Sweet news about ginseng
By Janet Raloff
From San Diego, at the Experimental Biology 2000 meeting
Many people with adult-onset diabetes can control their blood sugar or limit side effects of the disease by avoiding large meals and adhering to a healthy diet. A small study now indicates that ginseng may be a helpful addition to such a lifestyle.
Herbalists often prescribe American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) as a folk remedy for diabetes. Several years ago, researchers at the University of Toronto began examining that health claim and now present evidence of a benefit.