GINSENG

"The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the
disease."
--François Voltaire
Panax ginseng is the most famous of Asian medicinal herbs. Its history goes back about
5000 years, originating in the mountains of Manchuria, China. Pere Jartoux, a Jesuit missionary
stationed in Beijing, was the first westerner to give a description of Ginseng in 1709, including
the usage, description, historical notes and habitat. Panax is derived from the Greek "Pan"
meaning "all", and "Akos", "cure", referring to the "cure all" or "Panacea". The root is used to
maintain health and to increase vitality. "Ginseng", "Jenseng" or "Schin-seng" means "Essence
of the earth in the form of a man" and refers to the man-like shape of the root. Ginseng was
introduced in England in 1740 by the botanist Collinson.

Ginseng has been used for thousands of years to improve the overall health of human
being. In the first Chinese book of herbs, the Pen Tsao Ching (The Classic of Herbs), written by
the famous Emperor Shen Nung, to whom the discovery of tea was attributed, Ginseng was
recommended for enlightening the mind and increasing wisdom. Ginseng was taken as a tonic
for the whole body, and believed to cure lethargy, arthritis, impotence, senility, and many other
conditions. In terms of modern scientific research, ginseng is known to be an adaptogen.
Adaptogens are substances that assist the body to restore itself to health and work without side
effects even if the recommended dose is widely exceeded. Ginseng due to its adaptogens effects
is widely used to lower cholesterol, increase energy and endurance, reduce fatique and effects of
stress and prevent infections. Ginseng appears to help people with diabetes. A limited study
performed in March 2000 at the University of Toronto showed that ginseng could lower blood
sugar 20% more than placebo. Ginseng is one of the most effective anti-aging supplements. It
can alleviate some major effects of aging, such as degeneration of the blood system, and increase
mental and physical capacity.
Other important benefits of ginseng are its support in cancer treatment and its effects on
sports performance. Effects of ginseng on the Liver
The liver is one of our most essential organs. It serves as a nutrient distribution center and a
factory with active enzyme systems. After absorption from the intestinal tract, most of the
incoming nutrients pass directly to the liver. Here they are processed and distributed to another
organs and tissues, thus regulating the level of metabolites in the blood. Furthermore, the liver is
able to store in the form of storage-sugar glycogen and then release it when needed. The
detoxification of smoke, carcinogenic compounds, and many other toxic chemicals also takes
place in the liver.

Another clinical experiments demonstrated that ginseng promoted the treatment of acute viral
hepatitis (B type) and prevented acute cases from developing into chronic state by normalizing
various liver enzymes. Ginseng also promoted the restoration of hepatocellular damage caused
by toxic chemicals, normalizing the level enzymes such glutamatopyruvate transaminase,
(SGPT) glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) and alkaline phosphatase, all commonly
used for liver function test in diagnosis of liver diseases.
Ginseng also enhances the rate of the liver regeneration and promotes recovery from impaired
liver functions; ginseng stimulates the synthesis of protein and nucleic acid such as DNA
deoxyribonucleic acid and RNA (ribonucleic acid). Thus the active ginseng component which
stimulates protein synthesis is often called the Protein Synthesis Stimulating Factor -
“PROSTISOL”