Products
Preparations containing ginseng are commercially available in the form of capsules, juice, and lozenges, among others. Ginseng is included in registered drugs and in dietary supplements. In East Asia and Southeast Asia, ginseng has been used medicinally for thousands of years.
Stem plant
C.A. Meyer, of the Araliaceae family, is native to Manchuria in China and North Korea. It is also known as Asian, Chinese, or Korean ginseng. In addition, there are various other species such as American ginseng or Japanese ginseng . However, the so-called Siberian ginseng, (taiga root) does not belong to the genus!
Medicinal drug
The ginseng root (ginseng radix), which often looks human-like, is used as a medicinal drug. It consists of the whole or cut dried roots of C.A. Meyer. The pharmacopoeia requires a minimum content of a mixture of ginsenoside Rg1 and ginsenoside Rb1. Powders, tinctures and ethanolic extracts are produced from the medicinal drug. Depending on the manufacturing process, a distinction is made between white and red ginseng. White ginseng is dried in the sun. The red ginseng (Ginseng radix rubra) is treated with hot steam and then dried.
Ingredients
The main active ingredients include triterpene saponins called ginsenosides. The active ingredients have a complex structure. The figure shows ginsenoside Rb1:
Effects
Preparations from ginseng root have performance-enhancing and adaptogenic effects, i.e., they improve the body’s ability to cope with psychological, physical, and chemical stressors. Furthermore, studies have demonstrated antioxidant, neuroprotective, antitumor, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties.
Indications for use
- For physical and mental performance enhancement in states of weakness and fatigue, fatigue and lack of concentration and convalescence.
- To increase the adaptation to physical and mental stress.
- In traditional Chinese medicine.
Dosage
According to the package leaflet. Medicines are usually taken once or twice a day. Administration is usually in the morning or morning and noon.
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity
- Children under 12 years of age (not adequately studied)
Full precautions can be found in the drug label.
Interactions
- The effects of vitamin K antagonists (phenprocoumon, acenocoumarol, warfarin) may be attenuated.
- Supplements containing ginseng may lower blood glucose. Therefore, interactions with antidiabetic drugs are possible.
- Another interaction has been described with the MAO inhibitor phenelzine, although it is not approved in many countries.
Adverse effects
Possible adverse effects include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, stomach pain and diarrhea, sleep disturbances, allergic reactions and lowering of blood sugar.
