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Page 38
| concur that ginkgo biloba leaf or leaf extract is safe and does not pose a hazard. |
| Ginseng |
| (Panax ginseng, P. quinquefolius, and Eleutherococcus senticosus) |
| Part used: Root |
| Actions: Tonic, stimulant, adaptogen, hypoglycemic, immunomodulator, rejuvenative |
| Indications: Nearly everyone has heard of the seemingly mystical, magical and curative properties of ginseng. Purported to be an elixir of longevity, a tonic for enhancing sexual performance, a stress-buster and energy booster as well as a panacea for many other ailments, ginseng has become so popular that it is now available for sale in vials and capsules on the countertops of convenience stores nationwide. Whether these ginseng vials or ginseng ''pep'' pills contain enough ginseng to be effective is questionable. Because ginseng is rare and expensive, it has often been adulterated. One study shows that more than half of the ginseng products evaluated contained so little ginseng as to have no effect. |
| Long esteemed in the Orient for its tonic effects, Asian ginseng (p. ginseng) is available in both red and white forms. Red ginseng is steamed and dried, making it more stimulating and useful for older people with low energy and weak vitality. White ginseng refers to the peeled, dried root of Asian ginseng. The white variety (actually a pale yellow in color) is cooler, often combined with other herbs and more useful for those who need an energy boost. White ginseng benefits the lungs and digestive system. American ginseng (P. quinquefolius) is a tonic with a long history of Native American use for fevers, headaches, dysentery and as a fertility tonic. It is considered so valuable to the Chinese that literally tons of wild American ginseng have been exported to the Orient annually since colonial times, pushing it to the edge of extinction and leading to |
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