Herb Profile
American Ginseng
Panax quinquefolius
American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) carries a Grade B rating — moderate evidence.
Last reviewed: •3 sources citedReport a correctionProfile-wide ·B Moderate
Standard caution — Hypoglycemia risk Details
- Evidence
- Moderate Evidence
- Typical onset
- Varies by prep
- Safety rating
- Low caution
- Best for
- Metabolic
- Avoid / review if
- Antidiabetics
Safety
Safety & Cautions
Hypoglycemia risk
Standard caution
Caution level: Standard. No specific caution categories were detected in the source record.
Detailed safety fields
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and contraindications
- Antidiabetics
Full safety note
- Hypoglycemia risk
Evidence-based safety
Caution when combined
Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.
Moderate Caution
110 flagged pairingsBlood-sugar lowering
Moderate Caution
110 flagged pairingsBlood-sugar lowering
Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.
Blood-sugar loweringCertainty: Theoretical
Data provenance recorded for 110 of 110 pairings in this mechanism group.
- Acarbose — Theoretical interaction certainty
- ajoene — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Allicin — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Aloe Vera — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Alpha-Lipoic Acid — Theoretical interaction certainty
- American Ginseng Extract — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Andrographis — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Anemarrhena Asphodeloides — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Tarragon — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Ashoka — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Astragalus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Astragalus Membranaceus — Theoretical interaction certainty
+98 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.
Evidence
Evidence Summary
Evidence lens
Useful signal, but study design, dose, and population still matter.
ModerateModerate Evidence
Human clinical evidence: Present in source signals
Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Metabolic Regulation · Glucose Metabolism Support
Research maturity: Established research — Long Term Human Evidence May Be Limited.
Safety boundary: Safety note available — Hypoglycemia risk
This profile cites 3 human studies.
Study design details
Evidence Grade
Grade B: Moderate Evidence
Evaluation of methodological rigor, population reach, and evidence alignment.
- Design Match
- Systematic review
- Risk of Bias
- Low
- Consistency
- Not assessed
Strongest recorded design is a systematic review, drawn from 4 recorded studies, 1 in people.
How evidence grades work
Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.
- Strong
- Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
- Moderate
- Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
- Preliminary / Mixed
- Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
- Traditional / Theoretical
- Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (4)1 human evidence source · 0 human trials · Participant totals not consistently reported · Consistency not yet classifiable
Filter by study class
Showing 4 of 4 studies.
What the evidence actually shows
This table contains 4 structured sources, including 1 human evidence source; 0 are human trials.
| Study | Design | N | Dose | Duration | Population | Outcome | Result & magnitude | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bower JE et al. · J Clin Oncol · 2024 Background | Systematic review Uses a predefined method to find and evaluate relevant studies, but may or may not pool their results statistically. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Common Herbal Dietary Supplement-Drug Interactions Asher GN et al. · Am Fam Physician · 2017 Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Pharmacological Effects of Ginseng: Multiple Constituents and Multiple Actions on Humans Zhou G et al. · Am J Chin Med · 2023 Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | A 2026 review summarizes human neurocognitive research on Panax quinquefolius. Species identity is a hard boundary: American ginseng evidence should not be inherited from Panax ginseng or mixed-ginseng preparations. | PubMed → |
Dosing & Timing
- Dose guidance
- 1 3 g root or extract equivalent
How American Ginseng works
Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.
Mechanism Pathway — How American Ginseng Works
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome
Mechanisms & biological pathways (preclinical)
- Metabolic Regulation
- Glucose Metabolism Support
Active Compounds
Key constituents studied in American Ginseng, with full pharmacology and safety profiles.
Compare related active botanicals
Explore botanicals with similar chemistry, effects, or safety considerations in the Botanical Activity Atlas.
Compare & Sourcing
Compare side-by-side tradeoffs or verify active marker guidelines.
Review available sources for American Ginseng
Independent database mapping — evaluated separately from safety and efficacy scores.
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Safety first · Harm reduction
This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.
Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.
Founder & Head Researcher · Oak Ridge, TN · Last reviewed August 2026
Editorial Review
Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.
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