Ginseng
Classification
While most health-oriented individuals are aware on Ginseng
as one of the most potent medicines of nature, very few are familiar with
multiple types and specifics of different species, called Ginseng.
Panax ginseng is just one of the several types of ginseng
commonly used in herbal medicine. Other types of ginseng include American
ginseng and Siberian ginseng. The active compounds in Panax ginseng are
believed to be steroid-like components called ginsenosides.
Panax
ginseng is available commercially in four forms: fresh, red, white and
sun ginsengs. Wild ginseng is used where available. Red ginseng has been
peeled, heated either through steaming at standard boiling temperatures of 100
°C (212 °F), and then dried or sun-dried. It is frequently marinated in an
herbal brew which results in the root becoming extremely brittle. It is more
common as herbal medicine than white ginseng. This version of ginseng is
traditionally associated with stimulating sexual function and increasing
energy. It is also widely used in East Asian countries and is used to treat a
spectrum of illnesses, including cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Red ginseng is always produced from cultivated roots, generally from Korea
(therefore, is called sometimes as Korean ginseng).
Red ginseng has such a name because of
its distinctive red hue, which originates from the root of the ginseng plant
being sun dried. Exposure to natural sunlight is said to maximize the already
potent chemical properties of ginseng.
Ginseng has been used as a medicine
for over two thousand years. Today, approximately 6 million Americans use it
regularly. Some people consider the age of the ginseng roots important. In
1976, a 400-year-old root of Manchurian ginseng from the mountains of China
reportedly sold for $10,000 per ounce.
General
Medical Benefits
Although research on Panax ginseng is
fairly limited, there's some evidence that the herb may offer certain health
benefits. Here's a look at several key study findings:
1. Mental
Ability
Panax ginseng may improve cognitive
performance during prolonged periods of mental activity, according to a 2005
study from the Journal of Psychopharmacology. In a clinical trial
involving 30 healthy young adults, researchers found that those given Panax
ginseng were less likely to experience mental fatigue while taking a test
(compared to those given a placebo).
In addition, a 2000 study in Psychopharmacology
showed that a combination of Panax ginseng and ginkgo biloba may help enhance
memory in healthy middle-aged adults.
2. Diabetes
A small 2008 study from Nutrition,
Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases showed that Panax ginseng may aid
in diabetes management. The study involved 19 people with well-controlled type
2 diabetes. Compared to those given a placebo for 12 weeks, study members who
took Panax ginseng supplements for the same time period experienced greater
improvements in blood sugar control.
3. Other
There is massive evidence that Panax
ginseng can be successfully used to help coping with stress and as a general
tonic for improving well-being. Panax ginseng is frequently called as
“adaptogen” to reflect its useful “psychological” abilities. There is certain scientific
evidence that it might work against stress by affecting the
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Panax ginseng saponins seem to
increase serum cortisol concentrations. Panax ginseng might also increase
dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels in women.
It is also used for depression, anxiety,
chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), for boosting the immune system, and for
fighting particular infections in a lung disease called cystic fibrosis. These
infections are caused by a bacterium named Pseudomonas.
Panax ginseng might affect immune
function and might have anticancer effects. Panax ginseng appears to stimulate
natural-killer cell activity and possibly other immune-system activity. It
might also have some antitumor activity. Extracts of Panax ginseng decrease the
production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), diminish DNA strand breakage, and
inhibit the formation of induced skin tumors. Therefore, some people use Panax
ginseng to treat breast cancer and prevent ovarian cancer, liver cancer, lung
cancer, and skin cancer, however the usefulness of the Panax ginseng as
anti-cancer remedy yet to be scientifically proven through additional research.
Other uses include treatment of anemia, inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis), fever, hangover, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma.
Panax ginseng is also used for bleeding disorders, loss of appetite, vomiting, intestinal problems, fibromyalgia, sleeping problems (insomnia), nerve pain, joint pain, dizziness, headache, convulsions, disorders of pregnancy and childbirth, and to slow the aging process.
Other uses include treatment of anemia, inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis), fever, hangover, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma.
Panax ginseng is also used for bleeding disorders, loss of appetite, vomiting, intestinal problems, fibromyalgia, sleeping problems (insomnia), nerve pain, joint pain, dizziness, headache, convulsions, disorders of pregnancy and childbirth, and to slow the aging process.
