Panax ginseng/Gingko Biloba and Rhodiola Rosea

[doctorjohn]

the Ginseng and the Gingko combined but with a Rhodiola chaser.......you think the Rhodiola is overkill or not suitable in this combination?

plus,any experiences with any of the above for depression/anxiety or a wee lift for the body/spirit?

[MyNameIsTerry]

I would appreciate knowing a bit more about this too. I was going to rause a thread about Siberian Ginseng, Ginkgo Biloba and adaptagens in general.

Doctorjohn - I have used ginseng before my anxiety but it was the Siberian version. I've always heard that the 'male' version, Panax, can give headaches and that the Siberian is better anyway.

In terms of Ginkgo, NICE have made recommendations for study of this in mild anxiety based on the results of a review of one study. I think thats a good indicator of its efficacy because the medical community are usually quick to state their is little evidence when there are such few studies and don't choose to recommend further clinical studies.

http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg11...eatment-of-gad

4.4 The effectiveness of chamomile and ginkgo biloba in the treatment of GAD

Is chamomile/ginkgo biloba more effective than placebo in increasing response and remission rates and decreasing anxiety ratings for people with GAD?

This question should be addressed using a placebo-controlled, double-blind randomised design to compare the effects of a standardised dose of chamomile (220–1100 mg) or ginkgo biloba (30–500 mg) in a readily available form, for example a capsule, with placebo. This should assess outcomes at the end of the trial and at 12-month post-trial follow-up. The outcomes chosen should include both observer- and participant-rated measures of clinical symptoms and functioning specific to GAD, and of side effects. There should be a health economic evaluation included and an assessment of quality of life. The trial should be large enough to determine the presence or absence of clinically important effects using a non-inferiority design. Mediators and moderators of response should be investigated.

Why this is important

GAD is a common mental health disorder and the results of this study will be generalisable to a large number of people. There is evidence for the efficacy of chamomile and ginkgo biloba in reducing anxiety in people with GAD but the evidence base is small (one study). However, the scarce literature on the effectiveness of other herbal interventions for treating GAD points to chamomile and ginkgo biloba as two of the more effective herbal interventions. Moreover, both these herbal remedies are widely available and relatively inexpensive. Furthermore, at present there is no scientific evidence of side effects or drug–herbal interactions in relation to chamomile or ginkgo biloba. As both these herbal interventions are readily available and have no known side effects, they could be used at an early stage as a means of preventing progression to drug treatments, which are associated with a number of undesirable side effects and dependency.

[doctorjohn]

good post/reply Terry,thanks