[MPWG] MPWG V1#1 -- ginseng

Elizabeth Ann Blaker Elizabeth.Blaker at nau.edu
Wed Sep 11 17:38:46 CDT 2013


I find when I write an article, I do A LOT of information gathering, then I have to distill what I learn  to the most important ideas. 

Colin is probably right that I won't get into a complex discussion on the efficacy of ginseng in the article, but I won't know for sure until I look at all the studies, talk to folks, etc.

liz



________________________________________
From: MPWG [mpwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] on behalf of Elizabeth Ann Blaker [Elizabeth.Blaker at nau.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 3:26 PM
To: Robert Layton Beyfuss; Wendy Applequist; Wolkow, Robert
Cc: mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org
Subject: Re: [MPWG] MPWG V1#1 -- ginseng

Hi all,
this is a great discussion!

There are quite a few papers in the scientific journals on the medicinal properties of ginseng -- I plan to read all that I can get my hands on (unfortunately English is the only language I know).

I hope to come across studies comparing the chemical properties of wild versus cultivated roots as well.

Robert, if you know of any good studies that are not in English, please let me know -- perhaps I can get them translated.

Thanks,
liz
________________________________________
From: Robert Layton Beyfuss [rlb14 at cornell.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 3:19 PM
To: Wendy Applequist; Wolkow, Robert; Elizabeth Ann Blaker
Cc: mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org
Subject: RE: [MPWG] MPWG V1#1 -- ginseng

I find it hard to believe that a "medicine" that is as highly revered as ginseng is and has been by most of the people who live on this planet, for the past 2,000 years is simply a placebo. I am also aware that there is a very large body of carefully performed scientific research demonstrating the efficacy of not just ginseng, but also many other herbal medicines. However, since this research is published in languages other than English, few western researchers know or even care about it. The arrogance of western medical science, funded by for profit pharmaceutical companies, is astonishing. Yet, even the AMA published a study last year, that clearly demonstrated the value of ginseng that was taken by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Surely, Dr. Wolkow is aware of this, as it was indeed published in English.

________________________________________
From: MPWG [mpwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] on behalf of Wendy Applequist [wendy.applequist at mobot.org]
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 5:47 PM
To: Wolkow, Robert; Elizabeth.Blaker at nau.edu
Cc: mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org
Subject: Re: [MPWG] MPWG V1#1 -- ginseng

Dr. Wolkow,

Since placebo-controlled clinical trials of ginseng report benefits
including normalization of blood sugar levels, improvement of fatigue
associated with certain conditions, and reduction of the incidence and
duration of common colds, I think that this statement is too broad to be
justified by the evidence.

Wendy Applequist

-----Original Message-----
From: MPWG [mailto:mpwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf
Of Wolkow, Robert
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 3:51 PM
To: shsa at sasktel.net; herbalogic at yahoo.com; Elizabeth.Blaker at nau.edu
Cc: mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org; schenkmj at earthlink.net
Subject: Re: [MPWG] MPWG V1#1 -- ginseng

Liz,

As a physician I would be happy to talk with you as the medical evidence
that ginseng is beneficial indicates it is no better then placebo and so
not robust enough to be a valid treatment. So I am not sure why it is
being grown other then to make money or perhaps protect our biodiversity
which I see as the only worthy reason scientifically/medically.

Rob Wolkow MD M.Phil. FAAFP



Scent from my Droid Smartfon wit glow bull voice wreck ignition soft
Where?

Peas 4 give n e spelling or gramatickle miss steaks








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o

-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Ann Blaker [Elizabeth.Blaker at nau.edu]
Received: Wednesday, 11 Sep 2013, 4:01pm
To: Connie Kehler [shsa at sasktel.net]; herbalogic at yahoo.com
[herbalogic at yahoo.com]
CC: mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org [mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org];
Michael Schenk [schenkmj at earthlink.net]
Subject: Re: [MPWG] MPWG V1#1 -- ginseng

Hello all,
I am a science/nature writer and have been following this thread with
interest. I am thinking about writing an article about the real issues
with ginseng conservation, setting the record straight.

Several of you have written very interesting posts on this topic, and I
hope you won't mind if I contact you individually by e-mail to ask some
questions. I find it both sad and interesting that government policies
meant to protect ginseng are seemingly having the opposite effect - I
would like to talk to anyone who is conducting studies on this.

I would like to talk to people from as wide a range of perspectives as
possible, including researchers, conservationists, herbalists,
harvesters, wholesalers, and even those who poach.

Please send me e-mail if you would like to talk with me.

