Effects of Korean Red Ginseng on Sexual Arousal in Menopausal Women: Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Crossover Clinical Study

Abstract

Introduction Many menopausal women experience climacteric symptoms including impairment of sexual function. Recent reports have suggested that Korean red ginseng (KRG) has a relaxing effect on the clitoral cavernosal muscle and vaginal smooth muscle in rats. Aim We assessed whether KRG extracts would improve sexual function in menopausal women. Methods Thirty-two menopausal women participated in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover clinical study with administration of either three capsules of ginseng (1 g per capsule) or placebo daily. After completing the KRG or placebo arm, the participants were crossed over to the other arm after a 2-week washout period. The efficacy and safety of the KRG extracts were measured by using questionnaires. Main Outcome Measures Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Global Assessment Questionnaire (GAQ). Results Twenty-eight women completed the study. They were, on average, 51.2 ± 4.1 years old, and their mean menopausal state was for a duration of 37.4 ± 2.9 months. Few carryover effects were noted in either study arm. The ginseng extract significantly improved scores on the FSFI from 3.10 ± 0.87 to 3.50 ± 0.72 in the sexual arousal domain (P = 0.006). The GAQ was more significantly affected by ginseng extracts than by placebo (P = 0.046). There were no severe adverse events in the KRG group, although two cases of vaginal bleeding occurred during KRG treatment. Conclusions Oral administration of KRG extracts improved sexual arousal in menopausal women. Red ginseng extracts might be used as an alternative medicine in menopausal women to improve their sexual life.

Effect of Korean Red Ginseng Supplementation on Ocular Blood Flow in Patients with Glaucoma

“…KRG has been demonstrated to be effective in numerous vascular diseases [23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34]. The authors believed that KRG supplementation in open-angle glaucoma patients might be helpful for improving ocular blood flow.…”

“…Red ginseng is reported to be pharmacologically more active than raw ginseng in terms of chemical constituents (Rh4 and Rf2) that are produced in the steaming process [22]. In the past few years, the favorable effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG) have been reported in numerous diseases, including cardiovascular disease [23][24][25][26][27][28], cerebrovascular disease [29], hyperlipidemic disease [30,31], sexual dysfunction [32,33], and Alzheimer's disease [34], though the exact explanation for these effects is not clear.…”

Effects of Korean ginseng berry extract on sexual function in men with erectile dysfunction: a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical study

“…Ginseng has been used in Asian countries to promote several health aspects, including sexual function, rarely having any adverse effects. 21 Several studies have described the clinical efficacy of ginseng and its extract for treatment of ED. 20,22 However, Jang et al 23 reported that out of 28 published articles on the effect of ginseng on the treatment of ED, only 7 articles satisfied their strict criteria of being double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.…”

“…Moreover, some of these studies did not describe baseline comparison of ED symptoms or obtain appropriate ethical approval. [20][21][22][23][24] The clinical trial described herein was designed as a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, addressing both the efficacy and safety of SKGB extract in men with mild-to-moderate ED.…”

Panax ginsengRhodiola roseaandSchisandra chinensis

“…In a clinical study, the effect of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) extract on improving sexual function was assessed in 28 menopausal women (51.2 ± 4.1 years old) with a mean menopausal duration of 37.4 ± 2.9 months (Oh et al, 2010). The result was that KRG extract significantly improved scores on the Female Sexual Function Index in the sexual arousal domain (Oh et al, 2010).…”