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by Source: Herbs for Health
May 1, 1999
The king of all tonic herbs is ginseng, which usually refers to the root of a specific type of ginseng, Panax ginseng, also known as Asian ginseng. Panax derives from the Greek words pan, meaning "all," and akos, meaning "cure." The Anglicized Chinese name "ginseng" means "essence of the earth in the form of a man," referring to the humanlike appearance of the root.
The first known reference to ginseng is in the 2,000-year-old classic Shen-Nong Ben Cao Jing, an herbal believed to have been compiled during the first century. Written versions of this herbal describe ginseng's tonic qualities: "It is used for repairing the five viscera, quieting the spirit, curbing the emotion, stopping agitation, removing noxious influence, brightening the eyes, enlightening the mind and increasing the wisdom. Continuous use leads one to longevity with light weight."
In early attempts to pinpoint ginseng's adaptogenic qualities, Brekhman, the Soviet researcher who pioneered the pharmacology of the ginseng family, gave Soviet soldiers a ginseng extract or a placebo. He found that those who took ginseng ran faster in a three-kilometer race than those who look the placebo. In another Soviet experiment, radio operators receiving ginseng extracts made fewer mistakes and transmitted text faster than those who took a placebo. The results suggest that ginseng extracts improve stamina. Brekhman also used animal experiments to confirm the results of human trials; these tests showed that mice given ginseng extracts swim longer than those not taking the herb, suggesting an anti-fatigue action.
Current research suggests that ginseng's ginsenosides, the herb's active components, are responsible for its health benefits. Some scientists believe that ginsenosides sides act on the pituitary or hypothalamus glands, but not on the adrenals. After ginseng is administered, the pituitary gland secretes corticosteroids indirectly through the release of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH). One ginsenoside has been shown to stimulate "nerve-growth factor," helping to produce more nerve fibers in the cerebral cortex.
Several European studies confirm these findings. Researchers have found that when humans take a ginseng extract standardized to between 4 and 7 percent ginsenosides, their reaction time to visual and auditory stimuli is shortened and their respiratory quotient, alertness, power of concentration, grasp of abstract concepts, and visual and motor coordination increase.
A recent study conducted by French researchers involved people suffering from "functional fatigue" such as being worn out and having tired, empty feelings. The double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 232 patients between the ages of twenty-five and sixty. Participants selected five responses from a list of twenty suggestions about their feelings, then received either ginseng or a placebo and were evaluated after three and seven weeks of treatment. The results indicated that those who took a ginseng product showed significant improvement -- less fatigue and anxiety, and greater concentration compared to those who took a placebo. Today in Germany, ginseng products taken at doses of 1 to 2g of dried ginseng root divided into three daily doses are allowed by the government to be labeled as tonics to treat fatigue, reduced work capacity, poor concentration, and convalescence. Concentrated extracts standardized to ginsenoside content are usually given at doses of 100 mg daily.
Source: Herbs for Health, May/June 1999.
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