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Chinese ginseng

Asian ginseng is a member of the Araliaceae family, which also includes the closely related American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, and less similar Siberian ginseng. Ginseng is the best known traditional Chinese medicine. The important pharmacological activities of ginseng extracts, alone or in combination with other drugs, include alleviation of renal impairment, inhibition of carcinogenesis and prevention of stress. There are also a number of reports on the influence of ginseng on the immunological responsiveness of the individual. Some immunomodulatory properties that have been reported include enhancement of host resistance against infection, anti-inflammatory effect, inhibition of tumor growth, as well as modulation of some basic immune function at the cellular level. Chinese ginseng (Panax ginseng, panax, ren shen, jintsam, ninjin, Asiatic ginseng, Japanese ginseng, Oriental ginseng, Korean red ginseng) main active components are ginsenosides (Ra1, Ra2, Rb1, Rg1, Rd, Re, Rh1, Rh2, Rh3, F1, F2, F3) and panoxosides, which have been shown to have a variety of beneficial effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects. Results of clinical research studies demonstrate that Panax ginseng may improve psychological function, immune function, and conditions associated with diabetes. Chinese ginseng enhances phagocytosis, natural killer cell activity, and the production of interferon; improves physical and mental performance in mice and rats; causes vasodilation; increases resistance to exogenous stress factors; and affects hypoglycemic activity. It stimulates hepatic glutathione peroxidase, and the phytosterols inhibit prostaglandin synthesis. Also it displays vascular activity because the saponins act like calcium antagonists in the vasculature. The incorporation of this phytomedicine provides at least 86 active principles in a single therapeutic.

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