Scientific name
Eleutherococcus senticosus, syn. Acanthopanax senticosus
Family
Araliaceae
Origin
Siberia
Synonyms
Siberian ginsengParts Used
The drug consists of the barked roots and rhizomes of the plant
Chemical constituents
- Derivatives of caffeic acid;
- Hydroxycoumarins (isofraxidine);
- Lignans, among which we find eleutheroside D;
- Flavonoids;
- Phytosterols;
- Eleuteroside B;
- Steroid glycosides (eleutheroside A);
- Polysaccharides with immunostimulating action (eleutherans A-G);
- Triterpene saponins (eleutherosides I, K, L and M).
Eleutherococcus in Herbal Medicine: Properties of Eleutherococcus
Eleutherococcus is traditionally considered the sports plant, but in recent years most of the pharmacological and clinical studies have confirmed and highlighted an important immunostimulating activity.
The current main indications for the use of this plant concern asthenia and convalescence from infectious and / or tumor diseases, also as an adjuvant to other therapies.
Among the medicinal properties ascribed to eleutherococcus we mention adaptogenic properties, stimulants of the central nervous system, antidepressants, general tonic and stimulant of endocrine activity.
