Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

72 Alternative and Complementary Approaches
BILOBA, though any effects on LIBIDO beyond
heightened alertness remain unclear. A number of
energy drinks and similar products contain ginseng,
though not in amounts likely to produce any
effects.
Acanthopanax (Siberian Ginseng)
Herbalists call this ginseng cousin by the common
name Acanthopanax. The plants of Acanthopanax
look similar to true ginseng and are indigenous to
northern China and the region of southern Russia
once called Siberia, hence the misnomer Siberian
ginseng. However, Acanthopanax contains
eleutherosides, which have strong STIMULANT characteristics,
rather than ginsenosides. Both
eleutherosides and ginsenosides belong to the
same chemical family, saponins, which have a
range of actions including CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
stimulation, antibiotic properties, and immune
response. Asparagus root, onion, and GARLIC also
contain saponins. The stimulant effect of Acanthopanax
is strong enough that this ginseng relative
is on the list of banned substances for
Olympic athletes. Herbalists value Acanthopanax
as a tonic (preparation that increases STRENGTH and
ENDURANCE) rather than a medicinal herb.
People who have HYPERTENSION (high BLOOD
PRESSURE) and women who are pregnant should
not take Acanthopanax. Women should temporarily
stop taking Acanthopanax during their menstrual
periods as it may cause excessive bleeding.
Most herbalists recommend taking Acanthopanax
no longer than 90 days, then taking a three- to
six-week break before taking it again.
ACANTHOPANAX GINSENG
Uses Risks/Side Effects Interactions
alertness elevated BLOOD antihypertensive
athletic PRESSURE medications
enhancement excitability, furosemide (Lasix)
irritability
insomnia
excessive menstrual
bleeding
See also TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE (TCM).
glucosamine A GLUCOSE compound the body uses
to produce the chemical substances it needs to
repair and maintain JOINT CARTILAGE, ligaments,
and tendons. In health, the body generates sufficient
quantities of endogenous glucosamine
through a complex series of metabolic interactions.
When damage through wear and tear
occurs to the joints, the body may have difficulty
keeping pace with its glucosamine needs. The
older the person, the more quickly the body
reaches the point at which it cannot produce
enough glucosamine to produce the substances to
repair joint tissues. The result is OSTEOARTHRITIS—
INFLAMMATION and degeneration of the cartilage
and related tissues in the joint.
Doctors in Europe and numerous countries
around the world prescribe glucosamine supplementation
to replenish the body’s supply and
allow the natural HEALING processes to take place.
Veterinarians in the United States similarly use
glucosamine to treat osteoarthritis in domestic
pets as well as large animals such as horses. However,
doctors in the United States do not often
consider glucosamine as a possible treatment for
osteoarthritis, in part because NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-
INFLAMMATORY DRUGS (NSAIDS), which became popular
in the late 1970s and early 1980s, are so
effective at controlling both the PAIN and the
inflammation characteristic of osteoarthritis and in
part because there were few clinical research studies
to support glucosamine’s effectiveness.
Clinical studies in the 1980s and 1990s began
to show objective evidence that glucosamine supplements
(exogenous glucosamine) seemed able
to at least partially restore the body’s ability to
heal osteoarthritis damage, and some doctors
started recommending it for people who could not
tolerate the gastrointestinal irritation of NSAIDs.
About half of the people in the studies experienced
moderate to significant relieve from pain,
stiffness, and limited range of motion in arthritic
knees and hips. The effect seems even more profound
when taking glucosamine in combination
with CHONDROITIN, another glucose-based structure
(called a complex polysaccharide).
However, researchers continue to debate
whether glucosamine taken as a supplement has
the same action in the body as endogenous glucosamine.
So far clinical research studies have
failed to reveal the actions of exogenous glucosamine
once it enters the body. Because glu-