Ci Wu Jia
StarAcanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. et Maxim.) Harms
☯ TCM Properties
Tonifies Qi and Strengthens the Spleen; Tonifies the Kidneys and Strengthens the Lower Back; Calms the Spirit; Invigorates Blood and Unblocks the Channels and Collaterals; Strengthens the Sinews and Bones
Traditional Chinese Uses
Ci Wu Jia (eleuthero root, Siberian ginseng) is a warm, mild herb used in Chinese medicine to supplement the Spleen and Kidney Qi and Yang, calm the Spirit, and expel Wind-Cold-Damp. It is used for fatigue, poor appetite, lower back and knee weakness from deficiency, insomnia with anxiety, and joint pain from Wind-Cold-Damp obstruction. Unlike the true ginsengs, it has a mild, balanced tonic action that makes it well suited for long-term preventive use and for those who cannot tolerate more intensely warming tonics.
Western Herbalism Properties
Botanical Description
Eleutherococcus senticosus (syn. Acanthopanax senticosus, Araliaceae), Siberian ginseng or eleuthero, is a deciduous shrub 2-3 m tall with slender erect stems densely covered in slender, downward-pointing bristly prickles. Palmately compound leaves bear 3-5 elliptic to obovate, doubly serrate leaflets 6-13 cm long on long bristly petioles. Numerous small umbels of greenish-yellow (male) or yellowish (female) flowers form globose terminal panicles in midsummer, followed by clusters of glossy black globose drupes 7-8 mm across. Native to mixed coniferous-deciduous forests of the Russian Far East, northeastern China, Korea, and Japan. The root and root bark, harvested in autumn from plants at least three years old, are dried and used as a major adaptogenic tonic in both East Asian and Western herbal medicine. (Sources: POWO; Wikipedia; PFAF)
Active Constituents
Eleutheroside B (syringin)
Phenylpropanoid glycosideConcentration: One of the principal markers; European Pharmacopoeia requires min. 0.08% for the sum of eleutherosides B and E in the dried root/rhizome
A specific marker used to distinguish eleuthero from other Araliaceae. Shows relatively high bioavailability in brain tissue and is considered a key mediator of the adaptogenic and neuroprotective response, modulating stress resistance and immune activity.
Eleutheroside E (syringaresinol diglucoside)
Lignan glycosideConcentration: Co-marker with eleutheroside B (combined min. 0.08% per Ph. Eur.)
A syringaresinol derivative that, together with eleutheroside B, is regarded as central to adaptogenic effects. It has demonstrated amelioration of insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic (db/db) mouse models and shows relatively higher brain-tissue bioavailability than most other constituents.
Isofraxidin
CoumarinConcentration: Minor constituent
Contributes to anti-inflammatory and adaptogenic activity; identified among the constituents important for modulating the stress response.
Chlorogenic acid and caffeoylquinic acids
Phenolic acidConcentration: Major phenolic fraction
Antioxidant caffeoylquinic acids that prevail among the phenolic constituents and are linked to the herb's overall pharmacological (antioxidant, immunomodulatory) profile.
Ciwujianosides
Triterpenoid saponinsConcentration: Lower-quantity fraction
Triterpenoid saponins contributing to immunomodulatory and tonic activity attributed to the root and stem.
Sesamin
LignanConcentration: Minor constituent
A lignan reported among eleuthero constituents with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory associations.
beta-Sitosterol
PhytosterolConcentration: Minor constituent
A plant sterol present in the root, associated with anti-inflammatory and lipid-modulating activity.
Polysaccharides (eleutherans)
PolysaccharidesConcentration: Variable
Immunomodulatory polysaccharides implicated in the immunostimulant and hypoglycemic actions observed in experimental models.
⚠ Drug Interactions
Digoxin
A case report described raised serum digoxin concentrations during eleuthero use. The finding may represent interference of eleuthero constituents with the digoxin immunoassay rather than a genuine pharmacokinetic change, but the interaction is not fully characterized.
Clinical note: Monitor digoxin levels and clinical status if co-administered; interpret assay results cautiously.
Warfarin and other anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs
Eleuthero contains a constituent reported to inhibit platelet aggregation, giving a theoretical additive effect with anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy. Formal clinical interaction studies with warfarin are lacking.
Clinical note: Use caution and monitor for bleeding or INR change in patients on warfarin, heparin, or antiplatelet agents.
Sedatives / barbiturates (e.g., hexobarbital)
In animal studies, eleuthero root extract shortened the sleeping time induced by hexobarbital, chloral hydrate, sodium barbital, and ether, and raised the sensitivity threshold to narcotics, suggesting it may blunt CNS-depressant effects.
Clinical note: Be aware of possibly reduced sedative response; clinical relevance in humans is unconfirmed.
Antidiabetic agents (insulin, sulfonylureas)
Eleutheroside E and eleutheran polysaccharides improve insulin resistance and lower glucose in animal models, giving a theoretical additive hypoglycemic effect with antidiabetic drugs.
Clinical note: Monitor blood glucose when combined with diabetes medications.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 9-30g | Daily | — | — | — |
Preparation Methods
Decoction
Parts: root, rhizome, stem bark
Typically 9-27 g of the dried root, rhizome, or stem bark is simmered in water and taken as a warming Qi tonic. Often combined with other tonifying herbs.
Fluid extract / tincture
Parts: root, rhizome
An ethanolic extract of the underground organs; historically dosed as a few milliliters two to three times daily as an adaptogen. Standardized products target the combined eleutheroside B and E content.
Standardized dry extract (capsule/tablet)
Parts: root, rhizome
Powdered standardized extract in capsules or tablets, commonly providing around 100-300 mg extract per dose; used in courses of several weeks for fatigue and stress resistance.
Clinical Studies
No benefit adding Eleutherococcus senticosus to stress management training in stress-related fatigue/weakness, impaired work or concentration, a randomized controlled study
144 participants with asthenia and reduced working capacity related to chronic stress received 120 mg/day E. senticosus root extract, a 2-day stress-management training, or the combination. Despite some improvement in mental fatigue and calmness with combination therapy, adding eleuthero produced no significant benefit on subjective wellbeing, cognitive testing, or physiological stress markers.
The effects of Eleutherococcus senticosus and Panax ginseng on steroidal hormone indices of stress and lymphocyte subset numbers in endurance athletes
Club-level endurance athletes were given E. senticosus or P. ginseng and assessed for cortisol, testosterone, and lymphocyte subsets. None of the immune-system variables changed significantly or showed a clear trend, and eleuthero did not produce the expected adaptogenic hormonal shifts over the study period.
Historical Texts
Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen
Ming dynasty, 1596Modern Soviet/Chinese adaptogen research (Brekhman and colleagues)
20th century, from the 1960sReferences
- Zhang X, et al.. Eleutherococcus root: a comprehensive review of its phytochemistry and pharmacological potential in the context of its adaptogenic effect . Frontiers in Pharmacology (2025) [DOI]
- Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). Assessment report on Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. et Maxim.) Maxim., radix . European Medicines Agency (2014) [DOI]
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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