My background is in both science and writing -- I have a master's degree
in Biology and have written articles for magazines, public radio,
websites, and various university projects.

Thanks,
Liz Blaker
________________________________
From: MPWG [mpwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] on behalf of
Connie Kehler [shsa at sasktel.net]
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 12:41 PM
To: herbalogic at yahoo.com
Cc: mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org; Michael Schenk
Subject: Re: [MPWG] MPWG V1#1 -- ginseng

Very very well put!!!



CHECK US OUT AT www.saskherbspice.org<http://www.saskherbspice.org>

On 2013-09-11, at 1:33 PM,
herbalogic at yahoo.com<mailto:herbalogic at yahoo.com> wrote:

Bravo Bob!

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 8, 2013, at 7:45 AM, Robert Layton Beyfuss
<rlb14 at cornell.edu<mailto:rlb14 at cornell.edu>> wrote:


Here is he letter as it was sent out yesterday. My thanks to my friend
Scott Persons for editing!
Dear CBS News,
I was troubled to read and watch the segment you aired the morning of
September 5th regarding North Carolina wild ginseng. It contains factual
errors and shows a bias towards sensationalism that is disappointing.
Your choice to interview only one dealer, Mr. Eidus, was a poor one,
since he does not represent the majority of ginseng dealers. Indeed, his
opinion -- that 90% of the wild ginseng he purchases has been poached -
is certainly not shared by the majority of other ginseng dealers. His
willingness to purchase it nevertheless is a bad example, which reflects
poorly on the industry in general. His opinion that ginseng will be gone
in 10 to 20 years is pure nonsense, as a simple "fact check" with state
or federal regulatory officials would have easily revealed. Is it the
policy of CBS news to quote unsubstantiated sources when legitimate
sources of information are readily available?
What is even more troubling is your lending credence to the proposition
that the major threat to ginseng is posed by poachers.
This erroneous assumption is so often repeated by the media that it is
now widely accepted as fact, but a recent article published in "Science"
magazine by the leading Ginseng Conservation Biologist Professor, James
McGraw of West Virginia University, states that predation by white
tailed deer is the most serious threat to the species and not poachers.
Most individuals who harvest wild ginseng also replant seeds, thereby
expanding existing populations, often relocating them to areas that are
more secure from deer or development. I can understand your ignorance
regarding the population dynamics of a wild plant, but published data by
Professor McGraw, as well as other legitimate researchers, suggests that
stewardship of wild populations by harvesters can significantly increase
populations, Ironically, even poachers, such as Mr. Hurley, sometimes
aid in the preservation and perpetuation of the species (although those
who hunt out of season, take every plant they find, and fail to plant
the berries certainly do not).

Finally, Charlie Rose's, comment wondering why it is not widely grown,
is a thoughtful and legitimate query. Unfortunately, cultivated ginseng
is not worth very much and suitable habitat for growing "wild simulated"
ginseng is rare and increasingly threatened by development. Ginseng
populations may recover from poaching events, but they will never
recover from being paved. The fact is that most so called "wild" ginseng
is "grown" by people who return to the same areas regularly to pick
berries and replant seed as they harvest mature roots.
Ms. Leopold's comments regarding the lack of interest in conservation
are accurate in the sense that it is more "newsworthy" to report the
misdeeds of a few individuals, while ignoring the real issues that
should be addressed.
I am saddened that CBS did such a poor job in reporting this story.
Sincerely,
Bob Beyfuss
Retired American Ginseng Specialist for Cornell University Cooperative
Extension.
Licensed NY State Ginseng Dealer
Rlb14 at cornell.edu<mailto:Rlb14 at cornell.edu>

136 Schuessler Lane, Preston Hollow NY 12469









________________________________
From: MPWG
[mpwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org<mailto:mpwg-bounces at lists.plan
tconservation.org>] on behalf of Michael Schenk
[schenkmj at earthlink.net<mailto:schenkmj at earthlink.net>]
Sent: Saturday, September 07, 2013 9:19 PM
To:
mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org<mailto:mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org
>
Subject: Re: [MPWG] MPWG V1#1 -- ginseng

While we might argue about details and dates of extinction (hey, what do
you expect from tv?), wild ginseng is definitely heavily threatened, by
a synergy of factors.

"Poaching". There are gray areas here, where traditional harvesting
might cross a paper border, but there are clear signs that the nature of
ginseng harvesting has changed. Here's one anecdote: a friend who grew
up digging sang found a good bed. He harvested from that bed for years,
but made the mistake of disclosing it to an in-law with drug issues. The
entire bed disappeared. Combine this anecdote with the ongoing recession
and the spread of meth and painkiller addiction... So traditional
diggers are also stewards, but there's another, newer ethos going on
here.

