Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is described as an adaptogen, a compound thought to be able to normalise the functioning of the body whatever form of disease is present. It should not be confused with forms of panax ginseng (Chinese or Korean) available in health food shops.

All the research into Siberian ginseng has been carried out in the former Soviet Union. Siberian ginseng has been shown to stimulate the activity of killer and helper T-cells (CD8 and CD4). It has also been shown to reduce chemotherapy side-effects and appears to increase resistance to viral infections.

Eleutherococcus has been shown to produce cases of insomnia, morning diarrhoea, nervousness, depression, confusion, skin rash and high blood pressure. Ginseng is also known to increase the effects of a family of anti-depressant drugs called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (prescribed as Marplan, Nardil, Parnate and Manerix), and patients taking these drugs should refrain from taking ginseng. In addition, women taking ginseng sometimes experience swollen and tender breasts as well as the absence of periods, probably due to the small amounts of oestrogen in these plants.

References

Report of the use of eleutherococcus with breast cancer patients in Eleutherococus Clinical Data, USSR Foreign Trade Publications, Medexport, 1970.

Shechezhin AK et al. Tentative data on the mass Eleutherococcus prophylaxis of influenza at the main assembly line and metallurgical plant of the Volga Automobile plant. Second All-Union Conf of the Adaptation of Man, 1977.