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Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association
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VBMA Herbal Wiki
COMMON NAME:  Panax Ginseng
LATIN NAME:  Panax ginseng
AKA:  Radix ginseng, Ren Shen, means 'all heal' in Greek
 
BACK TO HERBAL WIKI INDEX
Panax ginseng, source unknown.  

Common Name: Panax ginseng

Panax ginseng; Radix ginseng, Ren Shen

Family

Araliaceae

Part Used

Main root

Active constituents

Triterpene saponins, dammarane and ginsenosides

Actions

Adaptogenic, stimulant, tonic, thymolepic, hypoglycemic, immune stimulant, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, antiarrhythmic, increases adrenocorticotropic hormone, anti-inflammatory

TCM Actions: 1) greatly tonifies Yuan, source Qi, 2) Tonifies the Spleen, enhances function of transformation and transportation; 3) Tonifies the Lung; 4) Promotes generation of Body fluids and relieves thirst; 5) Calms the Shen, improves mental function; 6) Tonifies Qi and Blood; 7) treats impotence; 8) Tonifies Qi in deficiency patients with exterior conditions.

Indications

Improving immune function; mastitis treatment in cattle; diabetes mellitus; liver disease; tonic for convalescing animals or those with chronic debilitating disease; performance animals; fertility improvement in males; minimize ill effects of chemotherapy, cardiac arrhythmia; to improve resistance to infection; low sperm count, erectile dysfunction; chronic inflammation; long term use in geriatric patients and those with diabetes, asthma, cancer, depression and cognitive disorders.; collapse of qi-sweating, cold limbs, shortness of breath, weak and fading pulse; Weak Spleen Qi-poor appetite, adnominal distension, diarrhea; deficiency of Lung and Kidney Qi- shortness of breath due to asthma, spontaneous sweating, fatigue; Deficiency of Lung and Heart Qi- Dry throat, fatigue, palpitations; Deficiency of Spleen and Heart Qi-fatigue, palpitations, anxiety, Shen disturbance; edema or diarrhea; Deficiency of Kidney Qi and Yang-male impotence or female infertility

Cautions

Discontinue just before surgeries, may increase clotting times

Contraindications

Avoid with heat, deficient heat or damp-heat; avoid if Yang rising with high blood pressure; incompatible with iron, tea, caffeine and turnips; Lai Fu Zi and Ur Ling Zhi may reduce Ren Shen’s effect.

Herb Drug Interactions

Suggested that antidepressants with Ren Shen, may induce mania.; reduces memory impairment from alcohol; decreases blood glucose, suggest care with insulin

Dosage (use animal doses where available, otherwise human doses can be included here but specify)

Use double dose if in shock

Human: Dried herb 1-10 gr TID; 5:1 dried extract; 200 mg daily; Infusion and decoction 5-30 g per cup of water, 1 cup, TID; Tincture 1:2-1-3: 1-5 ml daily

Small animal: dried herb:25-300 mg/kg divided; Decoction 5-30 g per cup; give ¼-1/2 cup per 10 kg divided; Tincture: 1:2-1:3- 0.5-1.5 ml per 10 kg divided daily

Horses and Cattle: 15-30 g; Llamas, goats, sheep, and pigs: 5-10 g, Dogs: 1-3 g; Cats and rabbits: 0.2-1 g

 

Notes: Red Ginseng is Ren Shen that has been steamed before drying, it has a warming character with it, use if more cold signs.

Energetics: sweet, slightly bitter, slightly warming

Traditional use: Tonic, particularly for geriatrics, as a prophylactic and restorative-enhance mental and physical capacities form weakness, exhaustion, tiredness and loss of concentration.

Published research: Adaptogenic effect, non-specific increase in defences against exogenous stress factors and chemicals; increased work capacity by improving oxygen utilization; improves all parameters in COPD; increases chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, phagocytic index and total numbers of T3 and T4 lymphocytes; slows progression of HIV; improves specific learning and memory tasks; decreases cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins; also increases superoxide dismutase and catalyse activities; can activate recovery from mastitis including Staph. Aureus; potentiates antibody response to vaccinations

 
 
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