Codonopsis

Codonopsis pilosula

COMMON NAMES

• Codonopsis
• Poor Man's Ginseng

The plant species called the codonopsis can reach five feet in length. The plant is a twining perennial characterized by possessing oval shaped leaves and green colored flowers with distinct purple colored veins. The long and sweet taproot of the codonopsis is used in herbal medicine around the world. Codonopsis is cultivated around the world, but it is originally native to Asia and was traditionally used in the herbal medical system of many ancient Asian cultures.

USES

Herbal remedies made from the codonopsis can help prevent problems such as stomach pain and chronic headache. Codonopsis remedies have been used in the treatment of asthma and even cancer - herbalists recommend using the remedy to treat such conditions. Remedies made from the codonopsis help lower stress and boost the ability of the body to tolerate stress when used regularly. Codonopsis remedies also increase stamina and endurance.

Specific disorders can be treated using codonopsis. A person suffering from any of the health conditions given below can benefit from remedies made from the codonopsis.

Codonopsis remedies have been used in the treatment of cancer and tumors. One beneficial effect of the codonopsis on the body is that it increases the red and white blood cell count. This results in a reduction of the side effects induced by the use of toxic compounds - normally used as a part of the chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer and tumors. Codonopsis aids the body by boosting the healing process following radiation therapy; patients who have been irradiated can recover faster when given codonopsis. Codonopsis can be used in the treatment of chronic headaches. Remedies made from the codonopsis are extensively used in the traditional Chinese medicine - TCM. In this Asian system of herbal medication, codonopsis is used to alleviate headaches that come along with high blood pressure problems. TCM practitioners also recommend codonopsis remedies to relieved tension in the muscles, as well as an aid in treating indigestion and related abdominal disorders. Codonopsis remedies have also been used in the treatment of the auto-immune disorder known as lupus. The dysfunctional immune system in a body affected by lupus is restrained by the remedy. Lupus is a dangerous auto-immune disease, where the immune system goes haywire and starts destroying the DNA found in the cells of the skin - in other words, the body is bent on destroying itself. Codonopsis remedies have also been employed to treat peptic ulcer and other ulcerations in the body. The effect of codonopsis on peptic ulcers was researched during animal studies, the remedy was found to be capable of preventing the formation of peptic ulcers induced in the body by excessive long term stress. Remedies made from the codonopsis are particularly beneficial for the treatment of ulcers that have been compounded by the loss of appetite, chronic diarrhea, or bouts of vomiting over an extended period of time. Codonopsis is also useful in alleviating a chronic tendency to vomit or retch. Traditionally, in some Asian cultures, a remedy made from the codonopsis plants was used to treat people affected by loss of appetite, chronic diarrhea, or vomiting - this remedy is in fact centuries old. Extracts of the codonopsis were analyzed in the laboratory; these studies suggest that a substance in the extract acts on the body by reducing the secretion of pepsin - an enzyme found in the stomach. The extract also reduces the rate at which food is passed from the stomach to the large intestine - these findings show that codonopsis is indeed capable of treating problems in the stomach.

Remedies made from the codonopsis are available in herbal stores in different forms. Herbal stores usually sell tablets, herbal teas, and tinctures made from the codonopsis. Since, the codonopsis is a relatively inexpensive compared to ginseng, this herb that is often substituted for real ginseng in many herbal tonics that are sold as "ginseng" based remedies. The addition of codonopsis instead of ginseng in such herbal formulas reduces the cost for herbal product makers. There is another side to the story as in many such cases of false marketing, the addition of codonopsis in the remedy often makes the tonic more effective in treating the problem - in fact, it can sometimes be much more effective than the expensive ginseng herb.

The professional supervision of an experienced herbalist is recommended for all individuals interested in the use of codonopsis to the treat the ulcers affecting them.

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