Siberian Ginseng Root & Seizures

Siberian ginseng is a woody, shrub-like flowering plant native to the mountain forests of China, Korea, Japan and, as the name suggests, Siberia. The macerated root and fluid extract of the plant’s rhizome have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to enhance immune function, treat impotence and counter fatigue. Check with your doctor before using this herb, however, because Siberian ginseng may produce side effects and interact with other drugs, such as anti-seizure medications.

Herb Profile

Siberian ginseng, also known by the botanical name Eleutherococcus senticosus, is not a true ginseng like Panax ginseng, although they are in the same family of Araliaceae, or the ivy family of plants. They also share membership in the class adaptogenic herbs, meaning they help the body adapt to physiological stress. However, while the medicinal properties of true ginsengs are owing to ginsenosides, Siberian ginseng contains eleutherosides.

Pharmacology

According to the “Physicians’ Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines,” Siberian ginseng contains several active chemicals, including hydroxycoumarins, caffeic acids and plant sterols, such as beta-sitosterol. The herb also contains a variety of polysaccharides and triterpene saponins collectively referred to as eleutherosides that are named eleutherosides A through M.

Physical Effects

Siberian ginseng blocks histamine and increases production of interleukin 1 and 2 and other cytokines, the protein molecules dispatched by the immune system to carry instructions between immune cells in response to encountering a foreign substance, namely a germ. Compounds in the herb also suppress the expression of COX-2, an enzyme responsible for producing inflammation. This action, says a research team from the College of Oriental Medicine in the Republic of Korea, helps rats to think better. In May 2011, the scientists reported in the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology” that Siberian ginseng root extracts also improve memory by exerting a protective effect on neurons in the hippocampus region of the brain. However, according to Orrin Devinsky, M.D., co-author of “Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Epilepsy,” the herb also stimulates the release of stress hormones from the pituitary gland, which may trigger seizure activity in people with epilepsy.

Drug Interactions

The “Physicians’ Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines” says that eleutherosides are structurally similar to digoxin, a heart medication obtained from the foxglove plant. This means that taking Siberian ginseng in combination with this drug could produce false serum readings of digoxin concentration and possibly increase the effects of the drug. The University of Maryland Medical Center cautions that you should not use Siberian ginseng without consulting your physician if you take immune-system suppressants, blood-thinning medications, diabetes drugs or corticosteroids. In addition, this herb may increase the effects of barbiturates and other drugs used to control seizures.