Siberian Ginseng

Figure 1. Berries of the Siberian Ginseng (or Eleutherococcus senticosus) plant.

Siberian Ginseng or Eleutherococcus senticosus is a species of small, woody shrub in the family Araliaceae native to Northeastern Asia. The herb grows in mixed and coniferous mountain forests, forming low undergrowth or is found in groups in thickets and edges. The herb is traditional used in Chinese medicine for a range of health benefits including as a prophylactic and restorative tonic for enhancement of mental and physical capacities.

Despite its name, Siberian Ginseng is not a true ginseng. To avoid confusion with true ginseng such as Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), its name has been changed to Eleuthero in many nomenclature.

Today, Siberian Ginseng is used in supplements for its chemical compounds. The root extracts have been characterized for its major constituents, including lignans, sesamin, syringaresinol, phenylpropanes, coumarins, beta-sitosterol and daucosterol. The berries from Siberian Ginseng contain diverse polyphenols, including caffeic acid, vanillic acid, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, and benzoic acid, with significant content of calcium, magnesium, and potassium. The essential oil from Siberian Ginseng leaves include alpha-bisabolol, beta-caryophyllene, germacrene D, beta-bisabolene, and alpha-humulene.

As a dietary supplement, Siberian Ginseng is available as a tincture, tea, herb, capsule, and pill. Siberian Ginseng is commonly promoted as an adaptogen (i.e. helping the body to cope with stress). Additionally, Siberian Ginseng is promoted to help with heart disease prevention, anxiety relief, depression relief, recovery from burnout, increasing energy and reducing fatigue, improving cognitive functions, wound healing, ulcer prevention, raising blood pressure, and other diverse health benefits. However, there is insufficient scientific evidence presently to conclusively determine Siberian Ginseng's effectiveness in these applications.