Ginseng, which is obtained from the roots of plants from the Genus Panax, including Panax Ginseng, Panax Notoginseng, and Panax Quinquelfolius, and contains Gintonin and Ginsenosides, has been used since ancient times as a medicine for improving memory, decreasing fatigue, and for stimulating insulin response in people with mild diabetes. Ginseng may be able to combat cancer as well according to numerous scientific studies.

A scientific study titled ‘Red Ginseng and Cancer Treatment‘ reviewed a collection of scientific studies, and found that heating or steaming Ginseng and turning it into Red Ginseng has significantly increased anti-Cancer effects via increasing the concentration of Ginsenosides during the steaming process.

Red Ginseng has been found to induce numerous anti-Cancer mechanisms including cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis (programmed cell death), and inhibition of angiogenesis (growth of blood vessels in tumors). Further, studies have found that protopanaxadiol group Ginsenosides have the most potent anti-cancer effects relative to the other types of Ginsenosides.

The scientists conclude that future scientific studies should focus on characterizing active Red Ginseng derivatives as potential anti-Cancer drugs.

Another study titled ‘Ginseng on Cancer: Potential Role in Modulating Inflammation-Mediated Angiogenesis‘ focused on how inflammation is related to the angiogenesis, i.e. tumor growth, process, and theorized that Ginseng could be a potential treatment since it has anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenesis effects. Ultimately, the scientists conclude that Ginseng could prove to be effective in Cancer therapeutics, since it modulates angiogenesis at the transcriptional, translational, and protein signaling level via various mechanisms.

Another scientific study titled ‘Nano-Ginseng for Enhanced Cytotoxicity AGAINST Cancer Cells‘ focused on creating a pure form of protopanaxadiol Ginsenoside groups, which are the type of Ginsenosides with the most anti-Cancer potential, and then delivered this medication via nano particles. The scientists concluded that this method leads to increase Ginseng delivery at the tumor site. Essentially, this technology enhances the anti-Cancer benefits of Ginseng.

A review study titled ‘Recent Advances in Ginseng as Cancer Therapeutics: A Functional and Mechanistic Overview‘ found that Ginsenosides and their metabolites can modulate signaling pathways associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, angiogenesis, metastasis, and the stem properties of Cancer cells.

Also notably, this study mentions that Ginseng is listed as a complementary and alternative medicine by the U.S. National Institute of Health, and that its anti-Cancer properties are being increasingly recognized.

Another study titled ‘Ginsenoside Rg3 Inhibition of Thyroid Cancer Metastasis is Associated With Alternation of Actin Skeleton‘ discusses that Ginseng has good anti tumor activity by inhibiting tumor metastasis, and investigated the mechanism by which Ginseng inhibits metastasis. The scientists conducted in vivo and in vitro experiments, and found that Ginsenoside Rg3 inhibited the growth of Thyroid Cancer, and this was possibly due to inhibiting cell actin skeleton function, as well as several other mechanisms including inhibiting the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor. The scientists conclude that Ginsenoside Rg3 may be a useful agent for the treatment of metastatic Thyroid Cancers.

Yet another study titled ‘Fermented Red Ginseng Extract Inhibits Cancer Cell Proliferation and Viability‘ found that fermented Red Ginseng extract is more effective than non-fermented Ginseng for inducing apoptotic cell death and preventing cancer stem cell differentiation.

This article only reviews a small amount of studies relative to all of the studies that have found that Ginseng has anti-Cancer properties, a full list of studies can be found on PubMed. Overall, it is clear that Ginseng has serious potential to be a natural Cancer remedy. I’m not saying Ginseng itself will cure someone’s Cancer, but it appears it can definitely help, and based on the plethora of scientific studies about Ginseng’s anti-Cancer effects it couldn’t hurt to take it daily. Also, Ginseng is widely available and cheap since it is a plant, and low cost Cancer treatments like Ginseng are definitely needed considering that chemotherapy costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, which is too steep of a price for most of the people in the world.