Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research

Ginseng may yield new treatment options for people who have diabetes, a chronic disease that can cause blindness, kidney failure, and heart disease. Recently, Chun-Su Yuan, MD, PhD, and his colleagues at the Tang Center found that ginseng helped normalize the level of glucose in animals.

An extract of the ginseng plant was given to an obese mouse with diabetes. In just 12 days, the mouse’s glucose levels were normalized. In addition, the mouse’s body weight was reduced by more than 10%.

The researchers found that some parts of the ginseng plant were more effective than the root. Currently, Yuan and colleagues are testing the pharmacological activity of the single compounds they have isolated from the ginseng plant.

Media Coverage of Ginseng and Diabetes