Ginseng for cognition
Geng J, et al
Published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Methodology
Cochrane systematic review; searches of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, LILACS, trial registries and grey literature to February 2009; duplicate independent data extraction in RevMan 5.0 with authors contacted for unpublished data.
Key Findings
This Cochrane review identified 9 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of ginseng for cognition, 8 in healthy participants and 1 in people with age-associated memory impairment. Only 5 trials had extractable data, and pooling was impossible because outcome measures, trial duration and ginseng dose were too heterogeneous. Individual results suggested improvement in some aspects of cognition, behaviour and quality of life, and no serious adverse events were linked to ginseng. The authors conclude there is a lack of convincing evidence of a cognitive-enhancing effect in healthy people and no high-quality evidence in dementia.
Conclusions
Currently, there is a lack of convincing evidence to show a cognitive enhancing effect of Panax ginseng in healthy participants and no high quality evidence about its efficacy in patients with dementia.
Limitations
No meta-analysis was possible because of heterogeneity in outcomes, duration and dose; only five of nine eligible trials had usable data and none studied dementia patients adequately.
Supplements Studied
Currently, there is a lack of convincing evidence to show a cognitive enhancing effect of Panax ginseng in healthy participants.
Currently, there is a lack of convincing evidence to show a cognitive enhancing effect of Panax ginseng in healthy participants.
Related Health Concerns
Study Details
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