Ginseng and Respiratory Illnesses
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Human Studies on Ginseng and
Respiratory Illness
Intro to Ginseng
For thousands of years, the roots of ginseng plants have been used in traditional medicine for a multitude of diseases and ailments. There are three main species of ginseng used as herbal medicine; these are Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng), American ginseng (P. quinquefolius, and Sanchi or Chinese notoginseng (P. notoginseng). The active compound in ginseng that has been studied for potential health benefits is “ginsenoside”. [Ref #1] As the popularity of ginseng has grown, research suggests that ginseng may have positive effects on diabetes, inflammation, stress, immune, cardiovascular system, and CNS. [Ref #2] Clinical trials observing the effects of ginseng on human respiratory health have yielded some fascinating results.
What do the studies demonstrate?
The first study explored the potential preventative effects of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) on acute respiratory illness (ARI). The subjects were required to be healthy and were between the ages of 30 and 70. The study found that the ginseng reduced both the likelihood of contracting the disease and the severity of the symptoms. [Ref #3]
"Fewer subjects in the KRG group reported contracting at least 1 ARI than in the placebo group (12 [24.5%] vs 22 [44.9%], P = 0.034), the difference was statistically significant between the two groups. The symptom duration of the subjects who experienced the ARI, was similar between the two groups (KRG vs placebo; 5.2 ± 2.3 vs 6.3 ± 5.0, P = 0.475). The symptom scores were low tendency in KRG group (KRG vs placebo; 9.5 ± 4.5 vs 17.6 ± 23.1, P = 0.241)." [Ref #3]
A second trial demonstrating the preventative effects of North American ginseng on acute respiratory illnesses used a more vulnerable population. This study’s subjects were institutionalized older adults with an average age between 81 and 83 years old. The results of the study showed that the placebo group had a higher number of influenza cases and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) than the group receiving the American ginseng extract. [Ref #4]
"An intent‐to‐treat analysis of pooled data corrected for drug exposure time showed that the incidence of laboratory‐confirmed influenza illness (LCII) was greater in placebo‐ (7 cases/101 subjects) than CVT‐E002‐treated (1/97) groups (odds ratio (OR)=7.73, P=.033). Combined data for LCII and RSV illness were also greater in placebo‐ (9/101) than CVT‐E002‐treated (1/97) groups (OR=10.50, P=.009), for an overall 89% relative risk reduction of ARI in the CVT‐E002 group." [Ref #4]
Yet a third study focused on the effects of North American ginseng on upper respiratory tract infections. This trial, which studied subjects 18 to 65 years of age, yielded significant results. The average number of colds in the group decreased in comparison to the placebo group. Of the colds that were contracted, the duration was shorter for those in the ginseng group and their symptoms were milder. [Ref #5]
"The mean number of colds per person was lower in the ginseng group than in the placebo group (0.68 [standard deviation (SD) 0.82] v. 0.93 [SD 0.91], difference 0.25%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.04-0.45). The proportion of subjects with 2 or more Jackson-verified colds during the 4-month period (10.0% v. 22.8%, 12.8% difference, 95% CI 4.3-21.3) was significantly lower in the ginseng group than in the placebo group, as were the total symptom score (77.5 [SD 84.6] v. 112.3 [SD 102.5], difference 1.5%, 95% CI 1.2-2.0) and the total number of days cold symptoms were reported (10.8 [SD 9.7] v. 16.5 [SD 13.8] days, difference 1.6%, 95% CI 1.3-2.0) for all colds." [Ref #5]
What is ARI?
Acute respiratory illness (ARI) is a viral disease that causes symptoms that are generally mild such as fever, dry cough, and chills among others. ARI is self-limiting which means that it resolves itself; because of its viral nature antibiotics are generally useless in combatting infection. The most common viruses that cause ARI are rhinovirus and coronavirus, accounting for 50-70% infections. Influenza virus and adenovirus follow with 20-35% and 5-10%, respectively. [Ref #3]
Ginseng and
Immune Studies
Ginseng and Immunity
Some studies suggest that ginseng has incredible potential as an immune response modifier. As explored in the studies referenced in this article, as well as other research, the potential of ginseng as an immune support product is very promising.
“Red ginseng was shown to have a various immunomodulatory actions such as activation of natural killer cells, inhibitory action of food allergy, antagonistic reaction for immunosuppressive agents, and activation of innate immunity. It has been proven to have a broad range of biological activities including T-cell mediated immune reaction, as well as antioxidant and anti-tumor actions.” [Ref #3]
An experiment of ginseng in combination with influenza vaccinations also yielded incredibly interesting results. The study which involved 227 people demonstrated that when people were given ginseng in addition to the influenza vaccine, it reduced their chances of contracting influenza or the common cold significantly more than the vaccine itself. Additionally, the ginseng group also gained significantly more antibodies to fight influenza and common cold than the placebo group. [Ref #6]
“As a result, while the frequency of influenza or common cold between weeks 4 and 12 was 42 cases in the placebo group, it was only 15 cases in the G115 group, the difference being statistically highly significant (p < 0.001). Whereas antibody titres by week 8 rose to an average of 171 units in the placebo group, they rose to an average of 272 units in the G115 group (p < 0.0001). Natural killer (NK) activity levels at weeks 8 and 12 were nearly twice as high in the G115 group as compared to the placebo group (p < 0.0001).” [Ref #6]
Conclusion
Ginseng has been a traditional source of medicine for many years and is now gaining popularity all over the world. It is being studied as a potential solution for a variety of ailments and immune conditions. The results of these studies are incredibly exciting and ginseng has shown itself to be a very promising immune support product. [Ref #2]
Using Ginseng Safely
As with all dietary supplements, ginseng should be taken under the direction and supervision of a healthcare professional.
References
Kim, Hee Jin, et al. “A Comprehensive Review of the Therapeutic and Pharmacological Effects of Ginseng and Ginsenosides in Central Nervous System.” Journal of Ginseng Research, Mar. 2013.
Wee, Jae Joon, Kyeong Mee Park, and An-Sik Chung. “Biological Activities of Ginseng and Its Application to Human Health.” Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects, 2nd ed., CRC Press/Taylor&Francis, 2011.
Lee, Chang-Seop, et al. “Preventive Effect of Korean Red Ginseng for Acute Respiratory Illness: A Randomized and Double-Blind Clinical Trial.” Journal of Korean Medical Science, Dec. 2012.
McElhaney, Janet E, et al. “A Placebo-Controlled Trial of a Proprietary Extract of North American Ginseng (CVT-E002) to Prevent Acute Respiratory Illness in Institutionalized Older Adults.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Jan. 2004.
Predy, Gerald N, et al. “Efficacy of an Extract of North American Ginseng Containing Poly-Furanosyl-Pyranosyl-Saccharides for Preventing Upper Respiratory Tract Infections: a Randomized Controlled Trial.” Canadian Medical Association Jounal, Oct. 2005.
Scaglione, F, et al. “Efficacy and Safety of the Standardised Ginseng Extract G115 for Potentiating Vaccination against the Influenza Syndrome and Protection against the Common Cold [Corrected].” Drugs under Experimental and Clinical Research, 1996.