ADHD Kids May Benefit from Ginseng, Ginkgo

ADHD Kids May Benefit from Ginseng, Ginkgo

NANAIMO, British Columbia--In an open study published in the May issue of the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience (26, 3:221-8, 2001) (www.cma.ca), researchers reported that ginkgo biloba and ginseng may treat children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Researchers, led by Michael Lyon, M.D., from the Oceanside Functional Medicine Research Institute based here, administered an herbal product containing 200 mg of Panax ginseng and 50 mg of ginkgo to 36 ADHD children between three and 17 years old. During a four-week trial, questionnaires were given to parents to assess their children's behavior at two- and four-week intervals. Researchers found that ADHD attributes, such as social problems and hyperactive-impulsive actions, had declined. A larger, placebo-controlled study on these herbs and ADHD will be published next spring. The product used in the study--AD-FX--was provided by Edmonton, Alberta-based CV Technologies (www.herbtech.com).