G
IDDM (1; WHO); Immune Dysfunction (1; JAD); Immunodepression (1; APA; PED; MAB; PH2;
WHO); Impotence (1; BGB; DAA; PH2; SHT; WHO); Infection (f; KEB); Infertility (1; BGB;
KEB; MAB; PH2); Inflammation (1; KEB); Insomnia (1; APA; CRC; DAA; PH2); Leukopenia (1;
KEB); Longevity (1; KEB); Low Blood Pressure (1; CRC; DAA; PNC); Malaria (f; CRC); Meno-
pause (f; KEB); Menorrhagia (f; CRC); Mental Derangement (f; KEB); Morning Sickness (f;
WHO); Nausea (f; CRC); Nephrosis (f; CRC); Nervousness (f; APA; CRC; DAA); Neuralgia (f;
MAB); Neurasthenia (f; CRC; DAA); Neurosis (f; KEB; PH2; WHO); NIDDM (1; BGB; MAB;
WHO); Obesity (1; PH2); Pain (f; CRC; DAA); Palpitation (f; CRC; DAA; KEB); Polyuria (f;
CRC; DAA); Post-Menopause (f; BGB); Proctosis (f; CRC); Prolapse (f; KEB; MAB); Radiation
Sickness (1; KEB); Respirosis (f; AKT); Rheumatism (f; APA; CRC; DAA; PH2; WHO); Senile
Dementia (1; APA; KEB); Sheehan’s Syndrome (1; KEB); Shock (1; DAA; MAB); Slow Thinking
(1; SHT); Sore (f; CRC; JLH); Spermatorrhea (f; CRC); Splenosis (f; BGB; CRC; DAA); Sting
(f; CRC); Stress (2; KOM; MAB; PHR); Swelling (1; CRC; DAA; JLH); Thirst (f; CRC); Tuber-
culosis (f; WHO); Tumor (1; BGB; KEB; WHO); Ulcer (1; APA; FAY; WHO); Vertigo (f; CRC;
DAA); Virus (1; PH2; WHO); Vomiting (f; PH2); Water Retention (f; CRC; DAA); Wrinkle (f;
FAY; MAB). (Commission E approves as a tonic “for invigoration and fortification in times of
fatigue and debility, for declining capacity for work and concentration, also during convalescence”
(KOM); reading that reinforces my contention, in my ginseng book, that carrots could do a lot of
the same thing at less than 1% of the price. I still feel that much of the literature on ginseng and
soy comes from selective publications of sponsored research, making them look undeservedly better
than carrot and black beans, for example.)
Dosages (Ginseng) — Tea 3–4 ×/day, 3–4 weeks (PH2); 0.33–0.66 g root 3 ×/day; 0.6–3.0 g root
1–3 ×/day, 3 weeks–3 months (AHP); 0.5–1 g root daily, 15–20 days (CAN); 1–2 g root/day (PH2);
1–9 g root (FAY); 1–10 g root/day (MAB); 0.4–0.8 g root/day, long term (CAN); 1–2 g Asian
root/day (APA); 0.5 tsp dried Asian root/cup water 1–2 ×/day (APA); 1 tbsp fresh root (PED);
0.5–2 g dry root (WHO); 2 g dry root:10 ml alcohol/10 mg water (PED); 0.5–3 g dry root/day or
1–6 ml fluid extract (1:2) (KEB); 1–2 g dry root (KOM; PED); 0.5–1 g powdered root (PNC); 3–9
g powdered ginseng/day (AKT); 3 (550 mg) capsules 3 ×/day (Korean); 1–4 (250 mg) StX capsules
(5–9% ginsenosides) (APA); 100 mg StX (4–7% ginsenosides) 1–2 ×/day; 1 (535 mg) StX 2 ×/day
(Korean).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Ginseng) — Class 2d. Contraindicated
for high blood pressure (AHP). The ginseng monograph published in 1991 says “none known”
regarding contraindications, drug interactions, or side effects (KOM). Contraindicated in acute
infections, asthma, and high blood pressure (KEB). High doses may aggravate or cause decreased
sexual function, dysmenorrhea, euphoria, headaches, high blood pressure, insomnia, irritability,
morning diarrhea, palpitations, skin eruptions, and tremors (KEB). The worst and most erroneous
studies of ginseng were reported in JAMA, which accepted no corrections from the herbal
industry, trying to get the reports straight. “Most commonly reported side effects of ginseng
are nervousness and excitation, which usually diminish” (LRNP, September 1990). Foster (1996)
reports GI distress, overstimulation, breast tenderness, dysmenorrhea. Though estrogenic side
effects are reported in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women, “clinical studies have
demonstrated that a standardized ginseng extract does not cause a change in male and female
hormonal status” (WHO). Avoid if hypertensive or pregnant. Possible insomnia, mastalgia,
vaginal bleeding, and insomnia. Contraindicated for patients with hyperkinesis, hysteria, mania,
schizophrenia, or those who are nervous or tense. Not to be taken with stimulants, including
coffee, antipsychotic drugs, or during treatment with hormones. Use cautiously in cardiopathy,
diabetes, high blood pressure, hypotension, and with all steroid therapy. In Russia, it is even
suggested that healthy people under age 40 should not take ginseng, but that middle-aged people
can take small doses on a regular basis (CAN). Because of hormonal activity, its use in pregnancy
and lactation is to be avoided (CAN). Caution with insulin, warfarin, phenylzine, and loop