Eleuthero, Siberian Ginseng
(Eleutherococcus senticosus)

General Info

Active Forms

Absorption

Dietary Sources

Dosage Info

Dosage Range 100-200mg (standardized extract), 2-3 times daily. A regimen of 4 weeks on, 2 weeks off is recommended for maximum benefits. Most Common Dosage 200mg (standardized extract), 2 times a day. A regimen of 4 weeks on, 2 weeks off is recommended for maximum benefits. Dosage Forms		Adult RDI Adult ODA

Overview

Interactions

Drug/Herb Interactions
•	digoxin
•	Barbiturates
•	Antihypertensive medications
•	Diabetic / Hypoglycemic medications

Eleuthero is one of the top selling herbal products in the United States. It is a member of the ginseng family, but it is of a different genus than other popular ginsengs such as the Panax or American varieties. The use of eleuthero root dates back 2,000 years in the records of Chinese medicine. It was used for respiratory tract infections, as well as colds and influenza.(1) The Chinese also believed that eleuthero provided energy and vitality. In Russia, it was originally used by the Siberian people to increase physical performance and to increase the quality of life and decrease infections. Eleuthero has been studied extensively since the 1940s. The root has been found to have many adaptogenic benefits.(2, 3) Eleuthero has been reported to increase stamina and endurance and protect the body systems against stress-induced illness.(4, 5) It is thought that Soviet Olympic athletes used eleuthero successfully to enhance sports performance and concentration.

Eleuthero root is frequently prescribed in Europe and Russia as an herbal "tonic," improving immune function and general well-being. It has been classified as an "adaptogen," meaning a substance that increases nonspecific resistance of the body to a wide range of chemical, physical, psychological and biological factors (stressors). Adaptogens have the unique ability to switch from stimulating to sedating effects based on the body's needs. According to tradition and the literature, eleuthero possesses this kind of balancing, tonic, antistress action on the body. The chief component in eleuthero that has the adaptogenic ability has been found to be the eleutheroside content, and high quality preparations are standardized or guaranteed to have a certain amount of this compound.(6) Also, polysaccharides in eleuthero play a role in its support of immune function.(7)

Toxicities & Precautions

General
This dietary supplement is considered safe when used in accordance with proper dosing guidelines.

Health Conditions
Do not use in acute infections and fever.

Based on pharmacology, long-term use is not recommended in hypertension.

Based on pharmacology, use with caution in individuals with bleeding disorders.

Side Effects
Has been used in thousands of clinical studies with only minor side effects, but there are reports of hypertension, insomnia, irritability, anxiety and tachycardia in rare instances.(8)

Pregnancy/Breast-Feeding
Use is contraindicated in pregnancy and lactation.(9)

Age Limitations
Do not use in children under 2 years of age unless recommended by a physician.

Symptoms & Causes of Deficiency

Footnotes

¹ Foster S, et al. Herbal Emissaries. Rochester,VT: Healing Arts Press; 1992:73-79.
² Brekhman II, et al. Eleutherococcus--a Means of Increasing the Nonspecific Resistance of the Organism. Izv Akad Nauk SSSR. [Biol]. 1965;5:762-65.
³ Brekhman II, et al. Effect of Eleutherococcus on Alarm-phase of Stress. Life Sci. 1969;8(3):113-21.
⁴ Fulder SJ. Ginseng and the Hypothalamic-pituitary Control of Stress. Am J Chin Med. 1981;9(2):112-18.
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⁵ Asano K, et al. Effect of Eleutherococcus senticosus Extract on Human Physical Working Capacity. Planta Med. 1986;3:175-77.
⁶ Collisson RJ. Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus). Br J Phytotherapy. 1991;2:61-71.
⁷ Hikino H, et al. Isolation and Hypoglycemic Activity of Eleutherans A, B, C, D, E, F and G: Glycans of Eleutherococcus senticosus Roots. J Nat Prod. 1986;49(2):293-97.
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⁸ Farnsworth NR, et al. Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus): Current Status as an Adaptogen. In: Economics and Medicinal Plant Research. Vol 1. London: Academic Press; 1985:155-209.
⁹ Chan LY, et al. An in-vitro study of ginsenoside Rb1-induced teratogenicity using a whole rat embryo culture model. Hum Reprod. Oct 2003;18(10):2166-8.
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Eleuthero, Siberian Ginseng(Eleutherococcus senticosus)

Eleuthero, Siberian Ginseng
(Eleutherococcus senticosus)