Eleuthero, AKA Siberian ginseng, is an herb used traditionally in Russia and East Asia for many reasons, including reduction of stress and fatigue (R) and treatment of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, among others. (R)
Despite the name, Siberian ginseng is actually distinct from the “true” ginsengs: Korean ginseng, Asian ginseng, and American ginseng.
It’s also unrelated to what’s known as “Brazilian ginseng,” or suma.
Eleuthero is rich in unique compounds with varied benefits, including saponins, lignans, coumarins, and flavones. (R)
As you’ll discover below, eleuthero is an excellent tool for building and maintaining health.
The Eleuthero I use
Eleuthero benefits cognition and mood
Eleuthero improved social functioning in elderly patients. (R)
Eleuthero treatment enhanced serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline/norepinephrine levels in the brains of stressed animals, suggesting these are responsible for its antidepressive effects. (R)
Eleuthero treatment enhanced the function of the acetylcholine system in the brain (which is closely tied to learning and memory) and improved learning and memory in animals. (R)
A study of teens with bipolar disorder found that a combination of lithium and eleuthero was as effective as lithium plus fluoxetine, an SSRI (R) that works by boosting levels of serotonin. (R)
Eleuthero protects the brain
Eleuthero protected neurons in numerous ways from the damage caused by exposure to the steroid hormone corticosterone. (R)
Animal studies on Parkinson’s disease and eleuthero or one of its components, sesamin, found they mitigated symptoms of the disease, preserved dopamine-associated neurons, and raised levels of dopamine. (R1, R2)
Eleuthero’s value in treating Parkinson’s is due to complex metabolic shifts, including metabolism of some amino acids and use of fatty acids. (R)
Some of its components known as saponins also show promise in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. (R)
Extracts derived from Siberian ginseng protected neurons and synapses from atrophy and death; they may have use in combating Alzheimer’s disease. (R)
A similar study found it effective in preventing death of neurons after a restriction in blood flow to the brain, sparing the memory-associated hippocampus from harm. (R)
Eleuthero improves endurance
Numerous animal studies have demonstrated that eleuthero increases the capacity for physical exertion. (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6)
Treatment benefited subjects in a number of ways – by enhancing breakdown of fatty acids in muscles to facilitate energy production (R) increasing stores of glycogen, or stored glucose, and reducing blood levels of certain waste products. (R)
Effectively, eleuthero increases endurance by reducing the muscle damage typical with exertion. (R)
A study of athletic men concluded that eleuthero boosted consumed oxygen, or VO2 (a measure of capacity for exertion [R]), endurance time, and peak heart rate. (R)
A review of more than 35 trials on thousands of healthy subjects under various types of stress, such as factory work and deep sea diving, found that eleuthero treatment broadly increased the capacity for physical and mental work. (R)
Eleuthero fights fatigue
Eleuthero is characterized by numerous researchers as fighting fatigue and enhancing stamina and cognition. (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7)
These effects may be (partially) explained by its tendency to bind to the receptors associated with steroid hormones, producing a steroid-like effect. (R)
Eleuthero improves mental performance in those with mild fatigue. (R)
Two months of eleuthero treatment reduced fatigue in subjects without severe symptoms. (R)
Eleuthero reduced tiredness from hangover. (R)
Eleuthero enhances the immune system
Eleuthero contains two immuno-stimulating compounds and one anti-bacterial compound. (R)
Eleuthero blunted histamine release from mast cells and prevented anaphylaxis. (R)
It also blunted systemic allergy and the expression of pro-inflammatory protein complexes TNF-alpha and IL-6 in mast cells. (R)
It exhibits strong anti-viral activity against RNA-type viruses, such as human rhinovirus and influenza-A. (R)
Eleuthero effected a “drastic increase” in the number of various white blood cell types in humans, including helper and cytotoxic T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. (R)
Eleuthero is anti-inflammatory
