This article provides general nutrition information only and is not medical advice.

OVERVIEW

Panax ginseng is a plant that grows in Korea, northeastern China, and far eastern Siberia. People use the root to make medicine.
Do not confuse Panax ginseng with American ginseng, Siberian ginseng, or Panax pseudoginseng. These are different plants with different activity.

Panax ginseng is taken by mouth to improve memory and thinking skills, Alzheimer condition, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

In manufacturing, Panax ginseng is used to make soaps, cosmetics, and as a flavoring in beverages.

CLASSIFICATION

Is a Form of:
Traditional Medicine

Primary Function:
Improve memory and thinking skills
Improve Alzheimer condition

Also Known As:
Chinese ginseng, Asian ginseng, Korean ginseng

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Panax ginseng contains many active substances. The substances thought to be most important are called ginsenosides or panaxosides. Ginsenosides is the term coined by Asian researchers, and the term panaxosides was chosen by early Russian researchers.

Panax ginseng is often referred to as a general well-being medication, because it affects many different systems of the body.

USES

• A lung condition that makes it harder to breathe (chronic obstructive pulmonary condition or COPD). Taking Panax ginseng by mouth seems to improve lung function and some concerns of COPD.
  
  
• Memory and thinking skills (cognitive function). Taking Panax ginseng by mouth might improve abstract thinking, mental arithmetic skills, and reaction times in healthy, middle-aged people but not in young adults. Panax ginseng alone does not seem to improve memory. But there is some evidence that a combination of Panax ginseng and ginkgo leaf extract can improve memory in otherwise healthy people between the ages of 38 and 66.
  
  
• Male vitality (ED). Taking Panax ginseng by mouth seems to improve sexual function in men with male vitality.
  
  
• Flu (influenza). Taking a specific Panax ginseng by mouth appears to reduce the risk of getting a cold or the flu. But, taking Panax ginseng does not seem to reduce flu concerns or the length of the illness.
  
  
• Fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Taking Panax ginseng daily for 3 months reduces feelings of tiredness and improves quality of life in females with MS.
  
  
• Early orgasm in men (premature ejaculation). Applying a cream containing Panax ginseng, angelica root, Cistanches deserticola, Zanthoxyl species, torlidis seed, clover flower, asiasari root, cinnamon bark, and toad venom (SS Cream) to the penis one hour before intercourse and washing off immediately before intercourse seems to help prevent premature ejaculation.
  
  
• Increasing response to sexual stimuli in healthy people. Taking powdered Korean red ginseng, a specific form of Panax ginseng, seems to improve sexual arousal and satisfaction in postmenopausal women. Also, using a specific product containing Korean red ginseng and other ingredients (ArginMax for Women, Daily Wellness Company) seems to improve sexual desire in women who report sexual problems.

RECOMMENDED DOSING

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

• For a lung condition that makes it harder to breathe (chronic obstructive pulmonary condition or COPD): 100 mg to 6 grams of Panax ginseng three times daily for up to 3 months has been used.
  
  
• For memory and thinking skills (cognitive function): 200 to 400 mg of a specific Panax ginseng extract (G115, Pharmaton SA) taken once daily or in two divided doses for up to 12 weeks, or 200 to 960 mg as a single dose, has been used.
  
  
• For male vitality (ED): 1400 to 2700 mg of Panax ginseng, taken in two or three divided doses per day for up to 12 weeks, has been used.
  
  
• For flu (influenza): 200 mg of Panax ginseng extract (G115) daily, starting 4 weeks before getting a flu shot and continuing for 8 weeks after, has been used. Also, 1 gram of Panax ginseng extract three times daily for 12 weeks has also been used.
  
  
• For fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS): 250 mg of Panax ginseng twice daily for 3 months has been used.
  
  
• For increasing response to sexual stimuli in healthy people: 3 grams of Korean red ginseng, a form of Panax ginseng, daily for 8 weeks has been used. A specific combination product (ArginMax for Women, The Daily Wellness Company), taken daily for 4 weeks, has also been used.

APPLIED TO THE SKIN:

• For early orgasm in men (premature ejaculation): A cream (SS-Cream) containing Panax ginseng and other ingredients has been applied to the glans penis one hour before intercourse and washed off before intercourse.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Does ginseng help sexually?
Ginseng has also been reputed as an aphrodisiac, and is used to support sexual dysfunction as well as to enhance sexual behavior in traditional Chinese medical practices. In addition, ginseng is found to improve the sperm quality and count of healthy individuals as well as patients with nutritional support-related infertility.

