"Panax ginseng is a safe, widely available alternative remedy that improves patients' ability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for intercourse, even in a population with severe erectile dysfunction. It is a reasonable, nonprescription treatment, especially for men with reservations about taking sildenafil (Viagra). A 500-mg capsule of Korean red ginseng (Panax) costs about 6 cents, compared with $10 for a tablet of sildenafil."

And in a similar study in November 2002 with 45 men; 60% of them indicated that Ginseng had improved their erections. So this (and also Ginkgo Biloba - read my ramble about that here) may well be good starting points if you find yourself suffering from erectile dysfunction.

Another area in which Ginseng shows alot of promise is in the area of cancer prevention. A Korean study of some 4634 people appeared to show that consuming Ginseng cut by 70% the chances of getting cancer. This study alone however is not enough to be conclusive, because the people taking part were broadly asked to evaluate themselves, and so the study is somewhat subjective in nature. There have however been many similar studies carried out on mice which have demonstrated that panax ginseng does seem to have a inhibitory effect on the development of cancer in rats and mice. The one comprehensive review of the evidence into whether ginseng prevented cancer in humans was carried out in July 2000, and concluded:

"While Panax ginseng has shown cancer-preventive effects both in experimental models and in epidemiological studies, the evidence is currently not conclusive as to its cancer-preventive activity in humans. The available evidence warrants further research into the possible role of ginseng in the prevention of human cancer and carcinogenesis."

So although many of the different animal studies are cause for excitement, there is still much work that needs to be done before the case for ginseng as a cancer treatment in humans is proved. That said, because Ginseng is such a restorative tonic, either way it may well be worth considering taking it.