Herbal Medicines and How They Work: Part 2

Okay, I got a little behind on this project. As a freelance writer, I have to take projects when I get them. But here is the second in the series on herbal medicines and how they work. This time we're talking about ginseng, the second most commonly used herbal supplement in the United States.

As a child I lived in rural Virginia, near the Kentucky, West Virginia and Tennessee borders. Digging "sang", as the folks around there called it, was a extra source of income for many people in the area. Below is a picture of some of the tools used in the Appalachian Mountains for digging "sang".



Not long ago, scientists reported that digging ginseng by the locals had affected the diet and possibly the health of herds of deer in the area. This is just one indication of the popularity of the wild plant.

Native Americans ate raw ginseng root as an aid to digestion and for the health of the prostate. Most interesting to researchers today, is that it was used to retard cancer growth.

Native Americans also dried ginseng leafs and used them to make teas. The teas were used as remedies for coughs, to increase energy and fight off exhaustion, to improve memory and as a sexual stimulant.

The root was boiled and use in teas to relieve menstrual cramps.

The active components in American and Asian ginseng are called ginsenosides, which are steroid like substances. This explains how they work as sexual stimulants.

Siberian ginseng is a completely different plant that does not contain ginsenosides, but is sometimes substituted for Panax ginseng by supplement manufacturers. Particularly when the supply of Panax is limited.

Okay, how does ginseng work to fight cancer? Oncologists have found that ginsenosides inhibit certain processes that are involved in cancer tumor growth. Other researchers have shown that ginsenosides inhibit changes in the lining of the uterus that typically lead to cancer.

Purified extracts from the ginseng plant have been shown in laboratory test tubes to either kill cancer cells, cause a process that causes the cell to "kill itself" or generally prevent the growth of cancerous tumors.

Many studies have been published concerning the health benefits of ginseng. You can read more at Pubmed.com. Just type panax or ginseng into the search box along with any other condition in which you are interested.