How much Panax ginseng should I take?
For male vitality (ED): 1400 to 2700 mg of Panax ginseng, taken in two or three divided doses per day for up to 12 weeks, has been used. For flu (influenza): 200 mg of Panax ginseng extract (G115) daily, starting 4 weeks before getting a flu shot and continuing for 8 weeks after, has been used.

How long does it take for Panax ginseng to work?
In one study, 45 men with ED were given either Korean red ginseng or a placebo. The men receiving the herb took 900 milligrams, three times a day, for eight weeks. At the end of eight weeks, those who took Korean red ginseng felt improvement in their ED concerns compared to those who took the placebo.

Does Panax ginseng work for ED?
Some evidence shows that taking high doses improves male vitality by stimulating blood vessels to open wider for improved blood flow. One study of Panax ginseng showed it improved sexual function in men with male vitality. A cream preparation is used for premature ejaculation.

Does Panax Ginseng increase testosterone?
Ginsenoside Rg1 (10 mg/kg), the major active constituent in Panax ginseng, is responsible for the increase of serum testosterone levels and improvement of copulatory behavior observed.

What is the difference between Panax ginseng and American ginseng?
There are two main types of ginseng: Asian or Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). Studies have found that the different types have different benefits. In traditional Chinese medicine, American ginseng is considered less stimulating than the Asian variety.

Does Panax Ginseng raise cardiovascular health?
Ginseng: Preliminary evidence suggests that ginseng may lower blood sugar, decrease fatigue or boost the immune system. It also may raise or lower cardiovascular health. Ginseng is best avoided by patients with high or low cardiovascular health concerns.

Is Korean Ginseng the same as Panax ginseng?
Korean red ginseng is a plant that grows in Asia. It's sometimes known as Asian ginseng, Chinese ginseng, or panax ginseng. ... The root that has been steamed and dried is called red ginseng

Is Panax Ginseng a blood thinner?
Asian ginseng may cause vaginal bleeding. ... Stop taking Asian ginseng at least 7 days prior to surgery. Asian ginseng may act as a blood thinner, increasing the risk of bleeding during or after a procedure.

CLINICAL STUDIES

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5. ^ a b c Double-blind study of a multivitamin complex supplemented with ginseng extract.
6. ^ A six-month supplementation of mulberry, korean red ginseng, and banaba decreases biomarkers of systemic low-grade physical strain in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes.
7. ^ a b c Effect of ginseng injection on congestive heart failure and thyroid hormones.
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26. ^ a b c d Sugimoto S, et al. Chemical constituents from seeds of Panax ginseng: structure of new dammarane-type triterpene ketone, panaxadione, and hplc comparisons of seeds and flesh. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). (2009)
27. ^ a b Analysis of ginsenoside composition of ginseng berry and seed.
28. ^ Wang JY, Li XG, Yang XW. Ginsenine, a new alkaloid from the berry of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer. J Asian Nat Prod Res. (2006)
29. ^ a b c Park S, Shin WS, Ho J. Fructus panax ginseng extract promotes hair regeneration in C57BL/6 mice. J Ethnopharmacol. (2011)
30. ^ Chen F, Luo J, Kong L. Determination of 10 ginsenosides in Panax ginseng of different harvest times based on HPLC fingerprints and principal component analysis. Nat Prod Res. (2012)
31. ^ Li W, et al. Use of high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to distinguish Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer (Asian ginseng) and Panax quinquefolius L. (North American ginseng). Anal Chem. (2000)
32. ^ Assinewe VA, et al. Phytochemistry of wild populations of Panax quinquefolius L. (North American ginseng). J Agric Food Chem. (2003)
33. ^ Ginseng Evaluation Program (American Botanical Council).
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39. ^ a b c d e Murata K, et al. Effects of ginseng rhizome and ginsenoside Ro on testosterone 5α-reductase and hair re-growth in testosterone-treated mice. Phytother Res. (2012)
40. ^ Arginyl-fructosyl-glucose and Arginyl-fructose, Compounds Related to Browning Reaction in the Model System of Steaming and Heat-drying Processes for the Preparation of Red Ginseng.
41. ^ a b