Taxonomic Class

Araliaceae

Common Trade Names

Multi-ingredient preparations : Bio Star, Cimexon, Energy Rise, Fast Lane Herb Tea, Gincosan, Ginsana, Ginsatonic, Ginseng Action, Neo Ginsana

Common Forms

No standards exist for ginseng despite availability of chromatographic assays for ginsenosides and ginseng polysaccharides.

Capsules : 100 mg, 250 mg, 500 mg

Extract : 2 oz root extract (in alcohol base)

Root powder : 1 oz, 4 oz

Tea bags : 1,500 mg ginseng root

Also available as a cream, eye gel, nutrition bar, and oil. The root is available in bulk by the pound.

Source

The most common species is Panax quinquefolius, commonly known as American or Western ginseng. Sought after most commonly for its root, the plant's other characteristics (wild or cultivated) and the shapes of the root make it more valuable. Traditionally, ideal plants are at least 6 years old. Panax ginseng is known as the Asian, Korean, or Japanese ginseng. Asian ginseng usually undergoes treatment, such as drying and curing, before it is sold; the American variety undergoes less manipulation and carries less distinction.

Chemical components

Ginseng is composed primarily of ginsenosides, also known as panaxosides. About 12 major panaxosides have been isolated but are found in only minute quantities and are difficult to purify on a large scale. Other components of the plant isolated for pharmacologic effects include a volatile oil, beta-elemine, sterols, flavonoids, peptides, vitamins (B 1 , B 2 , B12 panthotenic acid, nicotinic acid, and biotin), fats, polyacetylenes, minerals, enzymes, and choline.

Actions

Several pharmacologic effects have been noted that vary with dose and duration of treatment. The panaxosides, found in the root, are thought to be the pharmacologically active agents. Although they are similar in

structure, sometimes these compounds exert opposing pharmacologic effects. For example, ginsenoside Rb-1 has analgesic, anticonvulsant, antipsychotic, and CNS depressant effects; stress ulcer-preventing action; and acceleration of glycolysis and nuclear RNA synthesis. Ginsenoside Rg-1 has antifatigue, CNS stimulating, hypertensive, and stress ulcer-aggravating activities. These opposing features form the basis for the theory that ginseng serves to "balance bodily functions."

Another example of these opposing actions is that Rg and Rg-1 enhance cardiac performance, whereas Rb depresses cardiac function. Other ginsenosides have shown antiarrhythmic activity similar to that of verapamil and amiodarone. Oral ginseng was found to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, decrease platelet adhesiveness, impair coagulation, and increase fibrinolysis in cholesterol-fed rats. Ginsenosides may reduce stress by acting on the adrenal gland.

Hypoglycemic activity in rodents has been documented, but the mechanism of action has not been proved . Extracts of ginseng have shown antioxidant activity on human erythrocytes in a laboratory model and prevented the development of morphine tolerance in rats. Some studies in animals have documented ginseng's anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities and its hepatoprotective effects at low doses (destruction at high doses) in a rat model, whereas others found that tumors in mice were suppressed by components of ginseng.

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