Eleuthero, which used to be called Siberian ginseng, is a wonderful herb that helps us adapt to stress—hence it is called an adaptogen in herbalese. It also is a tonic, meaning that it helps restore and invigorate our bodies through the synergistic interactions of all its components with our body.

There have been many scientific studies that demonstrate daily use has resulted in an increased ability to deal with physical stress, including heat, noise, motion, workload and exercise. 

? One study took place in a Russian auto plant. In this study 13,000 workers were given eleuthero every day. The overall number of sick days was reduced by 1/3 compared to workers who did not receive the herb (Barenboim, G.M. "Eleutherococcus: Strategy of Use and New Fundamental Data." Medexport 1981).

? In other studies, eleuthero has increases alertness, work output and the quality of the work.

? Another study showed that people with blood pressure that was too high (hypertensive) and others with blood pressure that was too low (hypotensive), both benefited from taking this herb, illustrating eleuthero’s normalizing ability: helping the body return to normal.

As I said in my last blog entry, eleuthero is used by many (including myself) to help with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). CFS has symptoms of fatigue, a decreased sense of well being and a lowered immune system. Many believe that CFS is the result of the building up of environmental toxins in our bodies. Eleuthero’s normalizing properties help our bodies deal with the effects of CFS—which can be totally debilitating—and help us prevent further damage. 

All of this makes eleuthero an important part of our herbal medicine cabinet.

Wendy Keeney-Kennicutt