Medicinal effects of Korean Ginseng proven by modern science

1. Effects on Diabetes Mellitus
1) Professor Kimura of Toyama University, Japan, based on the result from the animal tests, stated at the 3rd International Ginseng Symposium that DPG 3-2, a blood sugar depressive component isolated from Korean ginseng, had the function of stimulation insulin release.
2) Professor J. S, Cho of Kyungbuk National University, Professor Okuda of Ehime University, Japan, Dr. Yamamoto of Nissei Hospital in Osaka, Japan, and Dr. Yoshida of Yawatahama Municipal Hospital, Japan reported results of clinical studies that, by the administration of red ginseng, the blood sugar level in diabetics could be lowered and the insulin dosage could be reduced, and especially, the subjective symptoms of diabetics such as dizziness, shoulder pain, chest pain, thirst, weariness over the whole body, and heaviness in the head were all improved.

2. Effects on cancer
1) Professor Ueki of Kumamoto University examined the anti-cancer effect of 117 kinds of herbs in 1961 and found that Korean red ginseng exerts anti-cancer effects on Ehrlich abdominal ascites cancer cells.
2) Professor W. I. Hwang of Korea University reported in 1991 that he found the anti-cancer effect of Korean red ginseng was superior to that of Chinese red ginseng through the studies of anti-cancer fraction in Korean red ginseng and Chinese red ginseng.
3) Dr. T. K. Yun of Korea Cancer Center Hospital, in a presentation titled "Effect of red ginseng on the activation of anti-cancer cell" at the 8th Asia-Pacific Cancer Conference in September 1987, pointed out the effect of Korean red ginseng on the activation of natural killer cells that are able to kill cancer cells based on the result of administering Korean red ginseng for a year to rats suffering from lung cancer.

3. Effects on atherosclerosis and hypertension
1) Professor C. N. Joo of Yonsei University studied the effect of Korean red ginseng on hyperlipidemia induced by feeling food containing large amounts of cholesterol to rabbits. At the 3rd International Ginseng Symposium in 1980, he reported that Korean red ginseng not only lowered cholesterol level in the blood by promoting the activity of various enzymes related to the lipid metabolism but also prevented atheroma formation due to hyperipidemia, accumulation of lipid containing materials in arterial walls.
2) Dr. Nakanishi of Matsuyama Red Gross Hospital in Japan also found that Korean red ginseng was very effective in improving lipid metabolism, and thus prevented atherosclerosis in a clinical test by administering Korean red ginseng capsules to 31male and female subjects(Clinic and Research 1980)
Dr. Yamamoto of Nissei Hospital in Osaka reported that administration of Korean red ginseng powder to 67 patients suffering from hyperglycemia as a result of diabetes lowered the level of blood cholesterol, triglycerides, and platelet adhesiveness, and increased the level of HDL protein(Planta Medica, 1982).

4. Effects on liver protection
1) Professor Oura of Toyama University in Japan found that when Korean red ginseng was administered to rats with a two-thirds partial hepatectomy, the rate of liver regeneration was more than 34% higher than that of untreated rats. He called the effective components 'protein synthesis stimulating factor', and named it 'prostisol'(Proc. Symp., Wakan Yaku).
2) Professor D. R. Hahn of Chunang University also reported that Korean red ginseng reduced histological lesions including necrotic death of liver cells induced by toxic chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride and phenacetin (The 2nd International Ginseng Symposium, 1978).

5. Effects on stomach disorders
1) Professor Matsuda and his colleagues of Kinki University, Japan administered Korean red ginseng extract to male cats with experimentally induced gastric ulcer to study the effect of ginseng on stomach disorders. They found that the extract suppressed the gastric ulcer significantly as a result of improved blood circulation in gastric mucous membrane(The Ginseng Reviews 2(3), 1984).
2) Dr. K. H. Ahn treated patients with Korean red ginseng for one month and observed X-ray photography of the stomach to find that the movement of food in the organ in treated group was faster than that of untreated group. He claimed that the gastric movement was accelerated by the treatment(Chungang Medicine).

6. Korean ginseng eliminated hang-over
1) Professor C. N. Joo of Yonsei University observed that the administration of ginseng saponin increased the activity of various enzymes related to alcohol metabolism, and confirmed through the electron microscopy that the level of hepatic damage of the rats given ginseng with alcohol for 10days was much less than that of rats given alcohol only.
2) Dr. J. Y. Lee of the Korea Ginseng & Tobacco Research Institute tested 10 volunteers from the institute and found that the alcohol level in the blood of those who took Korean red ginseng with alcohol was significantly lower than those who took alcohol alone. The tact, she stated, indicated that the Korean red ginseng accelerated the degradation of alcoholizing the body.

7. Effect on anti-fatigue and anti-stress
1) Russian Pharmacologist, I. I. Brekhman studied the pharmacological effect of ginseng and presented the concept of tonic effect of ginseng as a "phenomenon that increases general resistance", and said that ginseng improves defence ability non-specifically by increasing resistance of the body against harmful environmental conditions. He termed it as "adaptogen(adaptability factor)" effect.
2) Dr. Petkov of Sophia Pharmacology Research Institute reported at the 2nd International Pharmacological Seminar held in Czechoslovakia in 1963 that Korean ginseng accelerates the release of hormones related to the defense mechanism against stress and thus exhibits anti-stress effect.
3) Professor Saito of the University of Tokyo also reported in 1984 that treating lab rats with Korean ginseng remarkably prevented the decline of physical capability to stress accumulation when the rats were forced to walk a tightrope.

