-IBIS-1.7.0-
rx
herb
Eleutherococcus senticosus (Siberian Ginseng)
botanicals
definition
botanical name(s): Eleutherococcus senticosus; formerly known as Acanthopanax senticosus
synonyms: Siberian ginseng, touch-me-not, devil's shrub, wild pepper, eleuthero ginseng, devil's bush, taigawurzel, eleutherocoque, Ussurian thorny pepperbush
part(s) used: root, bark
qualities: acrid, sweet, bitter
affinities:
actions: general tonic, adaptogen, circulatory stimulant, vasodilator
dosage:
» powder: 200 - 1000 mg per day
» tincture: 2 - 4 ml.
therapy: debility, exhaustion, stress, depression; immune support
AHPA Botanical Safety Rating: 1
toxicity: 2; see saponin toxidrome
» reportedly more innocuous than Panax spp. (Duke, p. 175)
» contraindicated in high blood pressure due to the increased production of adrenalin in the adrenal glands (Brinker)
note: can be distinguished from Chinese ginseng because it is not as warming; can be distinguished from American ginseng because it is not a Yin tonic; Siberian ginseng is a Qi tonic which is fairly neutral; Chinese ginseng is a Yang Qi tonic and American ginseng is a Yin Qi tonic; Chinese and American ginseng share the same genus (Panax) and, therefore, are more similar to each other than they are to Eleutherococcus
constituents: eleutherosides
drug interactions:
» increases effect of hexobarbital due to inhibition of its metabolic breakdown (Brinker, De Smet)
» increases efficacy of antibiotics probably due to enhancement of T-lymphocyte activity (Brinker)
footnotes
Brinker F. 1995. Botanical Medicine Research Summaries. (from Eclectic Dispensatory of Botanical Therapeutics, vol.11), Sandy, Oregon: Eclectic Medical Publications.
De Smet PAGM et al. (eds.). 1993. Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs 2, Berlin: Springer-Verlag
Duke, J.A. 1985. C.R.C. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Boca Raton, FL: The C.R.C. Press.