By: Jean Johnson for Medtech1
Ancient and Modern History
“Essence of humans” is what ginseng means in the Chinese language, and Asians have used Panax ginseng medicinally for over five millennium. The genus Panax is derived from the Greek word panacea that means cure all. Consequently, there has been a big trade in ginseng roots – the part of the plant that contains revitalizing properties. At times the trade was so high in China that ginseng was valued more highly than gold. Ginseng is perhaps the most celebrated herb in the world.
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Fast Facts about Ginseng
American ginseng is a perennial herb native to the deciduous forests of the eastern United States.
Wild ginseng once thrived along most of the nation's eastern seaboard, from Maine to Alabama and west to Minnesota. It was over-harvested in the mid-1970s and was subsequently defined as an endangered species.
In August of 2005, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service restricted all exports of wild ginseng from Virginia to plants that were least 10 years old.
A ginseng plant needs to be at least 3 to 5 years old to produce the proclaimed medicinal effects.
Wild ginseng once thrived along most of the nation's eastern seaboard, from Maine to Alabama and west to Minnesota. It was over-harvested in the mid-1970s and was subsequently defined as an endangered species.
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Since the counterculture of the sixties led the way toward exploring ethic cuisines and folk medicine, ginseng has gained popularity in the West. A purported tonic geared toward keeping the body in top condition, ginseng roots are consumed in both capsule form, liquid tinctures and even eaten directly. Asian and American ginseng – and Siberian
Many American Indian tribes have a history of using the variety of ginseng indigenous to the North American continent. More recently, though, “this North American plant is becoming endangered in the wild because of over-collection and habitat loss,” reads a Mayo Clinic statement on the herb. As a result, entrepreneurial growers now produce domesticated American ginseng for the burgeoning natural health market, a sector of the health food industry fueled in significant part by the aging baby boomer population.
The reason many use American ginseng as readily as they once sought out the Asian species is because both plants belong to the Panax genus and thus contain the active ingredients called ginsenosides. Conversely, Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) while part of the same plant family (Araliaceae) is in an entirely different genus and has no ginsenosides.
Nonetheless, University of Maryland Medical Center Complementary Medicine Program literature states that “all three ginsengs (Asian, American and Siberian) are regarded as adaptogens, substances that strengthen and normalize body functions, helping the body deal with various forms of stress.” Most of the research related to ginseng health benefits has focused on Asian and American species.
Health Benefits
Perhaps a key reason the Chinese have touted ginseng as the king of herbs for thousands of years is because the root is believed to treat erectile dysfunction, improve sexual performance as well as fertility. But the bedroom is only one of the areas where claims are made for the benefits of this revered plant.
Ginseng is also said to enhance recovery from illnesses and surgeries, and promote a general sense of well-being. Further claims on ginseng’s ability to temper the effects of various ailments run the gamut from menopause to hepatitis C, to cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Indeed, ginseng seems to be to the family of herbs what the multivitamin is to supplements.
The Science
As with most herbs, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) in the National Institutes of Health is cautious in its endorsement. “To date, research results on Asian ginseng [the only variety the NCCAM has studied thus far] are not conclusive enough to prove health claims associated with the herb.”
The center goes on to say that while “some studies have shown that Asian ginseng may lower blood glucose and others indicated possible beneficial effects on immune function… only a handful of clinical trials have been conducted.” It also points out that some of the health benefits claims have been based solely on animal studies, and that so far studies on humans have been both flawed and focused on exceptionally small numbers of people.
Precautions
Because of ginseng’s purported stimulating properties, it is subject to some regulations by the American Herbal Products Association. Further, ginseng is contraindicated in patients with hypertension or high blood pressure (although we found some information that said it might help lower high blood pressure). Additionally people with blood sugar anomalies need to take consult their healthcare providers prior to taking ginseng.
That said, for further information on precautions, possible interactions, how to take ginseng, and supporting research, visit the University of Maryland Complementary Medicine Program..
As power-packed as ginseng seems to be, it seems prudent to direct people interested in ginseng to experts who have spent considerable time investigating the herb. That way, those who choose to dabble with this ancient medicine will understand and appreciate the particulars of ginseng – and realize that any substance ingested in to the body needs to be carefully respected.