Habitat loss. Population's increasing, and an awful lot of people of
means want a lawn in the country. Mountaintop removal coal mining buries
Appalachian coves in waste; prime ginseng habitat is used as a landfill.
Interstate highways just have to be built. I'm sure MPWGers can fill in
many other habitat issues.

Invasive species. I know we've argued this over in the past, but I've
seen with my own eyes how stiltgrass and tearthumb can completely
dominate forest edge areas, as well as interior areas. With habitat
fragmentation, there's lots more edge, too.

Climate change. Another hot button, but it's happening. Plants are
especially vulnerable to rapidly changing ecosystems, especially
slow-growing plants with modest seed dispersal. Ginseng likes it cool.
I've seen it grow best near the foot of a ridge, flushed with rain
runoff. As the coves and hollows warm, the cooler zone moves higher
towards the peak, plus it gets drier. Eventually, we run out of
mountain. Animals and birds can migrate to the next ridge over, but how
many of those will be passing ginseng seed?

Deer. Many populations are out of whack. "Browse lines" are familiar to
many or most of us, where there's nothing but thick woody stems below
reaching height for a hungry deer. Not only forest-floor plants, but
future generations of trees, are disappearing there.

These factors make it critical to have protected areas for wild ginseng.
Cultivated ginseng isn't the same. Commercial seed sources can be
chemically dependent on pesticides after generations of cultivation. I
grow wild simulated, but this is indeed simulated, not a distinctive
population adapted to a locale over thousands of years (even if wild
simulated does sell as "wild"). Ginseng has been shown to develop many
isolated, genetically distinct populations. Each time we lose a bed, we
could be losing the equivalent of an entire subspecies.

These problems are beyond the scope of any single or easy solution, but
we definitely need to protect as many wild populations as we can. Even
from a commercial viewpoint, this makes sense, to maintain genetic
diversity as insurance against blight and inbreeding. Traditional
diggers who replant probably do more than anyone in this regard. The
government is limited in what steps it can take, but it does have
statutory responsibility in National Parks, as well as responsibility
for the trade of endangered species per CITES. I've also heard horror
stories from private landowner/growers who have had years of work dug up
in a day, with very limited legal recourse. Maybe we could use more
rights for small growers.

What do folks think about instituting isolated, single-population
ginseng growing refuges, clearly identified as to source and lineage?
(similar to the seed bank Marla proposes on
change.org<http://change.org>) This would be an active step beyond the
necessary but somewhat passive protection of wild populations. I tend to
buy seed from a single grower, but I have mixed some seed from another
source.

Bob, for some reason I didn't see your letter in your post, the
attachment may not have survived the digest format.

Mike Schenk

PS: Let's not point fingers about the video, after all this is
"television journalism" - low info content, short attention span, high
drama. 'Nuff said <grin>.

>
>Today's Topics:
>
> 1. ginseng in the news (Susan Leopold) 2. Re: ginseng in the news
> (Colin Donohue) 3. Re: ginseng in the news (Michael McGuffin)
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Message: 1
>Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2013 17:15:39 -0400
>From: Susan Leopold
>To: mpwg
>Subject: [MPWG] ginseng in the news
>Message-ID:
>
><5DE76C5A-A955-4B6D-BCC9-A93B83BEB7CB at unitedplantsavers.org<mailto:5DE7
>6C5A-A955-4B6D-BCC9-A93B83BEB7CB at unitedplantsavers.org>>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
>United Plant Savers has started a change.org<http://change.org> letter
to bring awareness to our members and the public and to show various
agencies that the public cares and supports ginseng conservation
efforts....
>
>Below is a link to the CBS story and to our
change.org<http://change.org> letter, also you can go to the UpS website
www.unitedplantsavers.org<http://www.unitedplantsavers.org> for links to
several recent news articles and ginseng recently published research.
>
>Please join this campaign: http://chn.ge/15Eon5H
>
>
>
>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505269_162-57601454/ginseng-poaching-threat
>ens-survival-of-plant-species/
>
>Susan Leopold, PhD
>Executive Director, UpS
>703-667-0208
>susan at unitedplantsavers.org<mailto:susan at unitedplantsavers.org>
>

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information contained in posts is not intended nor implied to be a
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information that is discussed on this list should be carefully reviewed
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Posts do not reflect any official opinions or positions of the Plant
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