GINSENG (Panax ginseng) is a member of the Araliaceae and is native to China, eastern Russia and North Korea. Now very rare in the wild having been exhausted by gathering over a period of 5,000 years. A perennial growing to 1m in height, with clusters of green-white flowers, it is now cultivated in deep, rich, well-drained soils in these regions and takes up to four years to mature. The roots, which often take manikin form, are normally harvested in autumn and washed, steamed and dried before reaching the market.
While this is the best known, there are four other closely-related species: American, Panax quinquefolium; Siberian, Eleutherocccus senticosus; Japanese, Panax japonicum and Himalayan, Panax pseadoginsen. All contain similar properties but we will concentrate on Panax ginseng as it is the most popular and widely used.
Ginseng is marketed in a red and white form and this gives rise to some confusion; some users swear by the efficacy of one over the other while they are, in fact, the same plant prepared in a different way.
White ginseng is the dried root where the skin has been removed and the red form is attained by steaming the root with the skin in place, which gives it a caramel-like colour.
The plant is the most famous of all Chinese herbs and has been prized for its therapeutic benefits for millennia. It was so valued that wars were waged to gain control of growing areas. It was brought to the western world by Arab physicians in the 9th century but did not achieve prominence until the early l9th century. Research into the legendary properties attributed to ginseng have continued since WWII, when the Russians administered it to their troops and found that it increased stamina, speed and neurological activity. Similar experiments in Europe confirmed these results. The compounds responsible for this are the triterpenoid saponins, collectively known as ginsenosides.
The list of ailments which are supposedly cured by ingestion of ginseng start with amnesia, anorexia, asthma and arteriosclerosis and conclude with splenitis, swelling and vertigo, including several dozen afflictions in between. However, the main areas where ginseng has proven benefits are indisputable, the primary one being as an adaptogen; helping the body to adapt to stress, fatigue and cold. Trials have shown that ginseng significantly improves the body’s capacity to cope with extremes of temperature, hunger, and emotional and mental stress.
Furthermore it produces a sedative effect when the body requires sleep. Ginseng is most beneficial to those recovering from illness, it stimulates the immune system by enhancing killer-cell activity, particularly the macrophages, which increases the host defence mechanism considerably.
The plant has proved to be efficacious to the elderly, improving memory and nerve cell activity and generally inhibiting the ageing process. One of the main reasons for the increasing sales of ginseng can be attributed to its alleged ability to improve sexual performance in males, in fact this may the single reason why so much research has been conducted in the western world. Experiments suggest that it may also reduce prostatic enlargement.
It has been confirmed that ginseng will reduce blood sugar levels, may protect against certain tumours, and have a beneficial effect on some cardiac conditions. In some doses ginseng will increase blood pressure, and in others reduce it. This may arise from the plant’s conflicting capacity to stimulate and sedate.
Ginseng is certainly a remarkable plant but there are cautions; some practitioners warn that it should not be taken on a regular basis (not more than four weeks at a time). Side effects have included hypertension, euphoria, insomnia and diarrhoea. Some of these may be attributed to poor quality products, for instance, compounds made from rootlets are practically worthless. Ensure that you only purchase ginseng products made from the whole mature root.
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