title: Effects of Korean red ginseng extract on behavior in children with symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.
abstract: Abstract Objective: There is evidence that Korean red ginseng (KRG) can reduce the production of the adrenal corticosteroids, cortisol, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and thus may be a viable treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial tested the effect of KRG on children with ADHD symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects 6-15 years, who satisfied the inclusion criteria and had ADHD symptoms, were randomized into a KRG group (n=33) or a control group (n=37). The KRG group received one pouch of KRG (1g KRG extract/pouch) twice a day, and the control group received one pouch of placebo twice a day. At the 8 week point, the primary outcomes were the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria for inattention and hyperactivity scale scores, which were measured at baseline and 8 weeks after starting treatment. Secondary outcomes were quantitative electroencephalography theta/beta ratio (QEEG TBR) (measured at baseline and week 8) and salivary cortisol and DHEA levels (measured at baseline and at 4 and 8 weeks).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The baseline characteristics of the KRG and control groups were not statistically different. The mean ages of the KRG and control groups were 10.94±2.26 and 10.86±2.41, respectively. The KRG group had significantly decreased inattention/hyperactivity scores compared with the control group at week 8 (least squared means of the differences in inattention adjusted for baseline scores: -2.25 vs. -1.24, p=0.048; hyperactivity: -1.53 vs. -0.61, p=0.047). The KRG group had significantly decreased QEEG TBR compared with the control group (least squared means of the differences: -0.94 vs. -0.14, p=0.001). However, neither the KRG group nor the control group exhibited significant differences in salivary cortisol or DHEA levels at week 8 compared with the baseline levels. No serious adverse events were reported in either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that KRG extract may be an effective and safe alternative treatment for children with inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms. Further studies to investigate the efficacy and safety of KRG are warranted.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Family Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine , Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Hae-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Inbo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong-Bae
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Min-Cheol
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Whang
authors.forename: Keun-Mi
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seung-Pil
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000032:analysis; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D005894:Panax; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone