September’s herb of the month is eleuthero, an herb native to forested, mountainous areas of Eastern Russia, China, Korea, and Japan.
Botanical Description
This perennial woody shrub produces palmate compound leaves and delicate white flowers that give way to striking blue-black fruits. The roots are used for medicinal purposes.
Although it’s in the ginseng (Araliaceae) family and is sometimes known as Siberian ginseng, eleuthero (formerly classified as Eleutherococcus senticosus, now classified as Acanthopanax senticosus) is not a true ginseng. It does not contain ginsenosides, the distinguishing constituents found in American and Asian ginseng, but it does share many of their same revitalizing properties, especially in supporting endurance, immune function, and adrenal balance.
Historical & Traditional Use
Eleuthero is a foundational adaptogen that has been used traditionally for thousands of years to balance the body’s stress and immune response and energy levels, without the crash of stimulants. It’s a tough, hardy plant that evolved to thrive in rugged ecosystems and helps your body build a similar kind of resilience to the mental and physical fatigue of modern life and environmental challenges.
In the 1950s, Russian scientists studied plant-based medicine to give the Russians a performance edge in the Cold War. One of them ended up coining the term “adaptogen,” popularizing this category of herbs in the West. They started studying Panax ginseng, but then turned their focus to eleuthero because it was cheaper and more readily available in the USSR. In the decades following their discoveries of eleuthero’s protective and balancing properties, eleuthero was given to Russian cosmonauts to help them in the Space Program and to Russian athletes in the Olympics.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this herb has been used to fortify “qi” (vital life force), strengthen and nourish the spleen and kidney, and promote overall wellness. It is a main component of a qi-building TCM formula called Ci Wu Jia. Energetically, eleuthero is similar to ashwagandha, another well-known adaptogen, being warming, tonifying, and drying. It has a slightly bitter, sweet, earthy taste.
Health Benefits of Eleuthero
This herb is ideal for mental and physical fatigue, immune depletion, burnout, and the chronic stress of modern life. It’s well suited for those with low energy, weak immunity, and adrenal exhaustion, and especially helpful for type-A personalities pushing past exhaustion. It’s a slow-building herb, best taken consistently over weeks to months as an adrenal and adaptogenic tonic.
Some compounds in this herb known as eleutherosides modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, promoting healthy cortisol rhythms and improving the body’s ability to adapt to stress. Eleuthero promotes better energy during the day, more restful sleep at night, and a more stable mood along the way, balancing your adrenal system whether you’re overstimulated, under-rested, or both.
Eleutherosides have also been shown to increase endurance, lower blood lactate levels, and enhance lipid metabolism. Many scientific studies have indicated that eleuthero may support brain health, memory, and concentration as well.
How to Use Eleuthero Root
Dried eleuthero root can be used to make teas, tinctures, powders, and capsules. To make a simple decoction with eleuthero root, add 1-2 teaspoons of the dried root to 1 cup boiling water, let simmer for about 20 minutes, strain, and add a sweetener such as honey if desired.
Find eleuthero root in our bulk herbs department!