Multiple effects of American ginseng in clinical medicine

American Journal of Chinese Medicine, Summer-Fall, 2001 by Chun-Su Yuan, Lucy Dey

Ginseng is a highly valued herb in the Far East. The root of ginseng has been used for over 2000 years in the belief that it is a panacea and promotes longevity. As described in Chinese traditional medicine textbooks, its effectiveness reaches mythical proportions (Lee, 1992; Huang, 1999). Originally labeled as an "adaptogen," ginseng helps to increase resistance to stress and restore homeostasis. The efficacy of ginseng was known in the West by the 18th century, and the study of ginseng has a long history. Among seven major species of ginseng (Huang, 1999), the following three are the most commonly used: Panax ginseng (Asian ginseng), Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng), and Panax japonicus (Japanese ginseng). American ginseng is grown in the northern U.S. and Canada, but is also cultivated in France and northern China (Bensky and Gamble, 1993). In the past ten years, American ginseng has been the one of the best selling herbs in the U.S.

The major active components of ginseng are ginsenosides, a diverse group of steroidal saponins, which demonstrate the ability to target a myriad of tissues, producing an array of pharmacological responses. Since ginsenosides and other constituents of ginseng produce effects that are different from one another, and a single ginsenoside initiates multiple actions in the same tissue, the overall pharmacology of ginseng is complex (Attele et al., 1999). Multiple constituents of ginseng lead the multiple actions. Ginseng has been taken for many reasons, such as general health and vitality, fatigue, immune function, cardiovascular disease, endocrine disorders, cognitive function, viral infections, and enhancing athletic performance. The following are three cases from our own practice.

Case 1: A generally healthy 28 year old female began suffering from stomach cramps and loss of appetite approximately 6 months ago. Believing that she suffered from gastric ulcers, her doctor began treating her with a histamine-2 receptor antagonist for one month but her cramps were not relieved. Consequently, she underwent a gastric endoscopy procedure to explore her digestive tract. In her stomach disease-causing bacteria was found so she was placed on antibiotics for several weeks. However, she still continued to suffer from cramps for another month at which point she began taking American ginseng. Three to four days after taking the herb, she felt much better and her cramps stopped. Since that time she has been taking American ginseng, now for one month, and she no longer suffers from stomach cramps, and believes that she is completely cured.

Case 2: In the span of 6 months, a 27 year old female suffering from indigestion problems began losing weight, having insomnia and irregular menstrual cycles. Her visit to the doctor did not reveal any significant problems detectable by a physical exam, chest X-ray, and blood tests including liver function tests. One week after taking American ginseng, she began to sleep regularly and her appetite returned to normal. She is now taking American ginseng on a regular basis and is feeling normal and healthy.

Case 3: A 53 year old male with a history of hypertension had been suffering from mild chest pains for 3 months. He was diagnosed with early stage coronary artery disease but did not require surgery. His blood pressure was 155/95 mmHg. After taking American ginseng for 2 weeks, his chest pains disappeared. One month after taking the herb regularly, his blood pressure dropped to 145/85 mmHg. He has been taking the herb for 5 months now and is doing fine.

The American ginseng used in the above cases was three-year root cultivated in a ginseng farm in Wausau, Wisconsin, and given at a daily dose of 2 grams. We modified and simplified the traditional Chinese procedure for taking ginseng. The following instructions were given to our patients: Each day soak approximately 2 grams of American ginseng root in cold water overnight. The following morning drink the cold water in which the American ginseng was soaked in. Then, place the ginseng into a cup and pour boiling water (approximately 150 mL) into the cup. Let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes and drink the water. Repeat pouring water over the ginseng and drink it 2-3 more times during the day. In the early evening, drink one more cup of the boiled water, this time being sure to eat the ginseng root.

American ginseng may possess effects similar to Asian ginseng (Persons, 1986). However, based on traditional Chinese medicine theory, Asian ginseng is contraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with heat signs, heat excess, or in the absence of significant qi deficiency (Bensky and Gamble, 1993). One of the advantages of American ginseng is that its usage is not limited to such conditions. American ginseng benefits the qi, generates fluids, and nourishes the yin, for yin deficiency with heat signs (Bensky and Gamble, 1993). This is one of the reasons that American ginseng has gained popularity.

Interestingly, there are differences in the pharmacological potency of single species that is cultivated in two different locations. For example, in an animal experimental model, the activity of extracts from American ginseng cultivated in the U.S. was significantly higher than that from the same species cultivated in China (Yuan et al., 1998). Even within the U.S., American ginseng's efficacy may be different in Wisconsin-cultivated and Illinois-cultivated ginseng, possibly due to different ginsenoside profiles (Yuan et al., 2001).