Siberian ginseng reduced the severity of arthritis by hindering the pro-inflammatory proteins TNF-alpha and IL-6. (R)
It broadly averted damage to the intestines from certain toxins, tightened junctions important in prevention of leaky gut, and inhibited inflammatory proteins. (R)
Eleuthero was found to combat hangover; it corrected alcohol-induced low blood sugar and elevation of an inflammatory marker (CRP). It also reduced symptoms of headache, dizziness, stomachache and nausea. (R)
It powerfully fought swelling in the lower limbs of women by supporting lymph function. (R)
Eleuthero reduced the inflammatory response triggered by a toxic insult to the lungs by inhibiting the protein complex NF-kB. (R)
It spared neurons from death when blood flow to the brain was restricted, apparently through anti-inflammatory activity – inhibiting the pain-and-inflammation-associated COX-2, and the microglia, (R) the brain’s immune cells. (R)
Eleuthero significantly inhibited the enzymes MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-7 and MMP-9, (R1, R2, R3), which are implicated in a number of disease processes, including arthritis and cancer. (R)
Siberian ginseng also prevents overproduction of nitric oxide (NO), a process tied to many inflammatory diseases. (R1, R2, R3)
Eleuthero is an antioxidant
Siberian ginseng’s flavonoids include quercetin, quercitrin, rutin and hyperin; (R) it contains six antioxidant compounds in total. (R)
Eleuthero is a stronger antioxidant than Korean ginseng, or what is generally known of as “ginseng,” (R) and is more effective than rhodiola and Indian gooseberry at cleaning up certain chemicals. (R)
Animals exposed to a toxic solvent increased levels of several key antioxidant enzymes with eleuthero treatment. (R)
In addition to boosting levels of antioxidants and their activity, eleuthero also supports Nrf2, the protein responsible for antioxidant expression. (R)
Eleuthero improves diabetes and obesity
Eleuthero reversed the obesity, fatty liver and high LDL cholesterol in animals fed a high-fat diet. (R)
A similar study found that it reduced levels of triglycerides in blood. (R)
One eleuthero compound improved many markers of metabolic syndrome, including boosting glucose use and insulin sensitivity; decreasing blood glucose and insulin levels; and protecting pancreatic alpha and beta cells from diabetes-inflicted damage in Type 2 diabetic animals. (R)
Eleuthero protects the liver
Eleuthero protected liver cells from death with toxic cadmium exposure, and reduced cadmium levels in the liver and blood. (R)
It prevented injury to the liver from an oxidative agent. (R)
It averted liver failure in mice. (R)
Eleuthero and cancer
Eleuthero contains four compounds that have anti-cancer activity, and one compound that protects against radiation. (R)
Eleuthero inhibited three leukemia cell lines (R) and four other cancer cell lines. (R)
It also triggered programmed cell death in liver carcinoma (R) and leukemia and turned back on genes that had been silenced. (R)
One component, sesamin, suppressed the growth of stomach cancer cells and induced cell death. (R)
Eleuthero improved survival of irradiated animals and reduced the number and growth of both benign and malignant tumors. (R)
It also appears to protect the brain from the harm associated with radiation exposure. (R)
It has also been found to inhibit malignant tumors, such as those of the lungs and liver. (R)
Eleuthero is good for bones
Six months of eleuthero treatment increased levels of the hormone osteocalcin in women with osteoporosis and osteopenia; (R) osteocalcin is involved in bone-building, bone mineralization and maintenance of calcium. (R)
It also supported bone growth and halved the inflammatory processes associated with bone loss. (R)
Additional benefits
Researchers have suggested that eleuthero may function as a treatment for erectile dysfunction by supporting adrenal function. (R)
Eleuthero is a useful skincare agent. In particular, one component, phlorizin, induces positive genetic changes and increases expression of skin-building proteins like type IV collagen. (R)
Contraindications
Siberian ginseng is associated with elevated blood lead levels in its users. (R)
Eleutherosides may inhibit the enzymes necessary for metabolizing certain drugs, making those drugs more toxic. (R)
Eleuthero contains compounds that potently inhibit platelet aggregation. (R)
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