Eleuthero, the root of eleutherococcus senticosus, commonly called Siberian ginseng. It belongs to the same plant family, Araliaceae, as the true ginsengs but is not a species of Panax. It is, however, much less expensive than true ginseng, so it is widely used.
Most of the clinical investigations of eleuthero have been carried out in Russia. Studies there on thousands of human subjects from the 1960s to the 1980s revealed beneficial tonic effects very similar to those reported for ginseng. Unfortunately, most of these studies were not double-blind and lacked adequate controls, so the results aren't as reliable as more stringent tests would produce.
A more recent, well-designed clinical study was conducted in 1996 on 20 highly trained long-distance runners. After 6 weeks, researchers concluded that ergogenic (energy-building) claims made for eleuthero could not be verified, at least in those well-conditioned athletes. More study is obviously needed to define the exact benefits of this popular herb.
Buy eleuthero products only from the most reliable sources. Because of confusion caused by similar Chinese names, an altogether different herb, Chinese silk vine (Periploca sepium), is often substituted for eleuthero. Due to its popularity among athletes, eleuthero is also sometimes adulterated with stimulants such as caffeine.
Eleuthero is available in a variety of forms ranging from tinctures to powdered extracts. Its active principles are a mixed bag of chemicals
proved the relationship of specific compounds to specific activities. The dose is 2 to 3 grams (g) of the dried root or the equivalent.
Traditional use of Siberian ginseng is to strengthen the body's qi, or vital force. It is also used to treat headache and muscle pain caused by fatigue, and to treat a variety of "women's" diseases, such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and perimenopausal fatigue symptoms. Like Panax, Siberian ginseng is said to improve memory, sexual potency, and lifespan.
|
Cybertour > Foreign Insams > Other Ginseng