Ginseng--Summer

Photos courtesy of gobotany.newenglandwild.org and motherearthnews.com This fleshy, rooted herb originates in North America and eastern Asia, and in 2010 the largest consumers were the U.S., Canada, South Korea, and China (Wikipedia). Ginseng root is typically ingested as dried root, concentrated liquid, capsules, or powder. At a wholesale price one source showed good quality, dried ginseng root being sold from $250 to $500 per pound, and aged wild ginseng for nearly $1,000 per pound (http://www.wildgrown.com/). On health store and vitamin shop websites I saw prices ranging from around $7 for 75 capsules to $80 for a 4 oz. bottle of ginseng tincture. I read mixed messages about whether or not this substance is legal for use at the collegiate level. According to one document I came across, this substance has been banned by the NCAA since July 2005. Yet, on the NCAA banned drugs list of 2015, I did not see any outright statement that says ginseng will cause a drug test to be positive.
 * GINSENG **

__Chemical Makeup__: Ginsenosides and polysaccharides are the major constituents of ginseng (Kim, 2012). Ginsenosides are types of saponins which are made up of carbohydrates attached to steroids, usually triterpenoid (Shi et al., 2004). Ginseng contains around 20 saponins. Each one is structurally different than the next, making it somewhat difficult to identify which particular one(s) contribute to the memory- and performance-enhancing effects many people claim to happen after consumption (Churchill et al., 2002).

This herbal root can be ingested through the mouth and broken down the way any kind of carbohydrate substance will be broken down, starting in the mouth with saliva and further catabolized by peristalsis in the esophagus as well as from acids in the stomach. Absorption of the root’s nutrients are unclear as to when it happens within the breakdown process.

__How it Works__:

Panax ginseng is often referred to as a general well-being medication, because it affects many different systems of the body. The main systems affected by ginseng appear to be the immune system and cognitive thinking/memory. One study found that ginseng extract can improve memory for a visual discrimination task and that the nootropic (memory-enhancing) effect may be related to changes in anxiety (Churchill et al., 2002).

According to WebMD, “the most common side effect is trouble sleeping (insomnia). Less commonly, people experience menstrual problems, breast pain, increased heart rate, high or low blood pressure, headache, loss of appetite, diarrhea, itching, rash, dizziness, mood changes, vaginal bleeding, and other side effects.”

Churchill, J. D., Gerson, J. L., Hinton, K. A., Mifek, J. L., Walter, M. J., Winslow, C. L., & Deyo, R. A. (2002). The nootropic properties of ginseng saponin Rb1 are linked to effects on anxiety. //Integrative Physiological & Behavioral Science//, //37//(3), 178.
 * REFERENCES **

Kim, D.H. (2012). Chemical diversity of //Panax ginseng, Panax quinquifolium//, and //Panax notoginseng//. //Journal of Ginseng Research//, //36//(1), 1–15.

Shi, J., Arunasalam, K., Yeung, D., Kakuda, Y., Mittal, G., & Jiang, Y. (2004). Saponins from edible legumes: chemistry, processing, and health benefits. //J Med Food//, //7//, 67–78