Effectiveness of Ginseng in Treating Erectile Dysfunction: A Review Paper

Early identification and treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) and ED related comorbidities, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia is crucial in improving the quality of life of men and their partners.To date, the main treatment options for ED can be divided into pharmacological and surgical interventions.These treatments include oral phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil), intraurethral or intracavernosal alprostadil, vacuum devices and penile prosthesis.Although considerable advances have been made, there seems to be a high dropout rate of the above treatment due to cultural restrictions and taboos.Subsequently, these patients would seek herbal dietary supplements such as ginseng as an alternative.Even though several studies have proved that ginseng is ideal in treating ED, the published trials on humans were not robust, and there is a lack of exploration of subjective outcomes.This literature review aimed to synthesize and critically appraise clinical and scientific literature on the effects of ginseng in managing ED.In total, 7 studies were included and reviewed.It was concluded that ginseng is a feasible alternative to currently available practices in treating ED due to a significant improvement in International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-5 scores and its safety profile.There is a higher likelihood to consider ginseng as an alternative therapy if more studies with larger-scaled clinical trials and higher standards on the safety and efficacy of ginseng are conducted in the future.