title: Ginseng for health care: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials in Korean literature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This systematic review was performed to summarise randomised clinical trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy and safety of ginseng in the Korean literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved systematic searches conducted in eight Korean Medical databases. The methodological quality of all of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. We included all RCTs on any type of ginseng compared to placebo, active treatment or no treatment in healthy individuals or patients regardless of conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 1415 potentially relevant studies were identified, and 30 randomised clinical trials were included. Nine RCTs assessed the effects of ginseng on exercise capacity, cognitive performance, somatic symptoms, quality of life, and sleeping in healthy persons. Six RCTs tested ginseng compared with placebo for erectile dysfunction, while another four studies evaluated the effects of ginseng against no treatment for gastric and colon cancer. Two RCTs compared the effect of red ginseng on diabetes mellitus with no treatment or placebo, and the other nine RCTs assessed the effects of ginseng compared with placebo or no treatment on various conditions. The methodological caveats of the included trials make their contribution to the current clinical evidence of ginseng somewhat limited. However, the 20 newly added trials (66.7% of the 30 trials) may provide useful information for future trials. Ginseng appears to be generally safe, and no serious adverse effects have been reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical effects of ginseng have been tested in a wide range of conditions in Korea. Although the quality of RCTs published in the Korean literature was generally poor, this review is useful for researchers to access studies that were originally published in languages that they would otherwise be unable to read and due to the paucity of evidence on this subject.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jiae
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Tae-Hun
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae-Young
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Myeong Soo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055670:Medicine, Korean Traditional; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D028321:Plant Preparations
references.citation: J Ginseng Res. 2012 Apr;36(2):190-7
references.pmid: 23717119
references.citation: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2011:282151
references.pmid: 19592479
references.citation: Korean J Fam Med. 2012 Jul;33(4):190-6
references.pmid: 22916320
references.citation: Altern Med Rev. 2004 Sep;9(3):259-74
references.pmid: 15387718
references.citation: Chin J Integr Med. 2011 Dec;17(12):937-44
references.pmid: 22139546
references.citation: J Acupunct Meridian Stud. 2011 Jun;4(2):85-97
references.pmid: 21704950
references.citation: Phytother Res. 2013 Jul;27(7):949-65
references.pmid: 22969004
references.citation: J Ginseng Res. 2012 Apr;36(2):176-89
references.pmid: 23717118
references.citation: J Ginseng Res. 2021 Jan;45(1):191-198
references.pmid: 33437171
references.citation: J Altern Complement Med. 2012 Nov;18(11):1061-9
references.pmid: 22909282
references.citation: Complement Ther Med. 2012 Jun;20(3):155-66
references.pmid: 22500665
references.citation: Adv Food Nutr Res. 2009;55:1-99
references.pmid: 18772102
references.citation: Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1999 Oct;55(8):567-75
references.pmid: 10541774
references.citation: Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2008 Oct;66(4):444-50
references.pmid: 18754850
references.citation: Can J Clin Pharmacol. 2008 Winter;15(1):e87-94
references.pmid: 18204104
references.citation: J Med Assoc Thai. 2007 Jun;90(6):1172-9
references.pmid: 17624213
references.citation: J Alzheimers Dis. 2009;18(2):339-44
references.pmid: 19584437
references.citation: Respir Med. 2011 Feb;105(2):165-76
references.pmid: 21146973
references.citation: J Altern Complement Med. 2011 Jan;17(1):45-9
references.pmid: 21235416
references.citation: Ann Pharmacother. 2006 Jan;40(1):83-95
references.pmid: 16332943