Panax ginseng: the medicinal herb

Prashanthi Evangelin M; Ravi Kakunuri; Chaitanya Ganesh Motupalli; Tibamning M; Anand Paul Bathula; Haritha Pandi; Ruksana Pathan

doi:10.46956/ijihd.v10i3.726

M.Prashanthi Evangelin Professor and Vice Principal, Department of Chemistry, SIMS College of Pharmacy, Guntur, AP. India
Kakunuri Ravi B.Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, SIMS College of Pharmacy, Guntur, AP. India
Motupalli Chaitanya Ganesh B.Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, SIMS College of Pharmacy, Guntur, AP. India
M. Tibamning B.Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, SIMS College of Pharmacy, Guntur, AP. India
Bathula Anand Paul B.Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, SIMS College of Pharmacy, Guntur, AP. India
Pandi Haritha B.Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, SIMS College of Pharmacy, Guntur, AP. India
Pathan Ruksana B.Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, SIMS College of Pharmacy, Guntur, AP. India

DOI https://doi.org/10.46956/ijihd.v10i3.726

Abstract

Panax ginseng, particularly valued in China and Korea, has long been considered a "paternal herb" in traditional medicine. First recorded in the Shennong Herbal Classic around 200 AD, it is attributed to Shennong, one of the "Three Emperors" of ancient China, who is believed to have pioneered herbal medicine over 5,000 years ago. Recognized as a modern tonic and traditional complementary medicine, Panax ginseng contains ginseng saponins (GS), which are the main bioactive compounds. These saponins exhibit hypoglycemic effects, support wound healing, and have demonstrated superior anticancer properties compared to Panax quinquefolium. Ginseng is considered safe with minimal reported side effects, prompting the development of various analytical techniques, especially high-performance liquid chromatography, to study its complex composition. Ginseng's pharmacological potential has led to its use in clinical research, particularly in exploring its chemopreventive, anti-inflammatory, and immunosuppressive effects. These properties suggest applications in treating inflammatory conditions and boosting overall immune health.Despite its historical use and promising properties, clinical evidence, especially regarding ginseng’s efficacy in treating erectile dysfunction, remains inconclusive due to small sample sizes and subjective results in human trials. Still, growing interest in herbal alternatives is driving further research. With well-designed, large-scale clinical trials and stricter safety standards, ginseng holds strong potential as a validated alternative therapy in modern healthcare.For centuries, humans have relied on plants like ginseng not just for medicine but also for food, cosmetics, and overall wellness, reinforcing its continued relevance in both traditional and modern practices.

Keywords: Panax ginseng, Ginseng saponins (GS), Traditional complementary medicine, Anticancer effects, High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Chemo preventive effects

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Kiefer D, Pantuso B. Panax ginseng. Am Fam Physician. 2003;68:1539–42.
2. Qureshi AA, Abuirmeileh N, Din ZZ, Ahmad Y, Burger WC, Elson CE. Suppression of cholesterogenesis and reduction of LDL cholesterol by dietary ginseng and its fractions in chicken liver. Atherosclerosis. 1983;48:81–94.
3. Helms S. Cancer prevention and therapeutics: Panax ginseng. Altern Med Rev. 2004;9:259–74.
4. Yıldırım A, Erener G. The possibilities using of Ginseng (Panax spp.) in poultry nutrition. Hasad J Anim Sci. 2010;26:56–9. (in Turkish)
5. Park HJ, Kim DH, Park SJ, Kim JM, Ryu JH. Ginseng in traditional herbal prescriptions. J Ginseng Res. 2012;36:225–41.
6. Choi J, Kim TH, Choi TY, Lee MS. Ginseng for health care: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials in Korean literature. PLoS One. 2013;8:e59978.
7. Lee HW, Lim HJ, Jun JH, Choi J, Lee MS. Ginseng for the treatment of hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials. Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2017;15:549–58.
8. Lee CH, Kim JH. A review on the medicinal potentials of ginseng and ginsenosides on cardiovascular diseases. J Ginseng Res. 2014;38:161–6.
9. Kim JH. Cardiovascular diseases and Panax ginseng: a review on molecular mechanisms and medical applications. J Ginseng Res. 2012;36:16–26.
10. Barton DL, Liu H, Dakhil SR, et al. Wisconsin ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) to improve cancer-related fatigue: a randomized, double-blind trial, N07C2. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2013;105:1230–8.
11. Panossian A, Wikman G, Kaur P, Asea A. Adaptogens exert a stress-protective effect by modulation of expression of molecular chaperones. Phytomedicine. 2009;16:617–22.
12. Coleman CI, Hebert JH, Reddy P. The effects of Panax ginseng on quality of life. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2003;28:5–15.
13. Kim HG, Cho JH, Yoo SR, et al. Antifatigue effects of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. PLoS One. 2013;8:e61271.
14. Coon JT, Ernst E. Panax ginseng: a systematic review of adverse effects and drug interactions. Drug Saf. 2002;25(5):323–44.
15. Vogler BK, Pittler MH, Ernst E. The efficacy of ginseng. A systematic review of randomised clinical trials. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1999;55(8):567–75.
16. Okamura N, et al. Protective effect of ginseng saponins against impaired brain growth in neonatal rats exposed to ethanol. Biol Pharm Bull. 1994;17(2):270–4.
17. Wong HB. Effects of herbs and drugs during pregnancy and lactation. J Singapore Paediatr Soc. 1979;21(3–4):169–78.
18. Hu S, et al. Effect of subcutaneous injection of ginseng in cows with subclinical Staphylococcus aureus mastitis. J Vet Med B Infect Dis Vet Public Health. 2001;48(7):519–28.
19. Bang H, Kwak JH, Ahn HY, Shin DY, Lee JH. Korean red ginseng improves glucose control in subjects with impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, or newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Med Food. 2014;17(1):128–34.
20. Reay JL, Kennedy DO, Scholey AB. Effects of Panax ginseng, consumed with and without glucose, on blood glucose levels and cognitive performance during sustained ‘mentally demanding’tasks. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2006 Nov;20(6):771-81.
21. Babayigit A, Olmez D, Karaman O, Bagriyanik HA,
Yilmaz O, Kivcak B, et al. Ginseng ameliorates chronic histopathologic changes in a murine model of asthma. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2008;29:493–8.
22. Lim CY, Moon JM, Kim BY, Lim SH, Lee GS, Yu HS, et al. Comparative study of Korean White Ginseng and Korean Red Ginseng on efficacies of OVA-induced asthma model in mice. J Ginseng Res. 2015;39:38–45.
23. Kim DY, Yang WM. Panax ginseng ameliorates airway inflammation in an ovalbumin-sensitized mouse allergic asthma model. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011;136:230–5.
24. Ohnishi S, Takano K. Amyloid fibrils from the viewpoint of protein folding. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2004;61:511–24.
25. Fahrenholz F. Alpha-secretase as a therapeutic target. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2007;4:412–7.
26. Gubandru M, Margina D, Tsitsimpikou C, Goutzourelas N, Tsarouhas K, Ilie M, et al. Alzheimer's disease treated patients showed different patterns for oxidative stress and inflammation markers. Food Chem Toxicol. 2013;61:209–14.
27. Cao G, Su P, Zhang S, Guo L, Zhang H, Liang Y, et al. Ginsenoside Re reduces Aβ production by activating PPARγ to inhibit BACE1 in N2a/APP695 cells. Eur J Pharmacol. 2016;793:101–8.
28. Xu B, Gottschalk W, Chow A, Wilson RI, Schnell E, Zang K, et al. The role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor receptors in the mature hippocampus: Modulation of long-term potentiation through a presynaptic mechanism involving TrkB. J Neurosci. 2000;20:6888–97.
29. Sakata K, Mastin JR, Duke SM, Vail MG, Overacre AE, Dong BE, et al. Effects of antidepressant treatment on mice lacking brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression through promoter IV. Eur J Neurosci. 2013;37:1863–74.
30. West AE, Chen WG, Dalva MB, Dolmetsch RE, Kornhauser JM, Shaywitz AJ, et al. Calcium regulation of neuronal gene expression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001;98:11024–31.
31. Dubois B, Feldman HH, Jacova C, Dekosky ST, Barberger-Gateau P, Cummings J, et al. Research criteria for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: revising the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. Lancet Neurol. 2007;6:734–46.