1. ¹Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 134-727, Korea
2. ²Research Center for the Development of Advanced Horticultural Technology, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-711, Korea
3. ³Department of Urology, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju 561-712, Korea
4. ⁴Infertility Clinic, Sanbornjeil Women's Hospital, Kunpo 435-042, Korea

Correspondence: Dr Hyung-Lae Lee, Department of Urology, East-West Neo Medical Center, Kyung-Hee University, 149 Sangil-dong, Gandong-gu, Seoul 134-727, Korea.
Fax: +82-02-440-7744 E-mail: hllee61@hanmail.net

Received 8 June 2008; Revised 11 August 2008; Accepted 8 October 2008; Published online 23 February 2009.

Abstract

Korean ginseng and mountain ginseng (Panax ginseng CA Meyer) are important traditional herbal plants whose ginsenosides are generally accepted as serving to improve sexual functions, such as penile erection. We investigated the effects of tissue-cultured mountain ginseng extract (TMGE) on male patients with erectile dysfunction (ED). A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted with 143 patients experiencing ED. Over the course of 8 weeks, one group took 1 000 mg of TMGE twice a day, and the other group took 1 000 mg of placebo twice a day. The effects of the TMGE and the placebo were analyzed using the Korean version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire. A total of 86 patients completed 8 weeks of treatment. The scores on the five domains of the IIEF after medication were significantly higher than the baseline scores in the group treated with TMGE (P < 0.05), whereas no significant improvement was observed in the placebo group (P > 0.05). Erectile function and overall satisfaction scores after medication were significantly higher in the TMGE group than in the placebo group (P < 0.05). Erectile function of patients in the TMGE-treated group significantly improved, suggesting that TMGE could be utilized for improving erectile function in male patients.