Eleutherococcus senticosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Apiales Family: Araliaceae Genus: Eleutherococcus Species: E. senticosus
Binomial name
Eleutherococcus senticosus Rupr. & Maxim.

Eleutherococcus senticosus is a species of small, woody shrub in the family Araliaceae native to Northeastern Asia. It was formerly classified as Acanthopanax senticosis. In Chinese medicine it is known as Ci wu jia. ^[1] It is commonly called eleuthero, and was previously marketed in the United States as Siberian Ginseng as it has similar herbal properties to those of Panax ginseng. However, it belongs to a different genus in the family Araliaceae, and it is currently illegal in the United States to market eleuthero as Siberian Ginseng since "ginseng" only refers to Panax species.^[2] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 583 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (635 × 653 pixel, file size: 92 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Eleutherococcus senticosus ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta—liverworts Anthocerotophyta—hornworts Bryophyta—mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) †Rhyniophyta—rhyniophytes †Zosterophyllophyta—zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta—clubmosses †Trimerophytophyta—trimerophytes Pteridophyta—ferns and horsetails Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta—seed ferns Pinophyta—conifers Cycadophyta—cycads Ginkgophyta—ginkgo Gnetophyta—gnetae Magnoliophyta—flowering plants... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of land plants. ... Magnoliopsida is the botanical name for a class: this name is formed by replacing the termination -aceae in the name Magnoliaceae by the termination -opsida (Art 16 of the ICBN). ... Families Apiaceae (carrot family) Araliaceae (ginseng family) Pittosporaceae Griseliniaceae Torriceliaceae The Apiales are an order of flowering plants. ... Genera Aralia Fatsia Hedera - Ivy Panax - Ginseng Reynoldsia Schefflera and others, see text of article The Araliaceae is known as the Ivy or Ginseng family. ... Species About 30 species, including: Eleutherococcus divaricatus Eleutherococcus giraldii Eleutherococcus henryi Eleutherococcus lasiogyne Eleutherococcus leucorrhizus Eleutherococcus rehderianus Eleutherococcus senticosus Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus Eleutherococcus setchuensis Eleutherococcus sieboldianus Eleutherococcus simonii Eleutherococcus spinosus Eleutherococcus trichodon Eleutherococcus trifoliatus Eleutherococcus wilsonii Eleutherococcus is a genus of about 30 species of thorny shrubs and trees in the... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal system of naming species. ... A broom shrub in flower A shrub or bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 6 m tall. ... Genera Aralia Fatsia Hedera - Ivy Panax - Ginseng Reynoldsia Schefflera and others, see text of article The Araliaceae is known as the Ivy or Ginseng family. ... Geographic scope of East Asia East Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms. ... Species Eleutherococcus baoxinensis Eleutherococcus brachypus Eleutherococcus cissifolius Eleutherococcus cuspidatus Eleutherococcus divaricatus Eleutherococcus eleutheristylus Eleutherococcus giraldii Eleutherococcus henryi Eleutherococcus higoensis Eleutherococcus huangshanensis Eleutherococcus hypoleucus Eleutherococcus japonicus Eleutherococcus lasiogyne Eleutherococcus leucorrhizus Eleutherococcus nanpingensis Eleutherococcus nikaianus Eleutherococcus nodiflorus Eleutherococcus pilosulus Eleutherococcus pseudosetulosus Eleutherococcus pubescens Eleutherococcus rehderianus Eleutherococcus rufinervis Eleutherococcus scandens Eleutherococcus senticosus Eleutherococcus... Traditional Chinese medicine shop in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. ... Dioscorides’ Materia Medica, c. ... Species Subgenus Panax Section Panax Series Notoginseng Panax notoginseng Series Panax Panax bipinnatifidus Panax ginseng Panax japonicus Panax quinquefolius Panax vietnamensis Panax wangianus Panax zingiberensis Section Pseudoginseng Panax pseudoginseng Panax stipuleanatus Subgenus Trifolius Panax trifolius Panax is a genus of 11 species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots... Genera Aralia Fatsia Hedera - Ivy Panax - Ginseng Reynoldsia Schefflera and others, see text of article The Araliaceae is known as the Ivy or Ginseng family. ...

