Table 1.
Summary of clinical studies of Korean red ginseng for erectile dysfunction compared with placebo control
| Reference | Study design, allocation concealment | Number of patient in study and ED aetiology | Age range (years) | Severity of ED Duration of ED (years) | Dose (mg × 3/days) | Treatment duration (weeks) | Main outcome measures | Results (sample size) | Adverse effect | Jadad score* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choi et al. [6] | Parallel, PB, n.r. | 90† Psychogenic ED | 25–70 | Mild or mild to moderate (1–30) | 600 | 12 | Report of improvement of erection and sexual satisfaction by patients and partner (structured interview) | Positive response RG (60) vs. placebo (9), p < 0.05 | (+) None | 2 (1 + 1 + 0 + 0 + 0) |
| Choi & Choi [10] | Parallel, PB, n.r. | 50 Psychogenic ED | 27–68 | Erectile failure: mean IIEF Q3: 2.43 mean IIEF Q4: 1.82 (1–29) | 600 | 8 | 1) Response to global efficacy question 2) IIEF | 1) Positive response RG(14) vs. placebo (6) 2) Intergroup difference of score, P < 0.05 | Gastric upset (RG: 1; P: 1) (+) | 1 (1 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0) |
| Choi et al. [11] | Parallel, PB, n.r. | 28 Psychogenic ED | 24–68 | Erectile failure: mixed (1–29) | 600 | 4 | Total IIEF score and global efficacy question | Improvement RG (12) vs. placebo (3) | Headache, insomnia (RG:3) (+) | 1 (1 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0) |
| Kim & Paick [12] | Parallel, PB, n.r. | 26 Mild vasculogenic impotence | 29–61 | Mild ED PSV (20 to 35 cm s–1) (n.r.) | 900 | 12 | Watts sexual function questionnaire | Response sample size was not reported Intergroup difference of score, NS Within group (RG: P = 0.014) | n.r. (−) | 3 (1 + 0 + 1 + 1 + 0) |
| Choi et al. [13] | Parallel, DB, n.r. | 64 Any kind of ED | 39–50 | Rigidity <70% (mean duration, 1.7 to 4.5) | 600 | 12 | Self reported questionnaire related with ED | Improvement RG (18) vs. placebo (6) | Constipation: (RG, 2) Gastric upset (RG, 2; P, 3) (+) | 1 (1 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0) |
| Hong et al. [7] | Cross-over, DB, n.r. Assessor blind | 45 Any kind of ED | 54 (mean) | Inability to archive and maintain erection sufficient for normal sexual satisfaction (n.r.) | 900 | 8 | 1) Response to global efficacy question (erection) 2) Total IIEF score | 1) Improvement RG (27) vs. placebo (9) 2) Intergroup difference of score, P < 0.01 | Gastric upset (RG: 1) (+) | 5 (1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1) |
| de Andrade et al. [14] | Parallel, DB, n.r. | 60 Any kind of ED | 26–70 | IIEF-5 score: 13–21 (mild or mild to moderate) (n.r.) | 1000 | 12 | 1) Response to global efficacy question (erection) 2) Total IIEF5 | 1) Improvement RG (20) vs. placebo (0) 2) Intergroup difference of score, P = 0.00003 | Headache, insomnia (RG:3) (+) | 2 (1 + 0 + 0 + 1 + 0) |
*
Jadad scores were expressed as total score (randomization + appropriate randomization methods + describing withdrawals and dropouts + double-blinding + appropriate double-blinding methods).
†
This study is a three-arm parallel design with RG (n = 30), placebo (n = 30), and trazodone group (n = 30). To avoid contamination of analysis, we included only RG and placebo groups. DB, double-blind; ED, erectile dysfunction; IIEF, International Index of Erectile Function; n.r., not reported; NS, not significant; RG, red ginseng; PB, patient blind; (+) = mentioned in text; (−) = not mentioned in text.