Codonopsis: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

Overview

Codonopsis is a family of plants used in China and Korea to replenish vital energy, or qi. It's sometimes used as a cheaper alternative to Panax ginseng.

Codonopsis contains chemicals that seem to slow down the growth of cancer cells. It also seems to affect the immune system.

People use codonopsis for HIV/AIDS, cancer, obesity, diabetes, heartburn, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Codonopsis is sometimes called "poor man's ginseng" because it's used in commercial products as a substitute for Panax ginseng. But none of the active chemicals in ginseng have been found in codonopsis. They are not the same.

Uses & Effectiveness

We currently have no information for Codonopsis overview.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Codonopsis is possibly safe when used appropriately. Doses of 6-9 grams seem to be safe. But codonopsis is possibly unsafe when used in large amounts. Doses of 30-60 grams have been linked with side effects including chest pain, throat pain, dizziness, confusion, and other symptoms.

Special Precautions and Warnings

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if codonopsis is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Surgery: Codonopsis might slow blood clotting. Taking codonopsis might increase the risk for bleeding during and after surgical procedures. Stop using codonopsis at least two weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Interactions

Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination

Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with Codonopsis
Codonopsis might slow blood clotting. Taking codonopsis along with medications that also slow blood clotting might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
Abiraterone (Zytiga) interacts with Codonopsis
Abiraterone is a drug used for cancer. Codonopsis might speed up how quickly the body gets rid of abiraterone. This might reduce the anticancer effects of abiraterone.
Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with Codonopsis
Codonopsis might lower blood sugar levels. Taking codonopsis along with diabetes medications might cause blood sugar to drop too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely.

Dosing

There isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of codonopsis might be. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult a healthcare professional before using.

View References

REFERENCES:

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McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.

Reid D. A handbook of Chinese healing herbs. Boston, MA:Shambhala, 1995.

Lee, K. T., Choi, J., Jung, W. T., Nam, J. H., Jung, H. J., and Park, H. J. Structure of a new echinocystic acid bisdesmoside isolated from Codonopsis lanceolata roots and the cytotoxic activity of prosapogenins. J Agric.Food Chem 7-17-2002;50(15):4190-4193.

Lee, K. W., Jung, H. J., Park, H. J., Kim, D. G., Lee, J. Y., and Lee, K. T. Beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->3)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl echinocystic acid isolated from the roots of Codonopsis lanceolata induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in human acute promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. Biol Pharm Bull. 2005;28(5):854-859.

Xu, X., Wang, S. R., and Lin, Q. [Clinical and experimental study on codonopsis pilosula oral liquor in treating coronary heart disease with blood stasis]. Zhongguo Zhong.Xi.Yi.Jie.He.Za Zhi. 1995;15(7):398-400.

Wang, Z. T., Du, Q., Xu, G. J., Wang, R. J., Fu, D. Z., and Ng, T. B. Investigations on the protective action of Condonopsis pilosula (Dangshen) extract on experimentally-induced gastric ulcer in rats. Gen.Pharmacol 1997;28(3):469-473.

Wang, Z. T., Ng, T. B., Yeung, H. W., and Xu, G. J. Immunomodulatory effect of a polysaccharide-enriched preparation of Codonopsis pilosula roots. Gen.Pharmacol 1996;27(8):1347-1350.

Hur GY, Choi GS, Park HJ, Ye YM, Park HS. Anaphylactic shock induced by Codonopsis lanceolata, traditional Chinese medicine in a patient with allergic rhinitis. Allergy. 2008;63(10):1406-7.

Luan YP, Li QF, Wu SG, Mao DC, Deng YY, Chen RW. Tsoong induces apoptosis and inhibits proliferation, migration and invasion of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. Mol Med Rep. 2018;17(3):3527-3536.

Du YE, Lee JS, Kim HM, et al. Chemical constituents of the roots of Codonopsis lanceolata. Arch Pharm Res. 2018;41(11):1082-1091.

Lee J, Shibamoto T, Ha J, Jang HW. Identification of volatile markers for the detection of adulterants in red ginseng (Panax ginseng) juice using headspace stir-bar sorptive extraction coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. J Sep Sci. 2018.

Bai RB, Zhang YJ, Fan JM, et al. Immune-enhancement effects of oligosaccharides from Codonopsis pilosula on cyclophosphamide induced immunosuppression in mice. Food Funct. 2020;11(4):3306-3315.

Chen S, Wu X. Codonopsis Radix modulates water and electrolytes homeostasis in mice. Heliyon. 2021;7(4):e06735.

Zhang ZB, Ip SP, Cho WCS, et al. Herb-drug interactions between androgenic Chinese herbal medicines and androgen receptor antagonist on tumor growth: Studies on two xenograft prostate cancer animal models. Phytother Res. 2021.

Bai R, Cui F, Li W, et al. Codonopsis pilosula oligosaccharides modulate the gut microbiota and change serum metabolomic profiles in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. Food Funct 2022;13(15):8143-8157.

Zou YF, Li CY, Fu YP, et al. Restorative Effects of Inulin From Codonopsis pilosula on Intestinal Mucosal Immunity, Anti-Inflammatory Activity and Gut Microbiota of Immunosuppressed Mice. Front Pharmacol 2022;13:786141.

Jia W, Bi Q, Jiang S, et al. Hypoglycemic activity of Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf. in vitro and in vivo and its chemical composition identification by UPLC-Triple-TOF-MS/MS. Food Funct 2022;13(5):2456-2464.

CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

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Codonopsis - Uses, Side Effects, and More