The herb grows in mixed and coniferous mountain forests, forming low undergrowth or is found in groups in thickets and edges. Eleutherococcus is sometimes found in oak groves at the foot of cliffs, very rarely in high forest riparian woodland. It's native habitat is East Asia, China, Japan and Russia. Eleutherococcus is broadly tolerant of soils, growing in sandy, loamy and heavy clay soils with acid, neutral or alkaline chemistry and including soils of low nutritional value. It can tolerate sun or dappled shade and some degree of pollution. Eleutherococcus is a decidious shrub growing to 2m at a slow rate. It is hardy to zone 3. It flowers in July in most habitats. The flowers are hermaphrodite and are pollinated by insects.^[3] Deciduous means temporary or tending to fall off (deriving from the Latin word decidere, to fall off). ...

Eleutherococcus is a new addition to Western natural medicine, but has quickly gained a reputation similar to that of the better known and more expensive Chinese Ginseng. Though the chemical make-up of the two herbs differs, their effects seem to be similar. An extensive list of research on Eleutherococcus with links to PubMed is shown at Herbmed.org^[4] Species Panax ginseng - Chinese Ginseng Panax japonicus - Japanese Ginseng Panax pseudoginseng - Himalayan Ginseng Panax quinquefolius - American Ginseng Panax trifolius - Dwarf Ginseng Panax vietnamensis - Vietnamese Ginseng Ginseng (Panax) is a genus of about five or six species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, in the family Araliaceae. ...

The herb is an adaptogen, is anticholesteremic, is mildly anti-inflammatory, is antioxidant, is a nervine and an immune tonic. It is useful when the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) is depleted. Symptoms of this condition include fatigue, stress, neurasthenia and sore muscles associated with the hypofunctioning of the endocrine system, and adrenal exhaustion indicated by a quivering tongue, dark circles under the eyes, and dilating/contracting pupils. Eleuthero may alleviate these symptoms.^[2] The word adaptogen, is used by herbalists to refer to a natural herb product that increases the bodys resistance to stresses such as trauma, anxiety and bodily fatigue. ... Anti-inflammatory refers to the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation. ... Space-filling model of the antioxidant metabolite glutathione. ... The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) is a major part of the neuroendocrine system that controls reactions to stress and has important functions in regulating various body processes such as digestion, the immune system and energy usage. ... HPA means Physiology Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis: The hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands work together to regulate hormone levels and maintain homeostasis. ...

Ethnomedical use

Eleutherococcus is an adaptogen which has a wide range of health benefits attributed to its use. Currently, most of the research to support the medicinal use of Eleutherococcus is in Russian or Korean. Eleutherococcus contains eleutherosides, triterpenoid saponins which are lipophilic and which can fit into hormone receptors. Supporters of Eleutherococcus as medicine claim it possesses a variety of medicinal properties, such as: The word adaptogen, is used by herbalists to refer to a natural herb product that increases the bodys resistance to stresses such as trauma, anxiety and bodily fatigue. ... A hormone receptor is a receptor protein on the surface of a cell or in its interior that binds to a specific hormone. ...

• increased endurance
• memory improvement
• anti-inflammatory
• immunogenic
• chemoprotective
• radiological protection

Eleutherococcus senticosis is less tonifying than the true Ginsengs (Panax sp.). It is neutral energetically and so is appropriate for daily use. Taken regularly, it enhances immune function, reduces cortisol levels and inflammatory response, and it promotes improved cognitive and physical performance. In human studies Eleuthero has been successfully used to treat bone marrow suppression caused by chemotherapy or radiation, angina, hypercholesterolemia, and neurasthenia with headache, insomnia, and poor appetite ^[5][6][7]

