Herbal alternative to Viagra discovered Ginseng is a plant that has been used for thousands of years to bolster overall health. The root contains several active substances, called either ginsenosides or panaxosides, that are thought to be responsible for the medicinal effects of the herb. Scientists at the Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, recruited 119 men with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction. The group was split into two and while half took four tablets a day containing extracts of Korean ginseng berry, the rest took identical dummy pills. After eight weeks, researchers measured improvements by using a recognised scale called the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction. The results, published in the International Journal of Impotence Research, showed a small but significant improvement in sexual function in the ginseng group compared to those on the dummy tablets. In a report on their findings the researchers said: "Korean ginseng berry extract improved all domains of sexual function. It can be used as an alternative to medicine to improve sexual life in men.