Effect of Korean Red Ginseng on Psychological Functions in Patients with Severe Climacteric Syndromes : A Comprehensive Study from the Viewpoint of Traditional KAMPO-medicine and Western Medicine

Takehiko Tode,Yoshihiro Kikuchi 고려인삼학회 2003 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.27 No.3

Objective; Antistress effect of Korean red ginseng (RG) on postmenopausal women with severe climacteric syndrome (CS) were evaluated from the viewpoint of traditional KAMPO-medicine and Western medicine. Methods; All patients with CS were treated with daily oral administration of 6g RG for 30 days. Nine patients with CS were evaluated with the use of diagnostic scores for KI-deficiency (deficiency of vital energy) and OKETSU (blood stagnation) syndrome from the viewpoint of KAMPO-medicine. In the same patients with CS, peripheral blood levels of β-endorphin and total plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (t-PAI-1) were measured before and after treatment with RG. In another group, 12 patients with CS, psychological test using CMI, STAI and SDS were performed from the viewpoint of Western medicine. Stress related hormones, such as ACTH, cortisol and DHEA-S in those 12 patients with CS were also measured before and after treatment with RG. Results; KI-deficiency score and OKETSU score in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.001) higher than those in patients without CS. After treatment with RG, both scores were markedly (p<0.001)<br/> decreased compared to before treatment with RG. β-endorphin levels in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in patients without CS. Total PAI-1 levels in patients with CS were increased before treatment with RG. No significant difference, however, were observed between patients with and without CS. After treatment with RG, both levels of β-endorphin and total PAI-1 in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively) decreased compared to before treatment with RG. CMI and STAI scores in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in patients without CS. SDS scores in patients with CS were also markedly (p<0.001) higher than in those without<br/> CS. After treatment with RG, all scores decreased within normal range. DHEA-S levels in patients with CS were about a half of those without CS. Consequently, cortisol/DHEA-S (C/D) ratio was significantly (p<0.001) higher in patients with CS than in those without CS. Although the decreased DHEA-S levels were not restored to the levels in patients without CS, the C/D ratio decreased significantly (p<0.05) after treatment with RG. Conclusion; Reinforcement of vital energy and improvement of stagnant blood circulations by oral administration of RG were elucidated from the viewpoint of traditional KAMPO-medicine. From the viewpoint of Western medicine, effect of RG on postmenopausal women with CS<br/> seemed to be brought about in part by not only an improvement of psychoneuroendocrine dysfunctions but also an amelioration<br/> of blood coagulation systems.

Effect of Korean Red Ginseng on Psychological Functions Patients with Severe Climacteric Syndromes : A Comprehensive Study from the Viewpoint of Traditional KAMPO-medicine and Western Medicine

Tode, Takehiko,Kikuchi, Yoshihiro The Korean Society of Ginseng 2003 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.27 No.3

Objective; Antistress effect of Korean red ginseng (RG) on postmenopausal women with severe climacteric syndrome (CS) were evaluated from the viewpoint of traditional KAMPO-medicine and Western medicine. Methods; All patients with CS were treated with daily oral administration of 6g RG for 30 days. Nine patients with CS were evaluated with the use of diagnostic scores for KI-deficiency (deficiency of vital energy) and OKETSU (blood stagnation) syndrome from the viewpoint of KAMPO-medicine. In the same patients with CS, peripheral blood levels of ${\beta}$-endorphin and total plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (t-PAI-1) were measured before and after treatment with RG. In another group, 12 patients with CS, psychological test using CMI, STAI and SDS were performed from the viewpoint of Western medicine. Stress related hormones, such as ACTH, cortisol and DHEA-S in those 12 patients with CS were also measured before and after treatment with RG. Results; KI-deficiency score and OKETSU score in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.001) higher than those in patients without CS. After treatment with RG, both scores were markedly (p<0.001) decreased compared to before treatment with RG. ${\beta}$-endorphin levels in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in patients without CS. Total PAI-levels in patients with CS were increased before treatment with RG. No significant difference, however, were observed between patients with and without CS. After treatment with RG, both levels of ${\beta}$-endorphin and total PAI-1 in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively) decreased compared to before treatment with RG. CMI and STAI scores in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in patients without CS. SDS scores in patients with CS were also markedly (p<0.00l) higher than in those without CS. After treatment with RG, all scores decreased within normal range. DHEA-S levels in patients with CS were about a half of those without CS. Consequently, cortisol/DHEA-S (C/D) ratio was significantly(p<0.001) higher in patients with CS than in those without CS. Although the decreased DHEA-S levels were not restored to the levels in patients without CS, the C/D ratio decreased significantly (p<0.05) after treatment with RG. Conclusion; Reinforcement of vital energy and improvement of stagnant blood circulations by oral administration of RG were elucidated from the viewpoint of traditional KAMPO-medicine. From the viewpoint of Western medicine, effect of RG on postmenopsusal women with CS seemed to be brought about in part by not only an improvement of psychoneuroendocrine dysfunctions but also an amelioration of blood coagulation systems.

