Botanical Index No. 453

Ginseng

panax ginseng

Medicinal Actions

Tonic

Primary Conditions Treated

hypoglycemic response increase the overall resistance of the body to stress balance bodily functions increase counts of total lymphocytes T-Helper cells and T4 and T8 subsets and to improve NKC activity lung Cancer stomach Carcinoma Cardiopathy Chemotherapy Cold Colitis Convalescence Convulsion Cough Debility Depression Diabetes Divination Dysentery Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Dyspnea Enterosis Epilepsy Epistaxis Fatigue Fear Fever Flu Gas Gastrosis Gonadotrophy Hangover Headache Heart Hemoptysis Hepatoma Hepatosis High Blood Pressure High Cholesterol Hyperglycemia Hypoglycemia Hypothermia IDDM Immune Dysfunction Immunodepression Impotence Infection Infertility Inflammation Insomnia Leukopenia Longevity Low Blood Pressure Malaria Menopause Menorrhagia Mental Derangement Morning Sickness Nausea Nephrosis Nervousness Neuralgia Neurasthenia Neurosis NIDDM Obesity Pain Palpitation Polyuria Post-Menopause Proctosis Prolapse Radiation Sickness Respirosis Rheumatism Senile Dementia Sheehan’s Syndrome Shock Slow Thinking Sore Spermatorrhea Splenosis Sting Stress Swelling Thirst Tuberculosis Tumor Ulcer Vertigo Virus Vomiting Water Retention Wrinkle

General Dosage

Use should be restricted to 3 months. Tea 3–4 ×/day, 3–4 weeks; 0.33–0.66 g root 3 ×/day; 0.6–3.0 g root 1–3 ×/day, 3 weeks–3 months; 0.5–1 g root daily, 15–20 days; 1–2 g root/day; 1–9 g root; 1–10 g root/day; 0.4–0.8 g root/day, long term; 1–2 g Asian root/day; 0.5 tsp dried Asian root/cup water 1–2 ×/day; 1 tbsp fresh root; 0.5–2 g dry root; 2 g dry root:10 ml alcohol/10 mg water; 0.5–3 g dry root/day or 1–6 ml fluid extract; 1–2 g dry root; 0.5–1 g powdered root; 3–9 g powdered ginseng/day; 3 capsules 3 ×/day; 1–4 StX capsules; 100 mg StX 1–2 ×/day; 1 StX 2 ×/day.

Safety & Contraindications

estrogenic side effects are reported in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women, “clinical studies have demonstrated that a standardized ginseng extract does not cause a change in male and female hormonal status”. Avoid if hypertensive or pregnant. Possible insomnia, mastalgia, vaginal bleeding, and insomnia. Contraindicated for patients with hyperkinesis, hysteria, mania, schizophrenia, or those who are nervous or tense. Not to be taken with stimulants, including coffee, antipsychotic drugs, or during treatment with hormones. Use cautiously in cardiopathy, diabetes, high blood pressure, hypotension, and with all steroid therapy. In Russia, it is even suggested that healthy people under age 40 should not take ginseng, but that middle-aged people can take small doses on a regular basis. Because of hormonal activity, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided. Caution with insulin, warfarin, phenylzine, and loop diuretics. “Three newborns were intoxicated after an intake of 0.3–0.6 g ginseng decoc- tion; one died”. Blumenthal suggests it may potentiate MAOIs. O’Brien cautions that headaches may result from chronic use. Do not take with digitalis. Class 2d. Contraindicated for high blood pressure. The ginseng monograph published in 1991 says “none known” regarding contraindications, drug interactions, or side effects. Contraindicated in acute infections, asthma, and high blood pressure. High doses may aggravate or cause decreased sexual function, dysmenorrhea, euphoria, headaches, high blood pressure, insomnia, irritability, morning diarrhea, palpitations, skin eruptions, and tremors. The worst and most erroneous studies of ginseng were reported in JAMA, which accepted no corrections from the herbal industry, trying to get the reports straight. “Most commonly reported side effects of ginseng are nervousness and excitation, which usually diminish”. Foster reports GI distress, overstimulation, breast tenderness, dysmenorrhea. Though estrogenic side effects are reported in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women, “clinical studies have demonstrated that a standardized ginseng extract does not cause a change in male and female hormonal status”. Avoid if hypertensive or pregnant. Possible insomnia, mastalgia, vaginal bleeding, and insomnia. Contraindicated for patients with hyperkinesis, hysteria, mania, schizophrenia, or those who are nervous or tense. Not to be taken with stimulants, including coffee, antipsychotic drugs, or during treatment with hormones. Use cautiously in cardiopathy, diabetes, high blood pressure, hypotension, and with all steroid therapy. In Russia, it is even suggested that healthy people under age 40 should not take ginseng, but that middle-aged people can take small doses on a regular basis. Because of hormonal activity, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided. Caution with insulin, warfarin, phenylzine, and loop

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