Wellness

North American ginseng, as it’s known outside of Ontario, is being used in research studies from the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, prevention of respiratory infections, and improvement of memory, to leading edge work on breast and prostate cancer. It was originally used for its healing properties by aboriginals long before the arrival of European settlers. Native aboriginals and trappers appreciated Ontario’s ginseng for its cooling effect that helped to relieve stress, calm the body and strengthen internal organs. These effects made it a valuable, exportable commodity to China, as early as 1716.

Downloadable Fact Sheets
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What is Ginseng?
In Chinese, ginseng means “man-root”. It derives its name from the fact that the root often grows in the shape of a man, and its medicinal qualities are believed to benefit the whole man.

Ginseng is a green perennial herb, grown mainly for its root. Its root is similar to a parsnip in texture and colour, although smaller and usually more branched. The plant stands about 10 to 20 inches high with two to five clusters of a group of five leaves and a spindly-shaped root.

Although there are many so-called ginsengs on the market today, there are only two authentic ginsengs that are recognized around the world:

North American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)
Asian Ginseng (Panax ginseng)

The ‘other’ ginsengs do not comply, in botanical terms, with the general characteristics of the ginseng plant. They are numerous and include:

Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
Brazilian or South American Ginseng (suma or Pfaffia paniculata)
Peruvian Ginseng or ginseng of the Andes (maca or Lepidium meyenii)

Modern Perspective
Ginseng contains a number of active ingredients including saponins (also called ginsenosides), sugars, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. The ginsenosides are the most active ingredients found in the ginseng plant and over 25 different types have been identified. However, only six or seven of them are thought to have any therapeutic significance. The two main ginsenosides are Rb1 and Rg1; the former is thought to suppress and the latter to stimulate the central nervous system. These opposing actions may explain why ginseng is sometimes called an ‘adaptogen’, meaning it normalizes bodily functions depending on what the individual needs (for example, it will lower high blood pressure, but raise low blood pressure). Thus, ginseng has been termed an adaptogen.

Recent research suggests that the ginsenosides that may appear inactive actually help to make the 'active' ginsenosides more soluble, more absorbable and more bio-available to the body. This is why, historically and traditionally, extracts from the whole ginseng root (e.g., hot water extract) have been the preferred means of consuming ginseng in Asia while concentrated extracts in pill or powder form are typically sold here in North America. Liquid extracts, including tinctures, are also available.

Asian Ginseng has been intensively studied as a medicinal compound for the past 40 years. It has only been in the past 20 years that Western researchers have turned their eye to the medicinal properties of North American Ginseng in an attempt to find the active ingredients that make the root so popular in Asia. For this reason, the vast majority of studies available in support of the health benefits of ginseng involve Asian Ginseng.

Hundreds of scientific studies of varying quality have been published on ginseng. Its alleged health benefits include:

Stress reduction
Enhance blood circulation
Control blood sugar levels
Control cholesterol
Regulate blood pressure
Stimulate the immune system
Slow the aging process
Improve memory and learning
Increase physical stamina
Inhibit blood clots
Improve vision and hearing
Improve male infertility and erectile dysfunction
Improve post-menopausal symptoms
Prevent cancer

Although many studies have been conducted using ginseng in an attempt to shed light on its clinical benefits, the data in support of both Asian and North American Ginseng is inconsistent and conflicting. There are many reasons for this such as variations in study designs, variations in the parts of the plant that were used for study, differences in the methods used to extract and purify the active plant compounds and differences in formulations and dosages of ginseng administered to study subjects, both animal and human.

Most experts agree that, although many studies have been conducted using ginseng, the results are generally inconclusive. Long-term, well-designed trials in humans are required to identify the true clinical benefits of both Asian and North American Ginseng.

Research on North American Ginseng
Research on North American Ginseng is still in its very early stages. The evidence in support of its use is found mostly in the areas of diabetes, flu and cold prevention, memory enhancement and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

The Chinese perceive North American Ginseng to be more yin – meaning it is used to reduce ‘heat’ in the body.

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