Ginseng Does Not Adversely Affect Blood Pressure, Renal Function 31108

Ginseng Does Not Adversely Affect Blood Pressure, Renal Function

TORONTOLong-term intake of North American ginseng does not appearto adversely impact renal function or 24-hour blood pressure, according to a newstudy in Hypertension (47, 4:791, 2006)(http://hyper.ahajournals.org/cgi). Researchers from St. Michaels Hospitaland the University of Toronto conducted a randomized, placebocontrolled, doubleblind, crossover trial in 52 hypertensive individuals to determine the impact of12 weeks of North American ginseng supplementation on 24-hour blood pressure andoverall renal function.

The study protocol included a four-week placebo run-in, 3 g/d of ginseng orplacebo for 12 weeks, an eight-week washout, and a 12-week crossover treatment.

Forty participants completed the trial, with three removed from the mainanalysis for outside influencers. In those subjects who completed the trial,12-week ginseng treatment had a neutral effect on all blood pressure parameterscompared to placebo. In addition, ginseng did not affect serum cystatin Clevels, a marker of renal function. The researchers concluded despiteobservational evidence suggesting a link between ginseng intake andhypertension, this trial showed no such association.