Table 1 Summary of results from single herb ginseng clinical trials
From: Study designs of randomized controlled trials not based on Chinese medicine theory are improper
| Â | Trial quality* | Research topic | Participants (n) | Herb species | Chinese medicine theory | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Negative results | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Allen JD et al. (1998) | 4 | Exercise performance | Healthy young (28) | P. ginseng | No Qi-deficiency | [17] |
Cardinal BJ et al. (2001) | 4 | Psychological well-being | Healthy young adults (83) | P. ginseng | No Qi-deficiency | [18] |
Caron MF et al. (2002) | 3 | Cardiovascular function | Healthy adults (30) | P. ginseng | No Qi-deficiency | [42] |
Dowling EA et al. (1996) | 3 | Exercise performance | Highly trained distance runners (20) | Acanthopanax senticosus | No Qi-deficiency | [43] |
Engels HJ et al. (1997) | 3 | Physiologic and psychological responses | Healthy adults (36) | P. ginseng | No Qi-deficiency | [21] |
Engels HJ et al. (2001) | 3 | Exercise & short-term recovery | Healthy active women (24) | P. ginseng | No Qi-deficiency | [20] |
Engels HJ et al. (2003) | 3 | Physical performance heart rate recovery | Active healthy adults (38) | P. ginseng | No Qi-deficiency | [19] |
Stavro PM et al. (2006) | 3 | Blood pressure and renal function | Hypertension (52) | P. quinquefolius | Inappropriate herb species | [49] |
Wiklund IK et al. (1999) | N/A | Quality of life & physiological parameters | Symptomatic postmenopausal women (384) | P. ginseng | Inappropriate herb species | [51] |
Positive results | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Cicero AF et al. (2004) | 2 | Quality of life | Elderly hypertensive and digitalized (20) | Acanthopanax senticosus | Appropriate herb species | [53] |
de Andrade E et al. (2007) | 2 | Sexual function | Erectile dysfunction (60) | P. ginseng | Qi-Deficiency | [44] |
Ellis JM et al. (2002) | 5 | Quality of life | Healthy young (30) | P. ginseng | Marginal Qi-deficiency | [48] |
Gross D et al. (2002) | N/A | Respiratory function | Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (92) | P. ginseng | Qi-Deficiency | [22] |
Hong B et al. (2002) | 3 | Sexual function | Erectile dysfunction (45) | P. ginseng | Qi-Deficiency | [45] |
Kim JH et al. (2006) | 3 | Quality of life | Cancer (53) | P. ginseng | Qi-Deficiency | [23] |
Liang MT et al. (2005) | 3 | Endurance exercise | Untrained adults (29) | P. notoginseng | Appropriate herb species | [54] |
McElhaney JE et al. (2004) | 3 | Acute respiratory illness | Sub healthy seniors(198) | P. quinquefolius | Qi-Deficiency | [24] |
McElhaney JE et al. (2006) | 5 | Acute respiratory illness | Sub healthy adults and seniors (43) | P. quinquefolius | Qi-Deficiency | [46] |
Predy GN et al. (2005) | 5 | Cold | Sub healthy adults (323) | P. quinquefolius | Qi-Deficiency | [25] |