The Secret of How American Ginseng Works

Canadian researchers at the University of Toronto are world-wide leaders in studies evaluating the use of North American Ginseng in diabetes and their studies have provided important evidences that North American Ginseng play an important role as Adjuvant Treatment for type-2 diabetes. 

A subsequent long-term clinical trial, in which subjects with Type 2 diabetes received eight weeks of treatment with an extract of North American ginseng, while maintained on existing medications and a healthy diet, demonstrated significant reductions in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), which is a very important measure of long-term blood glucose control. One study showed that more than 67% of patients with type 2 diabetes who received conventional diabetic treatment still had high levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c>7%), suggesting a very poor prognosis.

The studies also find significant decrease in systolic blood pressure and cholesterol/LDL levels with North American ginseng treatment. This may represent an added benefit of ginseng therapy in this population.

American Ginseng also play an important preventative role in the non-diabetic population. A series of four acute, short-term clinical studies published in 2000, showed that Ontario-grown North American ginseng taken before a meal could significantly reduce after-meal blood sugar levels in people with or without type 2 diabetes. (Vuksan Vladimir, 2000-1,2) (Litao Bai,2018) (Vuksan Vladimir, 2019)  (Swapnil Rajpathak, 2020).

References:

Vuksan V, Jenkins A et al.  Efficacy and safety of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) extract on glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a double-blind, randomized, cross-over clinical trial. European Journal of Nutrition (2019) 58:1237–1245

Litao Bai, Junping Wei et al. Therapeutic Potential of Ginsenosides as an Adjuvant Treatment for Diabetes. Frontiers in Pharmacology. May 2018 | Volume 9 | Article 423

Vuksan V, Stavro MP, Sievenpiper JL, et al. American ginseng improves glycemia in individuals with normal glucose tolerance: effect of dose and time escalation. J Am Coll Nutr 2000;19(6): 738-44.

Vuksan V, Sievenpiper JL, Koo Vy, Francis T, Beljan Zdravkovic U, Xu Z, Vidgen E. American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L) reduces post prandial glycemia in nondiabetic subjects and subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Arch intern Med 2000 Arp;160(7): 1009-13

It has been well documented that the clinical benefits of North American Ginseng in combination with anticancer drugs to enhance chemotherapy.

Common reasons for the use of ginseng by cancer patients are to improve clinical outcomes, enhance quality of life, treat cancer-related symptoms, reduce adverse effects of chemotherapy (nausea, vomiting, stress and fatigue), and potentially enhance the effects of chemotherapeutic agents.

American ginseng has anti-cancer properties that appear to suppress tumor growth: an epidemiological study has shown that patients taking ginseng had a 50% lower risk of cancer recurrence compared to patients not taking ginseng. American ginseng has shown particular promise in treating colorectal cancer, in which ginsenosides Rg3 and Rh2 are recognized as the most active anticancer compounds.  Some Ginsenosides, such as Rg3, displays significant antitumor activities in several types of cancer both in vitro and in vivo. The molecular mechanisms of tumor inhibition mainly involve the induction of apoptosis, and the inhibition of proliferation, metastasis and angiogenesis, and the promotion of immunity. (Sangeeta Mehendale, 2005), (Debra L. Barton, 2013), (Yun TK, 1995), (Chong-Zhi Wang, 2008), (Mengyao Sun, 2017), (Helms Steve, 2004)

References:

Mehendale S, North American ginseng berry extract and ginsenoside. Cancer chemother pharmacol 2005; 56 (1) 63-9

Debra L. Barton.  Wisconsin Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) to improve cancer-related Fatigue: A randomized, Double-Blind trial, N07c2.  (Journal of National Cancer Inst; 2013; 105:1230–1238)

Yun T, Choi S. Preventive effect of ginseng intake against various human cancers: a case-control study on 1987 pairs. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention. 1995;4(4):401–408.

Chong-Zhi Wang.  Potential role of ginseng in the treatment of colorectal cancer. Am J Chin Med. 2008;36(6):1019-28.

Mengyao Sun.  Anticancer effects of ginsenoside Rg3 (Review). International Journal of Molecular Medicine. 39: 507-518, 2017

 Helms S. Cancer prevention and therapeutics: Panax ginseng. Altern Med Rev 2004;9:259–74.

North American ginseng exerts a wide range of activity on the central nervous system. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, “Early research shows that North American Ginseng improve performance on such things as mental arithmetic, concentration, memory, and other measures.”

Two separate preliminary studies, one with 101 participants and another with 32 healthy young adults, has identified robust “working memory enhancement”, “choice reaction time accuracy” and “mental calmness” following administration of American ginseng extract in both normal, young (20 to 24 years of age) and older adults (46 to 64 years of age).

A randomized, multicenter, double-blind parallel group study of 193 post-menopausal women treated with ginseng extract and 191 treated with placebo reported significant difference in depression scores in favor of ginseng compared with placebo.

