Radix Ginseng
From HerbLab, herbal encyclopedia of Chinese traditional medicine
RADIX GINSENG
Classification of Chinese Medicinal Herbs says that: "The taste of the herb is good, neither bitter nor acrid, with mild nature."
It is the dried roots of Panax ginseng of the Araliaceae family, which grows in Northeast China and North Korea. Its allied species, P. quiqueform L., is cultivated in the United States, and P. ginseng grows in Japan.
ANTICANCER PHARMACOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
1. Ginsenosides and polysaccharide of the herb have certain inhibition on Ehrlrich's ascites carcinoma in rats. 2. The steride of the herb inhibits sarcoma-I80 and adenocarcima-755. 3. The infusion of the herb showed an inhibitory rate of 99.9% on cancer cell-26 of human uterine cervix. 4. When administered together with Radix Astragali seu Hedysari and Gaboderma Lucidum, the herb shows a higher inhibitory rate on cancer cells than when it is used alone. 5. When the extract of the herb is injected into guinea pigs with leukemia, the curable rate reaches 99.9% and the survival time increases twice as much as that of the control group. 6. Lately a substance called prostisol has been derived from the herb and it can promote the formation of ribonucleic acid, protein and lipid, improve immunity and help to cure cancer as an adjuvant. 7. The ether extract of the herb is found inhibiting sarcoma-I80 and adenocarcinoma-755 in mice.
EXPERIMENTAL FORMULAS
For cancer of the esophagus:
Talks on Medicine says that: "Equal amount of the juice of Radix Ginseng, Arilus Longan, Rhizoma Phragmitis, sugercane, pear and milk is put together, added with a little juice of ginger and stewed into a soft extract for taking slowly."
For lung cancer:
Precious Mirror of Hygiene reports that the following herbs are ground into fine powders and taken 6 grams each time with honey water:
Radix Ginseng 60g Poria 60g Flos Fritillariae Thunbergii 60g Semen Armeniacae Amarum 150g Cortex Mori Radicis 90g Rhizoma Anemarrhenae 30g
For advanced cancer of the stomach:
Prescription for Diseases due to Three Pathogenic Factors relates that equal amount of the following herbs is made into small pills for oral administration 50 pills each time with rice water:
Radix Ginseng Poria Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis (processed with ginger) Baked Fructus Aurantii Roasted Rhizoma Sparganii Prepared Rhizoma Pinelliae Cortex Mori Radicis Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephala
For cancer of the uterus:
Proved Recipes of the Experienced Doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine says that: " 18 grams of Radix Ginseng, 18 grams of dried Carapax Trionycis and 9 grams of Pericarpium Zanthoxyli are ground into fine powder and divided into 6 portions. One such portion is taken each night with boiled water and 24 portions make a therapeutic course. Abdominalgia usually disappears after taking 3 portions.
For cancer of the breast:
Explanation on the Clinical Prescriptions of Traditional Chinese Medicine says that: "The following prescription is taken in decoction. "
Radix Ginseng 3g Radix Angelicae Sinensis 3g Rhizoma Ligustici Chuangxiong 3g Cortex Moutan Radicis 3g Ramulus Cinnamomi 3g Lignum Sappan 3g Radix Platycodi 3g Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae 2g Radix Astragali sou Hedysari 2g Radix Aucklandiae 2g Radix Linderae 2g Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis 2g Fructus Aurantii 2g Semen Arecae 2g Radix Ledebouriellae 2g Radix Glycyrrhizae 2g
Summary of Internal Diseases says that: "The following herbs, when taken in decoction, are also effective for breast cancer. "
Radix Ginseng 5g Poria 5g Baked Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae 5g Radix Bupleuri 2.5g Rhizoma Ligustici Chuangxiong 2.5g Baked Fructus Crataegi 2.5g Baked Cortex Moutan Radicis 2.5g Baked Radix glycyrrhizae 2.5g Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata 30g Radix Angelicae Sinensis 30g
Taking 3 grams of Radix Ginseng daily can prevent and treat the side effects of radiotherapy for cancer in the head and neck region.
HISTORICAL COMMENTS
Zhong Zang Jing compiled by Hua Tuo said that: "Radix Ginseng, Cacumen Biotae and Herba Schizonepetae are burned to ashes to be scattered on the face of the patient to treat derangements of qi and blood such as bleeding from the nose and the mouse. "
Illustrated Herbs compiled by Su Song said that: "To try the effect of Radix Ginseng, get two persons to walk along for a distance of 3 to 5 li, one with Radix Ginseng in his mouth, and the other without. In the end you will find that the one without Radix Ginseng in his mouth will gasp for breath and the one with Radix Ginseng in his mouth will breath normally."
True Materia Medica compiled by Huang Gongxiu said that: "The herb is effective in relieving thirst and upsetness, activating the channels and the pulse, removing phlegm stasis, curing vomiting, regurgitation, cough and short breath due to deficiency, chronic lingering diarrhea, stranguria and other illnesses due to the deficiency of qi and blood. "
THE AUTHOR'S NOTE
Traditionally it is known that Radix Ginseng and Faeces Trogopterorum are incompatible. In September 1980, a scholar published in Prescriptions of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Research on Using Radix Ginseng and Faeces Trogopterorum Together, which reports that the use of these two drugs together did not turn out poisonous reaction in the animals experimented and the anti-fatigue function of Radix Ginseng did not become weak. The combination of these two drugs was also recorded in ancient literatures and may be beneficial to the treatment of cancer.
Research Institute of Biologically Active Substances in Russia reported that they found Radix Ginseng could inhibit the growth of induced cancer in rats and guinea pigs, with an inhibitory rate of 48%. Another inspiratory research in Russia on cancer of human lips found that in their controlled study, patients with cancer of lips responded so well to radiotherapy when they had been given a certain dose of Radix Ginseng daily before the therapy, and that no relapse and metastasis occurred on follow-up. Japanese Journal of Chemistry reported in 1981 that Radix Ginseng could increase immunity remarkably. After a mouse was first injected with red blood cells of goat as antigen and then with 5 micrograms of panaxoside Rbl, they found the total number of cells produced by antibody was 4.5 times as much as that of the controlled group.