Clinical Usefulness of Korean Red Ginseng in Postmenopausal Women with Severe Climacteric Disturbance

Yoshihiro Kikuchi(Yoshihiro Kikuchi),Takehiko Tode(Takehiko Tode),Junko Hirata(Junko Hirata),Hideyuki Nakata(Hideyuki Nakata),Tsunekazu Kita(Tsunekazu Kita) 고려인삼학회 2003 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.27 No.3

The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical usefulness of Korean red ginseng (RG) on various postmenopausal syndromes. Total plasminogen inhibitor-1 (tPAI-1) in peripheral blood from 9 postmenopausal women with climacteric syndromes (CS) was measured before and 3 months after treatment with daily oral administrat i on of 6g RG and that from 8 postmenopausal women without any CS was also measured as healthy controls. Blood samples were collected in the early morning on the bed-rest. Psychological conditions of postmenopausal women with CS were measured before and 3 months after treatment with RG using simplified menopausal index (SMI). In addition, OKETSU (blood stagnation) syndrome scores and KI deficiency (generalized energy stagnation) scores proposed by Terasawa et al., were recorded before and 3months after treatment with RG in postmenopausal women with CS and in healthy postmenopausal women. OKETSU syndrome scores and tPAI-1 levels in postmenopausal patients with CS were significantly (P<0.001 and<br/> P<0.01) higher than those in healthy postmenopausal women without CS. Similarly, SMI scores and KI deficiency scores in postmenopausal patients with CS were about three-fold higher than those without any CS. When RG was administered for 3 months, KI deficiency scores and OKETSU scores as well as SMI scores declined around the levels of healthy postmenopausal women. Although tPAI-1 levels significantly (P<0.05) decreased after treatment with RG, those did not reach the levels of healthy postmenopausal women. Clinical usefulness of administration of RG to postmenopausal women with CS was confirmed from evaluation not only by modern medicine but also by traditional KAMPO medicine.

Clinical Usefulness of Korean Red Ginseng in Postmenopausal Women with Severe Climacteric Disturbance

Kikuchi, Yoshihiro,Tode, Takehiko,Hirata, Junko,Nakataand, Hideyui,Kita, Tsunekazu The Korean Society of Ginseng 2003 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.27 No.3

The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical usefulness of Korean red ginseng (RG) on various postmenopausal syndromes. Total plasminogen inhibitor-l (tPAI-l) in peripheral blood from 9 postmenopausal women with climacteric syndromes (CS) was measured before and 3 months after treatment with daily oral administration of 6 g RG and that from 8 postmenopausal women without any CS was also measured as healthy controls. Blood samples were collected in the early morning on the bed-rest. Psychological conditions of postmenopausal women with CS were measured before and 3 months after treatment with RG using simplified menopausal index (SMI). In addition, OKETSU (blood stagnation) syndrome scores and KI deficiency (generalized energy stagnation) scores proposed by Terasawa et al., were recorded before and 3 months after treatment with RG in postmenopausal women with CS and in healthy postmenopausal women. OKETSU syndrome scores and tPAI-l levels in postmenopausal patients with CS were significantly (P<0.001 and P<0.01) higher than those in healthy postmenopausal women without CS. Similarly, SMI scores and KI deficiency scores in postmenopausal patients with CS were about three-fold higher than those without any CS. When RG was administered for 3 months, KI deficiency scores and OKETSU scores as well as SMI scores declined around the levels of healthy postmenopausal women. Although tPAI-1 levels significantly (P<0.05) decreased after treatment with RG, those did not reach the levels of healthy postmenopausal women. Clinical usefulness of administration of RG to postmenopausal women with CS was confirmed from evaluation not only by modem medicine but also by traditional KAMPO medicine.