ELEUTHÉROCOQUE (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
Where did he come from?
Classified among adaptogenic plants, the eruceterocoque, sometimes called Russian ginseng, has a very global action. It acts simultaneously against fatigue and the effects of stress, it is a stimulant of the nervous system and memory, it is notably anti-inflammatory as well as immuno-stimulating! Its actions are similar to those of panax ginseng, but are gentler.
Known to the Chinese since ancient times to increase longevity, eteuthercoull has been used in therapeutics in Russia since the late 1950s. Nicknamed Siberian ginseng, however, it is to the Russians what ginseng is to the Chinese: a stimulating and adaptogenic plant.
How can we describe it botanically?
It is a thorny shrub measuring 2 to 3 meters high. The roots are greyish yellow to light brown and wrinkled longitudinally. The stem has leaves composed of 3 to 5 leaflets covered on both sides by numerous thorns. Young branches are covered with thorns that disappear on older branches. The umbelle inflorescence consists of yellowish female flowers, purple male flowers and yellowish hermaphrodites. Fruits are black drupes. The parts used in medicine are the roots.
What is it made of?
Etetherococus is composed of polysaccharides, heterosides, phenolic compounds, coumarins and lignans, as well as phenylpropanic acids
What are its main pharmacological properties?
Various studies have been able to highlight the adaptogenic properties of the etutherococcal disease. It is said that a substance is adaptogenic if it has a non-specific activity, i.e. it must increase its resistance against physical, biological or chemical harmful agents. It must also have a normalizing action independent of the nature of the pathological condition, must be harmless and should not influence normal functions more than requested.
In runners, taking etelincocoque for 6 weeks decreases the pectoral strength and quadriceps by 13 and 15% compared to the placebo group. In another study, in athletes taking eteutherococcal disease for 8 days, there was an increase in exercise capacity compared to placebo (23.3% vs. 7.5%) as well as effort time until exhaustion (16.3% vs. 5.4%). In people who make an intense effort, taking eteutherococcal for 14 days decreases the heart rate, the accumulation of lactate (-33%) post-effort and increase VO2 to anaerobiosis threshold (up 7%) as well as fat metabolism (up 43%).
In humans, it has been shown that taking an extract of eteutherococcal significantly increases total lymphocytes, T-helper lymphocytes, T-suppressor lymphocytes, natural killer cells and B cells compared to placebo.
Chronic administration of eteutherococcal (5 days) in mice decreases blood glucose in a dose dependent manner. In healthy subjects, an extract of etelincococisk reduces postprandial blood sugar. This decrease is also observed in patients with mild to moderate diabetes. Isolated syringin (eteutheroside B) also has this property. It would act by increasing the release of acetylcholine at the level of nerve cells, which itself stimulates muscarinic receptors in pancreatic cells allowing an increase in the release of insulin and thus a decrease in blood glucose.
What are the indications of the ELeutherococcus senticosus?
- Physical and sexual asthenias
- Preparing for sports efforts
- Preventing repeated infections
- Memory problems in the elderly
- Mild to moderate diabetes
- Palpitations, tachycardia, stress-related tension disorders
What are the job precautions?
- Risk of hypokaliemia by pseudohyperaldostéronism in prolonged use
- Under-indicated in people with autoimmune diseases
- Under-indicated in pregnant or lactating women due to lack of toxicological data
- Counter indicated in children under 12 years of age
- Commission E recommends avoiding erustherococcal intake in case of high blood pressure (over 180/90)
Are there risks of drug interactions?
Like all substances containing active ingredients, the risk of drug interactions should be taken into account.
As the e-leutherococcal is no exception to this rule, here is a list of drug interactions to consider:
- Avoid in combination with anticoagulants
- Risk of interaction with hypoglycemics and hypo/hypertensives
