Preventive effect of Korean red ginseng for acute respiratory illness: a randomized and double-blind clinical trial

• Published in: Journal of Korean medical science 2012, 27(12), 171, pp.1472-1478
• Main Authors: Lee, Chang-Seop, Lee, Ju-Hyung, Oh, Mira, Choi, Kyung-Min, Jeong, Mi Ran, Park, Jong-Dae, Kwon, Dae Young, Ha, Ki-Chan, Park, Eun-Ock, Lee, Nuri, Kim, Sun-Young, Choi, Eun-Kyung, Kim, Min-Gul, Chae, Soo-Wan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Blood Chemical Analysis; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Panax - chemistry; Placebo Effect; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Plant Roots - chemistry; Republic of Korea; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult - drug therapy; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult - pathology; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult - prevention & control; Severity of Illness Index; 의학일반
• ISSN: 1011-8934; 1598-6357
• DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2012.27.12.1472

Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is a functional food and has been well known for keeping good health due to its anti-fatigue and immunomodulating activities. However, there is no data on Korean red ginseng for its preventive activity against acute respiratory illness (ARI). The study was conducted in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial in healthy volunteers (Clinical Trial Number: NCT01478009). Our primary efficacy end point was the number of ARI reported and secondary efficacy end point was severity of symptoms, number of symptoms, and duration of ARI. A total of 100 volunteers were enrolled in the study. Fewer subjects in the KRG group reported contracting at least 1 ARI than in the placebo group (12 [24.5%] vs 22 [44.9%], P = 0.034), the difference was statistically significant between the two groups. The symptom duration of the subjects who experienced the ARI, was similar between the two groups (KRG vs placebo; 5.2 ± 2.3 vs 6.3 ± 5.0, P = 0.475). The symptom scores were low tendency in KRG group (KRG vs placebo; 9.5 ± 4.5 vs 17.6 ± 23.1, P = 0.241). The study suggests that KRG may be effective in protecting subjects from contracting ARI, and may have the tendency to decrease the duration and scores of ARI symptoms.