prevented mice from developing skin cancer induced by the treatment of chemical carcinogens on the skin.
This result indicates that Korean Red Ginseng prevents incidence of cancer and/or inhibits
proliferation of cancer cells. A comparison study of anti-carcinogenic effects of various ginseng
products with different ages or processed by different methods was done by monitoring incidence
of pulmonary edema induced by benzopyrene [B(a)P], a polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon found
in tobacco smoke, smokestack effluents, charcoal-broiled meat, and automobile exhaust.
Anticarcinogenic effect was found more potent in 6-year-old roots than that of less aged and
red ginseng demonstrated more potent activity than fresh or white ginseng root. Dr. Yun's
research group at the Korea Atomic Energy Hospital carried out two epidemiological studies
with 905 cancer patients and 1,987 non-cancer subjects, respectively to compare cancer risk
between ginseng users and non-users. It was indicated that the cancer risk in ginseng user group
was 1/2 of the ginseng non-users.
The same research group conducted another epidemiological study in Kanghwa area, a ginseng-
producing area located in the West Coast of the Korean peninsula. A total of 4,634 person, older
than 40 years, residing in the area was subjected to the study and difference in cancer incidence
rate and cancer-related death rate in ginseng users and non-users were investigated for 5 years.
The cancer risk and cancer-related death rate were inversely proportional to the frequency and
duration of ginseng use. Specifically, the manifestation of stomach and pulmonary cancer was
markedly reduced in ginseng users. These results strongly suggest the cancer preventive effect
of ginseng.
