The history of ginseng in the management of erectile dysfunction in ancient China (3500-2600 BCE).

Indian Journal of Urology : IJU : Journal of the Urological Society of India
Rajesh NairSeshadri Sriprasad

Abstract

Emperor Shen-Nung was the second of China's mythical emperors (3500-2600 BCE). Widely considered the father of Chinese medicine, he catalogued over 365 species of medicinal plants which he personally tasted. Through his treatise 'Shen Nung Benchau Jing', we relive Emperor Shen-Nung's contribution to urology with reference to his management of erectile dysfunction. Time-related sources in medical and historical literature were reviewed, including the 'Shen Nung Benchau Jing' (The medicine book of Emperor Shen-Nung), archives and manuscripts at the Wellcome History of Medicine Collection, the Royal Society of Medicine, London, The Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences, and The Museum of Medical History, Shanghai, China. Chinese traditional herbal medicine began approximately 5000 years ago. Agricultural clan leader, Emperor Shen-Nung, was said to have a 'crystal-like belly' to watch the reactions in his own stomach of the herbs he collected. Ginseng was among of Shen Nung's contributions to herbal medicine. He experienced a warm and sexually pleasurable feeling after chewing the root. He advocated this as a treatment for erectile dysfunction and used it to stimulate sexual appetite. The reputation of ginseng as an aphrodisiac is b...Continue Reading

Citations

Dec 3, 2013·Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior·K DecaluwéJ Van de Voorde
Dec 9, 2016·The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry·Longyun ZhangHongwei Si
Apr 20, 2021·The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·Hye Won LeeDu Geon Moon

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