Advise the patient not to take ginseng for a prolonged period.

Instruct the patient with preexisting medical conditions to check with his health care provider before taking ginseng.

Urge the patient to watch for unusual symptoms (diarrhea, insomnia, nervousness, palpitations) because of the risk of ginseng toxicity.

Advise the pregnant or breast-feeding patient to consult a health care provider before taking ginseng because safety has not been established.

Points of Interest

Ginseng has been given a positive evaluation from the German Commission.

It is estimated that 6 million people in the United States use ginseng regularly. In oriental cultures, it has been used for its medicinal properties for more than 2,000 years.

Although it was abundant in eastern North America, American ginseng is now considered threatened because of aggressive harvesting for commercial sales.

Commentary

Public interest in ginseng has been increasing. Although the herb appears to have promising uses, additional human efficacy, toxicity, and interactions data are needed. Ginseng has an interesting and unique pharmacologic profile, but ingestion of the plant is not without risk, despite its use for centuries.

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