National Community Pharmacists Association

Ginseng: History, Myths, and Fact
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ACPE Universal Program Number: 207-000-05-008-H01
Release Date: August 1, 2005
Expiration Date: August 1, 2008

Description
Ginseng has been used in the Far East for thousands of years in the belief that it is a universal panacea that promotes longevity. Ginseng consumption's benefits remain the personal perceptions of the individual user, like many of the vitamin supplements consumed by Americans, the direct effects often cannot be "documented," but contribute more to the general well-being of the individual. Current studies seem to indicate limited potential harm that can be caused to prospective users. However, pharmacists should watch for potential problem scenarios in their patient groups.

Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this activity, the pharmacist should be better able to:

Describe differences between the main types of ginseng.
List the major chemical constituents of ginseng.
Discuss possible pharmacological effects and therapeutic indications for ginseng.
Discuss safety and tolerability of Ginseng.
Provide appropriate patient counseling for ginseng consumers.

Target Audience
Pharmacists

CE Credit
A score of 70 percent is required to successfully complete the CE quiz. You will have two opportunities to achieve a passing score.

The Statement of Credit should be printed upon receipt; a duplicate copy will be available in the participant's online transcript for further viewing. Individuals must complete this program by August 1, 2008 to receive credit.

NCPA is approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This program will provide 2 contact hour(s) (0.2 CEUs) of continuing pharmacy education credit under the number 207-000-05-008-H01.

Faculty Information
Chadi G. Azzi, Pharm.D., Carryn H. Purdon, and Jin Zhang, are Ph.D. candidates at the University of South Carolina (USC) College of Pharmacy in Columbia. Eric W. Smith, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the USC College of Pharmacy.

Faculty Disclosure Statements
NCPA has a conflict of interest policy that requires course faculty to disclose any real or apparent commercial financial affiliations related to the content of their presentations/materials.