Korean Ginseng May Alleviate Erectile Dysfunction

SEOUL, South Korea--Korean red ginseng (Panax ginseng) may be an effective alternative for treating male erectile dysfunction, according to a double blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study in the November issue of The Journal of Urology (168, 5:2070-3, 2002) (www.jurology.com). Researchers from the University of Ulsan College of Medicine enrolled 45 patients with clinically diagnosed erectile dysfunction and assigned them to receive either 900 mg of ginseng or placebo three times daily. After eight weeks, all subjects participated in a two-week wash-out period, and then the patients traded treatment groups for an additional eight weeks.

At the study's conclusion, researchers noted that the men in the Korean red ginseng group scored significantly better on the Mean International Index of Erectile Function than patients who received placebo. In addition, the ginseng group scored higher on questions dealing with maintaining an erection, and 60 percent of the patients reported ginseng improved erection. Researchers noted that penile tip rigidity was also significantly improved among participants during ginseng treatment compared to placebo.