Panax ginseng

Botanical family: Araliaceae
Parts used: Roots
Main active ingredients: Ginsenosides
Actions: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, tonic
Good for: Lack of stamina, mental stress and fatigue, erectile dysfunction,
Available forms: Tincture, tablet

Description

Ginseng (Panax ginseng), also called Asian, Chinese or Korean ginseng has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years to enhance both the longevity and the quality of life. Another species American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is found primarily in America, while Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) comes from Siberia and is distantly related to the other two. Panax is the most widely available and extensively studied form of this herb.

Ginseng has always been regarded as something of a wonder drug – one that can cure all ills. This view is reflected in its name panax, which is derived from the Greek words pan (all) and akos (cure) which translates into cure all.

The medicinal part of the plant is its slow-growing root, which is harvested after four to six years when its overall ginsenoside content – the main active ingredient in ginseng – is at its peak

History

Ginseng was so revered in ancient times that wars were fought for the control of the forests in which it thrived.
An Arabian physician brought ginseng to Europe in the 9th century, yet its ability to improve stamina and resistance to stress only started to be recognised in the West from around the 17th century. A delegation from the King of Siam is said to have visited the court of Louis X1V at Versailles and presented him with a root of ‘gintz-aen’.

Current uses

For low stamina, stress and poor immunity

In herbal medicine Panax ginseng is considered an adaptogen, a substance that strengthens and normalises body functions, enhancing the body’s own natural defences against disease and stress. It is not so much seen as a medicine but more as a substance that can be taken to revitalise the body as a whole.

It is also thought to help build up resistance to infection or disease, reduce susceptibility to illness and shorten the time that it takes to recover from illness or after surgery.

For sex problems

Ginseng is prized as an aphrodisiac, sexual balancer and fertility enhancer. Many of the steroidal compounds it contains are similar in structure to human sex hormones. This may explain why it is sometimes given to help boost production of sex hormones in cases of erectile dysfunction where it combines well with ginkgo and rhodiola.

How to take it

• You need to take 200mg - 500mg of dried root twice daily. 
• Ginseng can be taken continuously for a maximum of six weeks for optimum benefits.

Watch points

Ginseng is best avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding or if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart problems.

Did you know?

The name ginseng is derived from the ancient Chinese word ‘jen shen’ meaning man root because the ginseng root often resembles the shape of a certain part of the male anatomy.