Category: Medicines - plant based
Introduction and description
Ginseng is any one of 11 species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, belonging to the genus Panax of the family Araliaceae.
It is found only in the Northern Hemisphere, in North America and in eastern Asia (mostly Korea, northeastern China (Manchuria), Bhutan, and eastern Siberia), typically in cooler climates. Panax vietnamensis, discovered in Vietnam, is the southernmost ginseng known. Ginseng is characterized by the presence of ginsenosides.
Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is in the same family, but not genus, as true ginseng. Like ginseng, it is considered to be an adaptogenic herb. The active compounds in Siberian ginseng are eleutherosides, not ginsenosides. Instead of a fleshy root, Siberian ginseng has a woody root.
Ginseng is used as a herbal medicine. The root is most often available in dried form, either whole or sliced. Ginseng leaf, although not as highly prized, is sometimes also used; as with the root, it is most often available in dried form. Ginseng may be included in small doses in energy drinks or tisanes, such as ginseng coffee
Folk medicine attributes various benefits to oral use of American ginseng and Asian ginseng (P. ginseng) roots, some of which are proven some of which are not. It has been described as an aphrodisiac, stimulant, type II diabetes treatment, or cure for sexual dysfunction in men.
The part that is proven is that ginseng does lower blood glucose. As lowering blood glucose can have positive knock on effects, then some of the other claims may indeed be true, but as yet these links have not been made. The list of observations will show you what has been scientifically proven.
It is the ginseng glycopeptides (GGP) that have hypoglycemic activity [meaning it lowers blood glucose]. The hypoglycemia is due to the enhancement of aerobic glycolysis. Glycolosis is the term given to the metabolic process used by most microorganisms (yeast and bacteria) and by all "higher" animals (including humans) for the degradation of glucose.
The administration of GGP decreases both the level of plasma lactic acid and the activities of plasma and liver LDH [lactic acid dehydrogenase;] while enhancing the rate limiting enzymes in aerobic glycolysis (tricar-boxylic acid cycle). The hypoglycemic action of GGP can last up to 16 hours
MethodTeas, Asian style meals ......
How it works
To heal it works in various ways depending on the particular part of the plant that is operating - you will be able to see this from the observations
If you overdose on ginseng , take ginseng when you do not need it [which is in effect overdosing] or take ginseng with diabetes medication you could give yourself Hypoglycemia and this can produce hallucinations
Hypoglycemia or hypoglycæmia is the medical term for a state produced by a lower than normal level of blood glucose. It can produce a variety of symptoms and effects but the principal problems arise from an inadequate supply of glucose to the brain, resulting in impairment of function.
I have a separate entry for Hypoglycemia you can turn to to get more information
Not regulated - too many herbal medicines are not ginseng at all
- A case of metastatic bladder cancer in both lungs treated with korean medicine therapy alone 012771
- Dietary Strategies for the Treatment of Cadmium and Lead Toxicity - 040 Edible Plants and Dietary Phytochemicals 016842
- Dr Duke's anti-viral activity for Ginseng 012401
- Dr Duke's list of aluminium chelating plants 017803
- Dr Duke's list of cystine containing plants to boost the immune system 012486
- Dr Duke's list of Plants containing ARGININE 017958
- Dr Duke's list of Plants containing GLYCINE 017955
- Dr Duke's list of Plants containing HISTIDINE 019061
- Dr Duke's list of Plants containing LYSINE 017957
- Dr Duke's list of Plants containing PHENYLALANINE 017936
- Dr Duke's list of Plants containing PROLINE 017956
- Dr Duke's list of Plants Containing QUERCETIN 021446
- Dr Duke's list of Plants containing SALICYLIC ACID 020467
- Dr Duke's list of Plants containing SELENIUM 020550
- Dr Duke's list of Plants containing SULFUR 021408
- Dr Duke's list of plants for Superactivity Arteriosclerosis/Atherosclerosis 017744
- Dr Duke's list of plants having chemicals with vasodilatory activity 017836
- Dr Duke's list of plants to help with Crohn's disease 017765
- Dr Duke's list of plants with a diuretic activity 012389
- Dr Duke's list of plants with a large number of chemicals having antiviral activity 017909
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Anti-aggregate activity 017520
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with AntiAddisonian Activity 018405
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antialopecic Activity 018420
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antianemic activity 018408
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antiarrhythmic activity 018344
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Anticancer (cervix) activity 018454
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antichilblain activity 018366
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Anticrohn's activity 018435
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antidermatitic activity 018427
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antigranulocytopenic activity 018418
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antimyasthenic activity 018428
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antipleuritic activity 018471
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antischizophrenic Activity 018433
- Dr Duke's list of plants with hemopoietic effects - 2 All plants with activity 012485
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Metal chelating ability from FERULIC ACID - PART 2 018254
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Tranquilizer activity 018138
- Dr Duke's list of plants with vasodilatory activity 012388
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Vulnerary activity 018927
- Dr Duke's plants for counteracting pesticides 010313
- Dr Duke's Plants with Hyperuricemic Activity from the chemical ADENINE 016806
- Dr Duke's top 20 plants with laxative properties 017657
- Dr Duke's top 40 plants containing Boron 017974
- Dr Dukes list of plants with high Estrogenic activity 017911
- Ginseng and penile erection dysfunction 005743
- Ginseng and rotavirus 005322
- Panax ginseng has anti-infective activity against opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa by inhibiting quorum sensing, a bacterial communication process critical for establishing infection 020218
- Red Ginseng and Semen Coicis can improve the structure of gut microbiota and relieve the symptoms of ulcerative colitis 021297
- Shengmai Formula Ameliorates Pathological Characteristics in AD C. elegans 020887
- Use of a novel herbal medicine in a 75-year-old woman with multi-metastatic pancreatic cancer: A case report and review of the literature 019201