Red
Ginseng and Menopausal Symptoms
Red ginsengs potency stems from its
phytoestrogen content. Phytoestrogens are a unique chemical which have a
chemical structure similar to that of human estrogen. Such a property makes red
ginseng popular in the treatment of women who suffer from a deficiency in
estrogen. These features of red ginseng draw suggestion that it may be useful
to treat unpleasant menopausal symptoms and positively impact general female health.
A recent randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled study, led by Sun
Young Kim, MD, researcher in the department of obstetrics and
gynecology at Gangnam Severance Hospital at the Yonsei University College of
Medicine in Seoul, Korea, explored the use of red ginseng for the treatment of
menopausal symptoms.
72 postmenopausal women between the
ages of 45 and 60 years were randomized to receive either red ginseng (3 g
of RG, including 60 mg of ginsenosides, per day) or placebo for 12 weeks.
Changes in menopausal symptoms were assessed using the Kupperman index and the
menopause rating scale. In addition, cardiovascular risk factors (lipid
profiles, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and carotid intima-media
thickness) and serum estradiol levels were measured.
Significant improvements in the
Kupperman index and in the menopause rating scale scores were observed in the red
ginseng group compared with the placebo group. In addition, total
cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly decreased in
the group receiving red ginseng.
This study clearly demonstrated that
red ginseng has beneficial effects on both menopausal symptoms and
cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women. Red ginseng has
physiologically active components that are absent in raw white ginseng and is
therefore superior to traditional ginseng. The authors suggest that the
beneficial effects of red ginseng are due to the phytoestrogens they
contain. These plant-like estrogens have chemical structures and functions
similar to those of human estrogen.
This study indicates that red ginseng
may be attractive option for postmenopausal women who have menopausal symptoms,
especially those with elevated cardiac risk factors. Compared to the data
on the effects of soy products, black cohosh, and other herbal remedies on
menopausal symptoms, these findings are relatively robust.
Dosage
Guidelines
Studies examining Korean ginseng have used both the whole
root and extracts. Drugs.com reports typical doses used in studies include .5 g
to 3 g of the whole root and between 100 mg and 400 mg of standardized extract
-- though some conditions might require higher doses. If using the extract,
look for products that contain between 4 and 7 percent ginsenosides, the
primary active components of the herb.
The standardized extract comes in pill form. As for consuming the whole root, the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture site recommends chewing the root in small pieces. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends taking ginseng supplements with food, especially if you are diabetic, because of its potential to lower blood sugar.
The standardized extract comes in pill form. As for consuming the whole root, the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture site recommends chewing the root in small pieces. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends taking ginseng supplements with food, especially if you are diabetic, because of its potential to lower blood sugar.
The University of Michigan Health System recommends 200 mg as a daily dosage to be used for treating menopausal symptoms.
If you
want to take ginseng to address a particular health concern, it is important to
consult with your physician to determine how long to use the herb for and in
what quantity. For general use, the University of Maryland Medical Center
recommends using Korean ginseng for a period of two to three weeks at a time
followed by a two-week rest period.
Interactions with Drugs
1. Alcohol
Be aware on the certain interactive
effect of the ginseng-alcohol combination. Taking Panax ginseng powder 3
grams/65 kg body weight before drinking alcohol seems to significantly increase
the clearance of alcohol. People taking Panax ginseng powder have blood alcohol
levels about 35% lower compared to people not taking Panax ginseng while
drinking alcohol. It is thought that Panax ginseng powder might lower alcohol
levels by increasing activity of alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase.
2. Anti-diabetic
drugs
Be cautious on this combination.
Theoretically, concomitant use might enhance blood glucose lowering effects. It
is advised to monitor blood glucose levels closely, if you are taking ginseng.
3. Caffeine
Panax ginseng might have an additive
stimulant effect with the caffeine in coffee and tea.
4. Immunosuppressants
Theoretically, concurrent use might
interfere with immunosuppressive therapy since panax ginseng might have immune
system stimulating properties, undesirable in certain medical conditions.
5. Monoamine
oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
Theoretically, Panax ginseng may interfere with MAOI therapy. Concomitant
use with phenelzine (Nardil) is associated with insomnia, headaches, tremors
and hypomania.
Sources
and Additional Information:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/508471-what-is-the-daily-recommended-intake-of-korean-red-ginseng/
