What Is Red Panax Ginseng?

The Asian, or Korean, red panax ginseng plant has long been used in traditional Chinese and herbal medicine practices to enhance immunity, improve overall mental and physical health, and treat conditions such as sexual dysfunction and abnormalities in blood pressure and blood sugar levels, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Identification

The red panax ginseng plant has a twisted, tan-colored, primary taproot that sprouts long, thin offshoots positioned like arms and legs, which often give the root the shape of a human body. The dried root, which also goes by the names Asian ginseng, Korean ginseng, Chinese ginseng and Asiatic ginseng, is sold whole, sliced, powdered in capsules and teas, and in the form of a liquid extract. Although similar to American ginseng, red panax ginseng is a different species. Both are very different from varieties known as Siberian ginseng or Brazilian ginseng, which do not have the same medicinal qualities.

Function

The active ingredients in red panax ginseng are called saponins, and the specific type of saponins found in ginseng are known as ginsenosides. More than 20 ginsenosides identified in the ginseng plant are thought to be the ingredient in red panax ginseng that give the root its medicinal properties and pharmaceutical activity, according to Chicago University's Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research.

Effects

A small Canadian study, published in a 2010 issue of the "American Journal of Hypertension," appeared to confirm that ginsenosides are the substances that give ginseng its medicinal qualities. In this preliminary study, Korean red panax ginseng had no effect on blood pressure but measurably improved stiffness of the arteries. Korean red ginseng was shown to help regulate glucose and insulin levels in people with well-controlled Type 2 diabetes in another small study performed at the University of Toronto and published in a 2008 issue of the medical journal "Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases."

Safety and Effectiveness

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not oversee or regulate herbal supplements so there is no guarantee of the purity or effectiveness of different brands and doses of red panax ginseng products sold in drugstores and health food stores. The National Institutes of Health recommends reading product labels carefully and discussing products and doses with qualified health care practitioners, especially if ginseng is taken with other herbs or medications.

Warning

The University of Maryland Medical Center warns that people with high blood pressure or diabetes should check with a physician before taking any supplements that contain ginseng because the root's effect on these conditions is unclear. Asian ginseng may cause allergic reactions in some people and interact with some medications, according to the National Center for Alternative and Complementary Medicine.