A Comparison of the ancient use of ginseng in traditional Chinese medicine with modern pharmacological experiments and clinical trials
- 20 June 2008
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Phytotherapy Research
- Vol. 22 (7), 851-858
- https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2384
Abstract
Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer is a well‐known medicinal herb native to China and Korea, and has been used as a herbal remedy in eastern Asia for thousands of years. However, there is different evidence of ginseng efficacy between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), modern pharmacological experiments and clinical trials. In TCM, ginseng is a highly valued herb and has been applied to a variety of pathological conditions and illnesses such as hypodynamia, anorexia, shortness of breath, palpitation, insomnia, impotence, hemorrhage and diabetes. Modern pharmacological experiments have proved that ginseng possesses multiple constituents (ginsenosides, polysaccharides, peptides, polyacetylenic alcohols, etc.) and actions (central nervous system effects, neuroprotective effect, immunomodulation, anticancer, etc.), ginsenosides as the active ingredients, especially, having antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antiapoptotic and immunostimulant properties. Recently, ginseng has been studied in a number of randomized controlled trials investigating its effect mainly on physical and psychomotor performance, cognitive function, immunomodulation, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular risk factors, quality of life, as well as adverse effects. Equivocal results have been demonstrated for many of these indications. Because of the poor quality of most clinical trials on ginseng, reliable clinical data in humans are still lacking. Therefore, a broader understanding of medical knowledge and reasoning on ginseng is necessary. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Keywords
Funding Information
- Ministry of Science and Technology of China (973:2005CB523404)
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (30600834)
This publication has 72 references indexed in Scilit:
- 20(S)-Ginsenoside Rg3 prevents endothelial cell apoptosis via inhibition of a mitochondrial caspase pathwayBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2006
- Signaling pathway of ginsenoside‐Rg1 leading to nitric oxide production in endothelial cellsFEBS Letters, 2006
- Characteristics of Ginsenoside Rg3-Mediated Brain Na+Current InhibitionMolecular Pharmacology, 2005
- Anti-diabetic effect of ginsenoside Re in ob/ob miceBiochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of Disease, 2005
- Relaxation of canine corporal smooth muscle relaxation by ginsenoside saponin Rg3 is independent from eNOS activationLife Sciences, 2005
- Neuroprotective effect of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 on cerebral ischemia in ratsNeuroscience Letters, 2005
- Protective effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on MPP + -induced apoptosis in SHSY5Y cellsJournal of Neural Transmission, 2003
- Inhibitory effects of the ginsenoside Rg3 on phorbol ester-induced cyclooxygenase-2 expression, NF-κB activation and tumor promotionMutation Research, 2003
- Panax ginsengDrug Safety, 2002
- Evaluation of the Ergogenic Properties of GinsengSports Medicine, 2000