Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2006; 11: 37–8
The aim of the study was to determine if Tienchi Ginseng is effective in reducing pain, indicators of inflammation and muscle damage, and enhancing performance in well-trained athletes suffering from delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
A double-blind randomised controlled trial was employed. Twenty well-trained male volunteers matched by maximal aerobic capacity were randomly assigned to consume a regime of either 4000 mg of Tienchi Ginseng tablets or indistinguishable placebo. Performance measures (Kinetic Communicator, counter movement jump, squat jump), pain assessments (VAS, algometer) and blood analyses (interleukin-1, interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-α, C-reactive protein, myoglobin, creatine kinase) were assessed at seven time points over 5 days (pre, post, 4, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after the downhill run).
Statistically significant differences between the groups were identified at one specific time point within four different parameters. These were the squat jump, VAS, tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6.
Considering all data from this study, Tienchi Ginseng did not convincingly have an effect on performance, muscular pain or assessed blood markers in well-trained athletes after an intense bout of eccentric exercise that induced DOMS.
Funding for the project was received from the Australian Institute of Sport and the Centre for Complementary Medicine Research at the University of Western Sydney, who provided the researchers’ salaries and materials. Oriental Botanicals donated the active and placebo trial medication.