Clinical studies on 35 female outpatients aging from 18 to 65 years who were remitted from major depression with residual symptoms and given Red Ginseng Extract at a dose of 3 g/day reported significant decrease in depressive symptoms on the Depression Residual Symptom Scale (DRSS) and Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating over an 8-week period.

Inconclusion, American ginseng and its extracts have great improvement effects on the central nervous system, especially in improving attention, enhancing memory and adjuvant therapy for menopause and depression. (Andrew Scholey, 2010), (Sloley BD, 1999), (Wiklund, I. K., 1999), (Jeong, H. G., 2014), (Lyon MR, 2001)

References:

Andrew Scholey,   Effects of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) on neurocognitive function: an acute, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study.  Psychopharmacology (2010) 212:345–356

Sloley BD, Pang PK, Huang BH et al. North American ginseng extract reduces scopolamine-induced amnesia in a spatial learning task. J Psychiatry Neurosci 1999;24(5):442-52.

Wiklund, I. K., Effects of a standardized ginseng extract on quality of life and physiological parameters in symptomatic postmenopausal women: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Swedish alternative medicine group. Int. J. Clin. Pharmacol. Res.1999; 1989–99

Jeong, H. G., Effect of Korean Red Ginseng as an adjuvant treatment for women with residual symptoms of major depression. Asia Pac. Psychiatry doi: 2014; 10.1111/appy.1216

Lyon MR,. Effect of the herbal extract combination Panax Quinquefolium and ginkgo biloba on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a pilot study. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2001;26(3);221-8

Among its many uses as a health tonic and “adaptogen”, ginseng has been used for millennia as a natural aphrodisiac. Recently, the scientific literature has begun to support this claim. Many clinical trials and animal models have been used to examine the effects of ginseng extracts on male sexual performance.

It has been found that North American Ginseng can significantly enhance male libido and copulatory performance without changes in male sex hormones level. In an animal study, sexual arousal was enhanced with North American ginseng treatment in healthy rats as indicated by decreased latencies to mount, intromit, and ejaculate.

Studies on sexual performance in humans trial involving 60 patients presenting mild or mild to moderate ED using red ginseng show an increase in erectile function as indicated by a self reporting questionnaire called the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). Tests indicate that ginseng treatment was able to improve scores on penetration, erection maintenance, and rigidity in men with ED after 12 weeks of treatment. In addition, after 8 weeks of treatment penile rigidity in men with ED was increased upon auditory and visual stimulation, as indicated by the RigiScan test.

Even red ginseng extract was used in some of the trails, North American ginseng extract was made of American red ginseng as well and both ginseng extract shares similar ginsenosides profiles and therefore should have similar functions as indicated in the studies. (Murphy LL, 1998), (Murphy LL, 2002),  (Davis M., 2001), (Enrico de Andrade E, 2007)

References:

Murphy LL, Cadena RS, Chavez D, Ferraro JS. Effect of North American ginseng on male copulatory behavior in the rat. Physiol Behav 1998 June;64(4): 445-50

Murphy LL, Lee TJ. Ginseng, sex behavior, and nitric oxide, Ann N Y Acad Sci 2002 May;969:372-7

Davis M. Digging for ginsengs secrets. Perspectives: Research and creative activities at SIUC. Spring 2001.

Enrico de Andrade E, de Mesquita AA, Claro Jde A, de Andrade PM, Ortiz V, Paranhos M,Srougi M.  Study of the efficacy of Korean Red Ginseng in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. 2007. Asian Journal of Andrology 9(2):241-244

For centuries, North American Ginseng has been used to support health and vitality. Scientific research is now providing preliminary evidence supporting its medicinal potential in a variety of body systems and disorders, including enhancing the immune response, which helps fight infections.

Two key studies compared Ontario-grown North American Ginseng with a placebo in randomized, double-blind studies. One of these trials evaluated North American Ginseng (NAG) in the prevention of acute respiratory illness in 198 elderly adults within an institutional setting. After 8-12 weeks of treatment with the NAG extract, the seniors experienced an 89% reduction in the risk of developing cold or flu. Most of these seniors had received flu vaccinations (90%) and the Ontario Ginseng extract appeared to be safe and complementary.

Several laboratory studies have demonstrated the immune-enhancing effects of North American Ginseng and one of its concentrated products has become the best-selling product for the prevention and treatment of acute respiratory infections in Canada. (McElhaney JE, 2004), (Gerald N. Predy, 2005)

References:

McElhaney JE, Gravenstein S, Cole SK, et al. A placebo-controlled trial of a proprietary extract of North American ginseng (CVT-E002) to prevent acute respiratory illness in institutionalized older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 2004 Jan;52(1) : 13-9.

Gerald N. Predy, Efficacy of an extract of North American ginseng containing poly-furanosyl-pyranosyl-saccharides for preventing upper respiratory tract infections: a randomized controlled trial. J Canadian Medical Association (CMAJ) October 25, 2005, 173(9): 1043-1048