Panax ginseng: a newly identified cause of gynecomastia. 2012

Yosuke Kakisaka, and Tomoichiro Ohara, and Hideo Tozawa, and Shun Sato, and Saori Katayama, and Tasuku Suzuki, and Naomi Hino-Fukuyo, and Shigeo Kure
Department of Pediatrics, South Miyagi Medical Center, Ogawa, Japan. kakisuke@mui.biglobe.ne.jp

Gynecomastia or benign proliferation of the male breast glandular tissue is not uncommon for adolescent males. Its pathogenesis has been attributed to a transient imbalance between estrogens and androgens. Ginseng is a popular herb with a long history of medicinal use. Oriental folk medicine describes it as both a tonic for restoring strength and a panacea. The term "ginseng" generally refers to a plant, Panax ginseng. Based on estrogen-like actions of Panax ginseng due to its structural similarity with estradiol, this agent could be speculated to cause gynecomastia. Here we report a 12-year-old Korean-Japanese boy with bilateral enlargement of the breasts with tenderness in the right breast, which was noticed about 1 month before his first visit to our outpatient clinic. He was diagnosed with gynecomastia based on physical, laboratory, and ultrasound examinations. Detailed questioning about his medications and supplements revealed that he had been given red ginseng extract daily to enhance his performance for 1 month before his clinical presentation. He wanted to make his body stronger as an athlete. He was recommended from his grandmother to take Panax ginseng for his purpose. After stopping this, there was no further growth of the masses and no pain when his right breast was pressed. In conclusion, physicians should consider ginseng in the investigation of gynecomastia.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D010936 Plant Extracts Concentrated pharmaceutical preparations of plants obtained by removing active constituents with a suitable solvent, which is evaporated away, and adjusting the residue to a prescribed standard. Herbal Medicines,Plant Extract,Extract, Plant,Extracts, Plant,Medicines, Herbal
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D005894 Panax An araliaceous genus of plants that contains a number of pharmacologically active agents used as stimulants, sedatives, and tonics, especially in traditional medicine. Sometimes confused with Siberian ginseng (ELEUTHEROCOCCUS). Ginseng,Korean Ginseng,Korean Red Ginseng,Panax ginseng,Jen Shen,Ninjin,Renshen,Schinseng,Shinseng,Ginseng, Korean,Ginseng, Korean Red,Ginsengs,Jen Shens,Korean Ginsengs,Korean Red Ginsengs,Ninjins,Red Ginseng, Korean,Renshens,Schinsengs,Shen, Jen,Shinsengs
D006177 Gynecomastia Enlargement of the BREAST in the males, caused by an excess of ESTROGENS. Physiological gynecomastia is normally observed in NEWBORNS; ADOLESCENT; and AGING males. Adolescent Gynecomastia,Infant Gynecomastia,Male Breast Enlargement,Newborn Gynecomastia,Breast Enlargement, Male,Enlargement, Male Breast,Gynecomastia, Adolescent,Gynecomastia, Infant,Gynecomastia, Newborn
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014463 Ultrasonography The visualization of deep structures of the body by recording the reflections or echoes of ultrasonic pulses directed into the tissues. Use of ultrasound for imaging or diagnostic purposes employs frequencies ranging from 1.6 to 10 megahertz. Echography,Echotomography,Echotomography, Computer,Sonography, Medical,Tomography, Ultrasonic,Ultrasonic Diagnosis,Ultrasonic Imaging,Ultrasonographic Imaging,Computer Echotomography,Diagnosis, Ultrasonic,Diagnostic Ultrasound,Ultrasonic Tomography,Ultrasound Imaging,Diagnoses, Ultrasonic,Diagnostic Ultrasounds,Imaging, Ultrasonic,Imaging, Ultrasonographic,Imaging, Ultrasound,Imagings, Ultrasonographic,Imagings, Ultrasound,Medical Sonography,Ultrasonic Diagnoses,Ultrasonographic Imagings,Ultrasound, Diagnostic,Ultrasounds, Diagnostic

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