8. Korean red ginseng has an anti-aging effect
1) Professor C. W. Park of Seoul National University found that the non-saponin components of Korean red ginseng suppressed the harmful effects of free oxygen radicals (O, H2O2, OH-, 1O2) which exercise an important role in tissue degeneration. He said it occured in result of elimination of O by the ginseng components.
2) Professor B. H. Han of Seoul National University reported that Korean red ginseng contains phenolic compounds and maltol that have anti-stress activity as well as anti-aging activity(Chinese Medicine Symposium, 1985).

9. Korean red ginseng enhances brain activity
1) Dr. Petkov of Phyisological Research Institute of Bulgaria and Professor J. S. Oh of Seoul National University found that Korean red ginseng enhances brain activity and maintains psychological stability by selectively controling mechanisms of both stimulation and pacification.
Protopanaxadiol saponin : Pacification of CNS
Protopanaxatriol saponin : Stimulation of CNS
2) In April, 1989, with the subject of 'ginseng and brain', Dr. Petkov of Phyisological Research Institute of Bulgaria stated, at the International Ginseng Seminar held at the University of Tokyo, that Korean red ginseng is notably effective in artificially induced amnesia in rats and the loss of memory in aged (22~24 month old) rats, and thus improves memory and increases learning ability of the animal. Professor Saito of the University of Tokyo also reported that Korean red ginseng is effective in enhancing brain activity based on his study similar to Dr. Petkov's. Especially, he reported that ginseng extract and ginsenosides Rg, and Rb exerted preventive effect on the retard of sexual behavior and learning ability of the animals suffering from constant stress. These reports clearly indicate that Korean red ginseng not only prevents deterioration of brain activity but also stimulates brain functions.

10. Korean ginseng improves blood circulation
1) Professor N. D. Kim of Seoul National University observed and compared the regression of contractability of the excised heart from two groups of rats ; one that was given ginseng and the other that was not. As a result, he confirmed that heart of the rats given ginseng showed prolonged contractions longer than that of control rats (Journal of Pharmacology, 1982).
2) Dr. Kaneko adminstered Korean ginseng to 30 male and female patients (45years old on average) suffering from atherosclerosis, diabetes, low blood pressure, and liver cirrhosis. The result was satisfactory recovery from those subjective symptoms-headache, heaviness in the head, flatulence, coldness in hands and feet, loss of appetite, dizziness, muscular arthralgia, fatigue-without any side effects.

11. Korean ginseng improves blood circulation
1) Professor N. D. Kim of Seoul National University observed and compared the regression of contractability of the excised heart from two groups of rats ; one that was given ginseng and the other that was not. As a result, he confirmed that heart of the rats given ginseng showed prolonged contractions longer than that of control rats (Journal of Pharmacology, 1982).
2) Dr. Kaneko adminstered Korean ginseng to 30 male and female patients (45years old on average) suffering from atherosclerosis, diabetes, low blood pressure, and liver cirrhosis. The result was satisfactory recovery from those subjective symptoms-headache, heaviness in the head, flatulence, coldness in hands and feet, loss of appetite, dizziness, muscular arthralgia, fatigue-without any side effects.

12. Effects on immune system
1) Professor K. H. Cho of Cheonnam National University administered red ginseng saponin after suppressing the function of reticuloendothelial (RE) system, which is in charge of immune responses, using immune suppressive chemicals, to find the restoration of the function of RE system. In similar experiment, Professors Kubo of Kinki University and Tanaka of Hiroshima University evidenced that Korean red ginseng promoted the function of the immune system.

13. Korean red ginseng helps recovery form anemia
1) Dr. Kaneki of Toyama Central Hospital in Japan administered the effective component of Korean red ginseng to 13 anemia and intractable anemia caused by gastrectomy(Shinliou & Shinyaku 7(12) 109).
2) Professors Yamamuraof Osaka University and Arichi of Kinki University, Japan found, through cooperative research, that Korean red ginseng was effective in 3 out of 20 aplastic anemia patients, while 14 out of 38 patients recovered from anemia symptoms of liver disease, stomach disease, diabetes, and tuberculosis. In addition from a clinical study with 51 anemia subjects who were unresponsive to various therapeutics, Professor Arichi reported that Korean red ginseng was effective against rheumatic, tuberculous, and senile anemia.

14. Protective effect of Korean red ginseng against radiation
1) Dr. Yonezawa of Osaka Radiation Center extensively studied the restorative effect of Korean red ginseng of the function of bone marrow damaged by the exposure to radiation. He administered Korean red ginseng extract to animals whose bone marrow injury had been induced by exposure to lethal does of radiation and confirmed its restorative effect on the number of red blood cells and platelets.
2) Yonezawa et al., in addition, isolated a heat-stable fraction from Korean red ginseng extract and found that the fraction stimulated the restoration from radiation injury through animal experiments. They stated ginseng was the most promising material for protection from radiation damage as no effective preventive material had been discovered.

15. Korean red ginseng effectively inhibits the proliferation of AIDS virus
1) We might say that AIDS is 'the pest of 20th century' or 'God's punishment'. In September, 1992, Dr. Y. O. Shin and his colleagues at Korea National Institute of Health stated in their report, "Effect of Korean red ginseng on AIDS", that Korean red ginseng was effective against AIDS when treated with AZT.

16. Korean red ginseng helps maintaining homeostasis in the body
1) Dr. I. I. Brekhman, a Russian scientist, stated that the pharmacological activity of Korean red ginseng is rather mild, and that, unlike synthetic medicines, it works on the control mechanisms of body and thus, has an adaptogen activity which maintains the homeostasis in physical function.