ABSTRACT
Ginseng, the root of the plant Panax (C.A. Meyer Araliaceae), has been used as an important component of herbal prescriptions in the eastern countries such as Korea, China, and Japan for more than 2000 years and now represents one of the most popular natural remedies with numerous applications. The genus “Panax,” named by the Russian botanist C.A. Meyer, was derived from the Greek word panacea, representing “cure-all and longevity.” The term “ginseng” derived from the Chinese word rensheng, which means “human” as ginseng roots resemble the shape of the human
7.1 Origin and General Medicinal Use of Ginseng ............................................ 147 7.2 Physical and Chemical Properties of Ginseng ............................................. 148 7.3 Neuroprotective Effects of Ginseng ............................................................. 149
7.3.1 Alzheimer’s Disease ......................................................................... 149 7.3.2 Cognitive Impairment and Memory De cit ..................................... 151 7.3.3 Parkinsons’s Disease ......................................................................... 152 7.3.4 Ischemic Brain Injuries ..................................................................... 153 7.3.5 Other Neuronal Injuries .................................................................... 154
7.4 Potential Neuroprotective Mechanisms of Ginseng ..................................... 155 7.4.1 Antiapoptosis .................................................................................... 155 7.4.2 Antioxidant ....................................................................................... 159 7.4.3 Anti-In ammation ............................................................................ 161 7.4.4 Other Mechanisms ............................................................................ 163
7.5 Concluding Remarks .................................................................................... 165 Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. 165 References .............................................................................................................. 165
body (Radad et al., 2006). Since its introduction into western cultures, ginseng has occupied a permanent and prominent position in the best-seller list of herbal medicine worldwide.