The major constituents of Eleutherococcus are Ciwujianoside A-E, Eleutheroside B (Syringin), Eleutherosides A-M, Friedelin and Isofraxidin. ^[2] Most of the active constituents in Eleutherococcus are triterpenoid saponins. Though all terpenoid compounds have bioactivity in mammals, it is the triterpenes that are most important to the adaptogenic effect. The majority of known triterpenoid compounds in Eleutherococcus are found as saponin glycosides which refers to the attachment of various sugar molecules to the triterpene unit. These sugars are usually cleaved off in the gut by bacteria, allowing the aglycone (triterpene) to be absorbed. Saponin glycosides have the characteristic of reducing surface tension of water and will strip the lipids. This allows them insert into cell membranes (Attele et al., 1999) and modify the composition, influence membrane fluidity ^[8], and potentially affect signaling by many ligands and cofactors ^[9].^[10] Triterpenoid saponins of the adaptogen Eleutherococcus senticosus, which are lipophilic chemicals that bind to hormonal receptors. ... Triterpenoid saponins are triterpenes which belong to the group of saponin compounds. ...

Interactions and side effects

• People with medicated high blood pressure should consult their doctor before taking Eleutherococcus as it may reduce their need for medication.
• Eleutherococcus may cause light sleep in some people, principally those who are "wired". Users are recommended not to take it in the evening.
• Eleutherococcus will enhance the effectiveness of micene class antibiotics.
• Eleutherococcus when purchased from non-GMP sources has occasionally been adulterated with Periploca which can potentiate digoxin or similar drugs: however this is not an interaction of Eleutherococcus.^[2]

Good Manufacturing Practice is a set of regulations, codes, and guidelines for the manufacture of drug substances (also known as active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)) and drug products (known as medicinal products in Europe), medical devices, in vivo and in vitro diagnostic products, and foods. ... Digoxin (INN) (IPA: ) is a purified cardiac glycoside extracted from the foxglove plant, Digitalis lanata. ...

References and external links

1. ^ http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?15004
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Winston, David & Maimes, Steven. “Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief,” Healing Arts Press, 2007.
3. ^ [1]Plants from the Future database.
4. ^ http://www.herbmed.org/Herbs/Herb98.htm#Category1Herb98[ List of Research on Eleuthero in PubMed]
5. ^ Halstead B, Hood L (1984). Eleutherococcus senticosis–Siberian Ginseng, OHAI. p.7.
6. ^ Chen JK, Chen TT. Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology, Art of Medicine Press, City of Industry, CA 2004
7. ^ [David Winston. Native American, Chinese, and Ayurvedic Materia Medica, HTSBM, pp. 1-1
8. ^ Lee, Jeong-Chae, Jung, Ha-Na, Kim, Jung-Soo, Woo, Won-Hong, Jeong, Woo-Yeal et al., 2003. Selective priming of Th1-mediated antigen-specific immune responses following oral administration of mixed prescriptions of traditional Korean medicines. Clinica Chimica Acta, 329, 133-142
9. ^ Lindsey, Keith, Pullen, Margaret L. and Topping, Jennifer F., 2003. Importance of plant sterols in pattern formation and hormone signalling. Trends in Plant Science, 8(11), 521-525
10. ^ [2]Robyn Klein Masters Thesis Paper, May 2004, Montana State University, Dept Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology: Phylogenetic and phytochemical characteristics of plant species with adaptogenic properties

• Brunner, R., Tabachnik, B. (1990). Soviet Training and Recovery Methods, pp.217-21. Sport Focus Publishing.
• Bohn, B., Nebe, C.T. and Birr, C. (1987). Flow Cytometric Studies with Eleutherococcus senticosus extract as an Immunomodulating Agent. Drug Res. 37(10): 1193-1196.
• Siberian ginseng article
• Eleuthero article
• http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/cgi/content/full/31/5/519
• University of Maryland Alternative Medicine Reference
• Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
• Effects of various Eleutherococcus senticosus cortex on swimming time, natural killer activity and corticosterone level in forced swimming stressed mice.
• Saleeby, J. P. "Wonder Herbs: A Guide to Three Adaptogens", Xlibris, 2006. (The second chapter is dedicated to Eleuthero.)
• Winston, David & Maimes, Steven. “ADAPTOGENS: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief,” Healing Arts Press, 2007. Contains Russian research on Eleutherococcus and a monograph on the herb.
• Siberian Ginseng