Abstract
Supportive and tonic plants belong to oldest tools used by herbalists worldwide. The substance exerting tonic effects on the human organism and inducing the capability of resisting stress factors is an adaptogen.
The principle of the effect of an adaptogen is its ability to help the body to manage the stress. There is a long list of plants exerting adaptogenic characteristics.
The genus Aralia also exerts adaptogenic features, i.e. capability of enhancing non-specific resistance of the body to the stress, tiredness and disease. Aralia mandschurica is a particularly strong adaptogen, which has been used for centuries in traditional medicine, but it was only recently recognized in the Western civilization.
Many biologically active substances were recently isolated from species of the genus Aralia. Aralosides stimulate the activity of the immunity system, moderate stress and enhance the resistance of the organism to harmful factors of the environment, hypoxia and infections.
In addition to terpenic saponins, further compounds have also been separated from Aralia species and their pharmacological characteristics and possibilities of their use in medicine are discussed in the article presented here.