ELEUTHERO  (Syn. Siberian ginseng; ciwujia).

Plant Source: Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. and Maxim) Maxim. (Family Araliaceae).

Part Used: Dried root and rhizome.

Properties: Tonic, stimulant, adaptogenic, strengthens tendons and bones, removes rheumatism, invigorates blood and breaks up blood stasis, diuretic.
Most Common Traditional Uses: Rheumatism, arthritis, backache, edema, weakness of legs, impotence, traumatic injuries.

Modern/Recent Uses: Stress, low resistance to diseases.

Eleuthero, or ciwujia, is one of several wujias that have been used interchangeably for over 2000 years in China as a general tonic to treat various conditions. Although also called Siberian "ginseng" with tonic properties like ginseng and belonging to the same family as ginseng, eleuthero contains active constituents that are quite different from those of ginseng. Thus, it does not contain the well-known saponin glycosides (called ginsenosides) which are the major active principles of ginseng. Instead, its active components (called eleutherosides) are glycosides of sterols, phenylpropanoids, coumarins, lignans and triterpenes. It also contains other nutrients such as vitamins (E, b -carotene, etc.) and polysaccharides, among others.

As typical in research on tonics, bits and pieces of scientific evidence have shown eleuthero to have broad biological effects, including hypoglycemic, antiinflammatory, diuretic, estrogenic, gonadotropic, antihypertensive, antioxidant, immunomodulating, antitumor, antiedema, stress-resistant, etc. Although some of the activities have been attributed to certain eleutherosides and polysaccharides in eleuthero, the fact remains we still don't know how and why eleuthero works. Instead of looking for a single chemical hoping it will give us the key to eleuthero's secrets, we should be evaluating the whole.