Ginseng for an eye: Effects of ginseng on ocular diseases

Publication date: Available online 30 November 2018Source: Journal of Ginseng ResearchAuthor(s): Jisu Kim, Su-Young Han, Hyeyoung MinAbstractThe sense of vision is the primary means by which we gather information from our surroundings, and vision loss, therefore, severely compromises the life of the affected individuals, their families, and society. Loss of vision becomes more frequent with age, and diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma are the major causes of vision impairment. To find active pharmacological compounds that might prevent or ameliorate the vision-threatening eye diseases, numerous studies have been performed and some botanical compounds, including those extracted from ginseng, have been shown to possess beneficial effects in the treatment or prevention of common ocular diseases. In this review, we summarize the recent reports investigating the therapeutic effects of ginseng and ginsenosides on diverse ocular diseases and discuss their therapeutic potential.
Source: Journal of Ginseng Research - Category: Complementary Medicine Source Type: research