Total Body Wellness Through Tonic Herbs:       

Beyond Adaptogens
The term "adaptogen" has been inappropriately applied in reference to some of the properties of tonics. This misunderstanding has been accidental for the most part. Not really comprehending the full scope of tonic herbs, people have incorrectly assumed that the limited properties of the adaptogen also define what a tome is. Using the two words interchangeably has only added to the confusion, The purpose of my book, Herbal Tonic Therapies, was to restore rightful meaning and importance to the term tonic. To the extent that effort succeeds, we will see with increasing clarity how adaptogens are encompassed by the special class of herbs known as tonics, how adaptogens, characterized by a limited set of functions, are a certain subtype herbs .

The term 'adaptogen' should not be separated from its historical roots. An understanding of those roots will aid further discussion. The Russians introduced the term 'adaptogen' simply to distinguish the action of Siberian ginseng from other herbs. They performed a great deal of research that revealed with some amount of detail just what Siberian ginseng does and then used the term 'adaptogen' to describe that action. Whether this program was politically motivated or not was hard to tell. It was clear that the Russians were supplying several tons of Siberian ginseng to the market at the same time they made a big push on the 'adaptogenic' nature of Siberian ginseng. It was also clear that they intended to define the term 'adaptogen' in terms of the properties of Siberian ginseng, and that the properties of Siberian ginseng were being described in terms of an adaptogen! This circular reasoning was initially designed to exclude all other plant materials except Siberian ginseng from the classification of an adaptogen.

However, to the chagrin of the Russians, herbalists from other parts of the world saw in the term 'adaptogen' far greater applications; ironically, this was in part due to the loss of clear concepts relative to the term 'tonic.' Originally, the term adaptogen was defined and limited by an ability to affect the hypothalamic-adrenal axis in such a way as to improve the body's ability to respond to stress to that axis. This was a major action of Siberian ginseng, but other plants could do much the same thing. Therefore, the Russians tightened up the definition of adaptogen even further by including in it the other specific properties of Siberian ginseng. In spite of Soviet efforts, it was the neuro-endocrine effect that became the trademark of the adaptogen Soon after the introduction of the term, herbalists began to use the label in reference to other herbs: Korean ginseng, astragalus, echinacea, etc. This broadening of the application of the term has continued since the 1960's to this day. Though practically any herb that 'strengthens' the body may be called adaptogenic, the term is most commonly applied to herbs that affect the nervous system or the immune system. Any herb that increases the ability of these systems to respond to stress in a nonspecific manner may be called an adaptogen. While it may satisfy marketing needs, such usage substantially stretches the original Soviet intentions.

In contrast to the widespread acceptance of the term 'adaptogen' by the rest of the world, the Chinese have (with few exceptions) resisted adopting the term 'adaptogen.' Rather, they cling to the older but more general term 'tonic.' They have perceived, where others have not, that the word 'adaptogen' adds nothing new to their herbal medical classification methods. Only countries, such as America, that had lost a clear understanding of herbal tonics fell prey to the Russian ploy.

In the final analysis, adaptogens are, at most a subclass of herbs (technically limited to just one herb, Siberian ginseng) that possess the ability to increase the body's non-specific resistance to illness arising from stress to the neuro-endocrine system. Broadening the use of the term to include other herbs that act similarly and to include other actions is incorrect and tends to confuse definitions of other classes of herbal materials. especially the tonics and the stimulants. Because Siberian ginseng and similar herbs that have been called adaptogens usually possess a Bi-Directional balancing nature, we could say that adaptogens are also tonics: specifically, a subcategory of tonic. Let it be clearly understood. however. that the property of Bi-Directionality has never been specifically applied to adaptogens and it is certainly feasible that someone could use the term adaptogen in reference to some non-tonic herbs. Such usage does damage to both the tonic and the adaptogen concepts.

Some comments relating specifically to Siberian ginseng will help further clarify the difference between tonics and adaptogens. Besides being an adaptogen, Siberian ginseng is also a fine tonic. However, once we leave the discussion of adaptogens and initiate a discussion of tonic action, we have to apply all of the other stipulations regarding tonics: e.g., nontoxic even when used for prolonged periods of time; no contraindications; synergistic with other tonics; long history of use and/or the subject of intensive research that demonstrates tonic action.

Thus, although whole Siberian ginseng root may possess tonic action, an extract (in accordance with the tonic rules) may lose its tonic nature, while still qualifying as an adaptogen. The tonic nature is a higher order characteristic that is more sensitive to the vagaries of cultivation, processing, extracting and manufacturing than is the adaptogenic property. Accordingly, an extract of Siberian ginseng may lose its ability to stabilize blood sugar levels, but may stimulate the adrenal glands even more strongly than whole raw material. Thus, a tonic property is sacrificed to boost an adaptogenic property. To call an herbal material adaptogenic, then, is not to say it has true tonic action. It may or may not, depending on how well it conforms to all of the other properties of tonics.

Adaptogens may be distinguished from the larger, more inclusive class of tonic herbs on yet another basis. While the term 'adaptogen' applies strictly to herbs that affect the neuro-endocrine system (or, if we allow a certain amount of broadening of the use, to the immune system as it is impacted by the nervous system) the term 'tonic' involves the actions of herbs on any or all body systems. As I have previously mentioned, horsetail, for example, would hardly be called an adaptogen, yet it is probably the world's finest musculoskeletal tonic. Valerian root is never called an adaptogen (it is usually called a sedative), but it is probably the best herbal neurotonic available; even better than Siberian ginseng in some ways. Saw palmetto and pygeum are excellent male system tonics, yet in my opinion no one would call them adaptogenic. And the list goes on.

In summary, an adaptogen may possess tonic action. It may be a subcategory of a sonic. But a tonic can be much more than adaptogenic and the term 'tonic' can apply to many other body systems. Clear thinking about tonics requires first that we distinguish them for all other medicinal plants, and second that we distinguish the term 'tonic' from other terms that possess similar but different meaning. The better we are able to eliminate fuzzy language in this regard, the better we will be able to appreciate tonic herbs and incorporate them effectively into our diet. If our history of tonics is correct, and if we can have confidence in the Chinese experience as well, then we only need a term like 'adaptogenic' if we have lost an accurate understanding of the term 'tonic.' In my book, Herbal Tonic Therapies (Keats, 1993), I coined the term 'bi-directionality' to help us even more sharply distinguish tonic from non-tonic herbs.

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