6 Top Herbal Tonics

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Another Korean study showed that ginseng reduced blood pressure, a key risk factor for heart disease and stroke. A Russian animal study suggested that the herb also normalized hearth rhythm.

Ginseng also helps treat diabetes. University of Toronto researchers gave the herb (3 grams) to diabetics before a meal. Blood sugar typically rises after eating. But 40 minutes after eating, the ginseng group’s blood sugar was lower.

Want to get smarter? British researchers gave 20 middle-aged adults a battery of cognitive function tests. Then the participants took either a placebo or ginseng (200, 400 or 600 milligrams a day), shortly after which they were retested. The placebo group showed no change in brain power. But those who took ginseng showed significantly improved memory.

Ginseng can be grown in gardens, but the roots take seven years to reach harvest size, so supplements are probably your best bet. It causes no significant side effects, though caffeinelike jitters are possible. Those with high blood pressure are advised to avoid it, because compounds in the root may raise blood pressure, though evidence shows that it helps normalize blood pressure —  it’s unclear which effect predominates. Consult your health care practitioner if you have high blood pressure and are considering using ginseng.

Eleuthero: Echoing Ginseng

Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is often called “Siberian ginseng,” but it’s not a ginseng. True ginseng grows as a ground cover. Eleuthero is a shrub that grows to more than 6 feet tall in China and Russia.

Eleuthero has been shown to increase energy and stamina. University of Iowa researchers gave 76 people suffering chronic fatigue either a placebo or eleuthero. After two months, the eleuthero group reported significantly more energy. A review of several studies by researchers at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada, concluded that the herb improved stamina.

Eleuthero also improves immune function. German researchers assessed the immune function of 36 people and then gave them eleuthero tincture (10 milliliters three times a day). After four weeks, T-helper cells, a key component of the immune system, showed a “drastic increase.” Eleuthero also increases production of interleukin-1 and -6, important immune proteins. A Russian study showed that eleuthero boosted the immune systems of people with cancer.

German scientists have documented eleuthero’s “strong antiviral” action. Russian researchers gave 53 children with colds either conventional treatment or an herbal preparation including eleuthero. The herb group recovered faster.

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