of American ginseng. Ginseng gained popularity in
America, especially during 19th century.
Which one is the true ginseng ?
"Ginseng" refers to a wide spectrum of distinct species with different appearances and medicinal qualities and they grow or are
cultivated in different geographical locations.
Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng): Often called Chinese or Korean ginseng, Panax ginseng represents the original, true ginseng
with highest potency. Traditionally, Panax ginseng cultivated in Korea has been respected the most for its highest quality and
potency, and was imported by China, Japan, and many other countries in Asia.
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius): American ginseng is smaller than Asian ginseng, grows in North America and has
been used by Native Americans
to treat various ailments. Currently American ginseng is cultivated in Canada and US, the majority of which is exported to Asian
countries.
Japanese ginseng (Panax japonicus): Often used by Japanese herbalists in place of Panax ginseng, Panax japonicus contains
much less active ingredients (ginsenosides) than Panax ginseng, and is called a low-grade ginseng.
Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus): Although it belongs to the Araliaceae family, Siberian ginseng is not a true
ginseng. Siberian ginseng is often sold as a cheaper, less potent alternative to Panax ginseng.
Sanchi ginseng (Panax notoginseng, or Panax pseudoginseng): Sanchi ginseng is quite different from Panax ginseng in potency,
and has been used for different medicinal purposes such as hemostatic and pain relief, etc, by Chinese doctors.
Himalayan ginseng (Panax pseudoginseng subspecies Himalaicus): Himalayans used this ginseng variant for people with low appetite
and as a digestive aid. Medicinal potency is lower than Panax ginseng.
Dwarf ginseng (Panax trifolius): Panax trifolius is a rare variant of American ginseng, and grows in North America. Native
Americans used Panax trifolius for headaches, cough, indigestion, and other ailments.
Usage
German Commission E monograph and WHO support the use of ginseng as a prophylactic and restorative agent for enhancement of mental
and physical capacities, in cases of weakness, exhaustion, tiredness, and loss of concentration, and during convalescence (WHO, 1999).
In general, ginseng is used as a tonic, stimulant, aphrodisiac, immune booster, blood pressure modulator (lowers and raises, depending
on needs), and a modulator of blood sugar level (lowers or raise, depending on needs).
Dose: 1-5 grams of ginseng root a day, for up to 3 months is usually prescribed. No known side effect of ginseng has been reported.
DreamPharm offers a ginseng product Double G Super Power in which Panax ginseng is the main
ingredient.
Chemistry and Pharmacology
A rather complete chemical composition list of Panax ginseng can be found in Dr.
Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases. The biologically active constituents in Panax ginsang are the complex mixture of
triterpene saponins known as ginsenosides. The root contains 2-3% ginsenosides of which Rg1, Rc, Rd, Rb1, Rb2, and Rb0 are quantitatively
the most important. At least 30 ginsenosides have been isolated and characterized. The pharmacological actions of individual
ginsenosides may work in opposition. For example, the two main ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 suppress and stimulate the central nervous
system. These opposing actions may contribute to the adaptogenic properties of ginseng and its purported ability to balance bodily
functions. Panax giseng contains a variety of other compounds as well as ginsenosides which are responsible for ginseng's complex
pharmacological activities. Panacene is a peptidoglycan in ginseng with hypoglycemic activity; ginseng has a peptide with insulinomimetic
properties; ginseng's salicylate and vanillic acids show anti-oxidant and anti-fatigue effects; ginseng possesses hormone-like and
cholesterol-lowering capabilities; ginseng promotes vasodilation and act as an anxiolytic and anti-depressant; ginsaeng extracts and
ginsenosides shows effectiveness in stimulating learning, memory, and physical capabilities, in supporting radioprotection, providing
resistance to infection, enhancing energy metabolism, and reducing plasma total cholesterol and triglycerides while elevating HDL levels.
[Herbal Medicine - Expanded Commission E monographs, by Mark Blumenthal, Alicia Goldberg, and Josef Brinckmann, first edition, 2000].
Ginseng Research:
Anecdotal Evidences?
Ginseng's reputation and popularity are not paralleled by any other herb, especially in Asia. Ginseng is everywhere, and yet good
quality ginseng is considered one of the best gift items for adults. Unlike ginkgo or other herbs that produce immediate pharmacological
effects, ginseng's influence is cumulative and slow, and usually not noticeable within days. Ginseng's action is also rather
gentle, non-specific, and broad, which is the reason why ginseng is a general ingredient for almsot every Oriental herbal formula.
Grab anyone in Asia and ask what to do if you are tired, weak, sick, or want to improve your health and become stronger. He or she
will recommend to take ginseng.
Scientific and Clinical Studies
Ginseng is one of the most extensively studied herbs. Some examples of recent research reports are provided.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11905620&dopt=Abstract
Lancet Oncol 2001 Jan;2(1):49-55 - Panax ginseng--a non-organ-specific cancer preventive ?
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11900762&dopt=Abstract
Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2002 May;72(1-2):1-6 - Ginseng total saponin potentiates acute U-50,488H-induced analgesia and inhibits
tolerance to U-50,488H-induced analgesia in mice
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11895046&dopt=Abstract
Ann Pharmacother 2002 Mar;36(3):375-9 - Effects of Panax ginseng on quality of life
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11885696&dopt=Abstract
Arch Pharm Res 2002 Feb;25(1):71-6 - Epidermis proliferative effect of the Panax ginseng ginsenoside Rb2
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11885694&dopt=Abstract
Arch Pharm Res 2002 Feb;25(1):61-6 - Effect of butanol fraction of Panax ginseng head on gastric lesion and ulcer
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11882354&dopt=Abstract
Toxicology 2002 Mar 20;172(2):149-56 - Free radical scavenging activity of red ginseng aqueous extracts
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11842916&dopt=Abstract
Nutr Neurosci 2001;4(5):399-412 - Differential, dose dependent changes in cognitive performance following acute administration of
a Ginkgo biloba/Panax ginseng combination to healthy young volunteers
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11822886&dopt=Abstract
Exp Neurol 2002 Feb;173(2):224-34 - Neuroprotective effects of ginseng total saponin and ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 on spinal
cord neurons in vitro
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11748373&dopt=Abstract
J Korean Med Sci 2001 Dec;16 Suppl:S19-27 - Epidemiological study on cancer prevention by ginseng: are all kinds of cancers
preventable by ginseng?
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11732754&dopt=Abstract
J Pharm Pharmacol 2001 Nov;53(11):1515-23 - Immunomodulating activity of CVT-E002, a proprietary extract from North American
ginseng (Panax quinquefolium)
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11701393&dopt=Abstract
Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2001 Nov;130(3):369-77 - Protective effects of Panax ginseng on muscle injury and
inflammation after eccentric exercise
Outlook
Ginseng is certainly the best healing herb and "cure-all" that nature has to offer us human species. Pharmacochemical constituents
of ginseng remain to be remarkably complex and esoteric. Despite overwhelming interest
and effort to characterize pharmacological nature of ginseng, our scienfitic understanding is only infantile and much of the
researches are yet to be performed. At least for the time being, science may only unravel and confirm some of the benefits of
ginseng that human has learned for thousands of years.
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