Diabetes mellitus syndrome is caused by impaired glucose metabolism. Pancreatic beta-cells produce insulin which transports the glucose into the intracellular compartments and provides an energy source. Accordingly, the deficient production of insulin due to impaired pancreatic beta-cells would produce a hyperglycemic syndrome, which consist of glucosuria, polyuria and thirst.

Diabetes mellitus develops in approximately 1-2% of the world population and about 10% of people over 40 years old are said to suffer from diabetes mellitus.

Chinese-Korean panax ginseng was administered to 20 diabetic patients (17 males and 13 females) and one diabetic patient with retinal disease. The ginseng reduced the insulin requirement in some patients and also showed improvement in the general physical conditions of the diabetic patient with retinal disease. Subjective symptoms such as languor, fatigue and stiff shoulder were improved and blood pressure normalized. And no side effects from ginseng administration were observed. This report was made by Dr. Y. Yoshita in his report "Ginseng on the Treatment of Diabetic Patients 1982".

Dr. Ryoichi Yoshida, Director of the city general hospital of Ehime, Japan, conducted his study on 2l patients suffering from diabetes mellitus. 2.7gms of ginseng was orally administered for three months and the following are the results reported:

- 3 patients were greatly improved so that they do not need insulin injections any longer.

- 5 patients were so improved that the amount of insulin injections could he considered reduced.

- Diabetic inflammation was reduced in two patients.

- General symptoms such as hypertension and stiff shoulders usually appearing in diabetic patients were appreciably reduced in 2 patients.

These clinical results suggested that 12 out of 21 patients (50%) were improved by the use of ginseng.

Prof. Okuda expressed his opinion about what is called insulin-like substance obtained from Korean ginseng as follows:

- It seemed not to act simply as insulin but it might act to control the secretion of hormones which are intimately related to sugar and lipid metabolism, leading to the normalization of various metabolic functions in diabetic patients.

- This means that an insulin-like substance may act on the lower part of the cerebral thalamus, which controls the secretion balance of insulin and anti-insulin hormones through the central nervous system.

- In other words, the insulin-like substance seems to act as an unknown regulator.