Assigned Herbs & Reported Uses
Herbs: Ginseng
Reported Uses immunomodulatory, adaptogenic, and antitumor agents for the treatment of the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, endocrine, and ergogenic effects.
- antioxidant, reduces inflammation (“7 proven health benefits,” 2021)
- benefit brain function
- boosts the immune system
- ‘ginsenosides’ contained in the herb prevent abnormal cell production and growth
- fights tiredness, increases the energy
- lowers the blood sugar
Herbs: Acai
Reported Uses: reduces swelling, stimulates the immune system, lowers blood sugar levels:
- is used for athletic performance
- reduces high cholesterol
- helps fight obesity
- nurtures aging skin
- helps with metabolic syndrome
- reduces oxidative stress
Reported Doses of Assigned Herbs
Herbs: Ginseng
- 1 to 2 g of dried root powder
- taken daily from 2 to 3 months
- the research trials suggest the dosage of crude root from 0.5 to 3 g/day (“Ginseng,” 2022)
- the dose of extracts ranges from 100 to 800 mg
Herbs: Acai
- there is no current information on the optimal dosages
- used as berries, juice, oil, and extract
- 100 g of powder contains 534 calories, 52 g of carbohydrates, 8 g of protein, 33 g of total fat, and 44 g of fiber (“Acai,” 2022)
- dosage for anthocyanin/ flavonoid therapeutic dosage 200-1500 mg once/day
Cautions of the Assigned Herbs
Herbs: Ginseng
- hypersensitivity and anaphylaxis were reported
Herbs: Acai
- contraindications include hypersensitivity to the herb or its components
- no information on side effects
Drug Interactions of the Assigned Herbs
Herbs: Ginseng
- limited data on interactions with other drugs
- most data are obtained from healthy volunteers and laboratory studies (“Ginseng,” 2022)
Herbs: Acai
- no information on severe interaction with other drugs
Adverse Reactions of the Assigned Herbs
Herbs: Ginseng
- no information on severe reactions or adverse events
- in the US, 6 million people consume ginseng regularly
- there are few reports of severe reactions
- clinical trials report a low incidence of adverse events
- contraindications include hypersensitivity and anaphylaxis
- misuse of ginseng or abuse of ginseng leads to hypertension, insomnia, mastalgia, skin rash, diarrhea, depression, confusion
- two new cases of acute manic episodes were reported with extremely high doses
Herbs: Acai
- clinical studies are limited
- no adverse events were reported
Summary
Ginseng and acai are popular plants that are used in alternative medicine. Remarkably, a growing body of research is looking into the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular disease, the nervous system, and other body systems. Ginseng became popular in the west as a result of trade with China. Ginseng is a low-growing plant with fleshy roots that are used medicinally. There are several types of ginseng, the most popular being American and Asian ginseng. These species affect the body in different ways due to varieties of active compounds – the first type relaxes the nervous system and the second one tones it. The main active compounds contained in ginseng are ginsenosides and gintonin, which complement each other, enhancing the therapeutic effect.
Acai is a palm tree with dark purple berries that are used to make medicines in traditional medicine. This plant is native to South America and is popular for its high content of antioxidants that protect cells from damage. The active chemicals in acai lower blood sugar levels, reduce swelling and boost the immune system. Acai is also often used for athletic performance, skin rejuvenation, and metabolic syndrome. Both ginseng and acai have no clinical contraindications or serious side effects other than allergic reactions or abuse of the plants.
References
Acai. (2022). Drugs.com. Web.
Ginseng. (2022). Drugs.com. Web.
Semeco, A. (2018). 7 proven health benefits of ginseng. Healthline. Web.