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''Eleutherococcus'' is a genus of 38 species〔,p.40, citing Frodin, Govaerts 2003〕 of thorny shrubs and trees in the family Araliaceae. They are native to eastern Asia,〔 the,〔 Vietnam,〔 from southeast Siberia〔 and Japan south to the Philippines. 18 species come from China,〔,p.40, citing Xiang, Lowry 2006〕 from central to western parts. Perhaps the best known in the West is the species ''E. senticosus'' used as herbal medicine,〔,''Herbal Emissaries'' pages=73-〕 and commonly known by such English names as Eleuthero or Siberian ginseng.〔 In Traditional Chinese medicine, this is administered to increase energy, thus traditionally recognized to have attributes akin to true ginseng (''Panax''). This is also reflected in its formerly used genus name ''Acanthopanax''〔p.9 ''Acanthopanax spinosum'', Miq., 〕 meaning "thorny ginseng". The European Medicines Agency has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate the efficacy of ''Eleutherococcus'' for any clinical condition. ==Naming== The Chinese materia medica in question 〔() may designate a number of species.〔, p.41〕 But the plant now given the common name ''wujia'' in China is specifically ''E. gracilistylus'', and according to one source, the genuine crude drug must come from this species, and ''C. spinosum'' is only a substitute.〔 The Japanese name borrows directly from the Chinese name, and refers somewhat broadly to several plants in the genus.〔(日本國語大辞典), 1976, (snippet ) quote:"果実は熟すと黑くなる,多く生垣に用い,若葉は食用とし、根の皮は五加皮(ごかひ)といい,滋養強壮剤として用いる。"〕 A 10th century herbalogy text, ''Honzō wamyō'' (), introduced the Chinese ''wujia'' as an herb to be pronounced ''mu-ko-gi'' (), refers specifically to ''E. sieboldianus'' (Japanese name: ''hime-ukogi'').〔; retrieved from :ja:ウコギ属 version 2009年8月23日 (日) 13:10 R.Lucy (accessed April-2012)〕 (See #Species list below). The taxonomical nomenclature in the botanical science also has had a sinuous history, so that ''Acanthopanax'' had been used as the proper genus name in China till recent years, while the West adopted ''Eleutherococcus'' as the official name.〔 Several species are also grown as ornamental garden shrubs. In Japan, they have been planted as hedges.〔 Particularly in Yamagata Prefecture, a daimyo named Uesugi Yozan〔(website)〕 encouraged the planting of the ukogi as fencing around the homes of samurai retainers (''E. sieboldianus'' was planted in the region〔), and the bitter young buds, leaves and stems have traditionally been picked and eaten as vegetable in the area. However, since the plant is deciduous, it requires sweeping in the fall (high maintenance), and the bare hedges fail to protect the homeowner's privacy. Another species, ''E. sciadophylloides'' known as ''koshi-abura'' in Japan is foraged in the wild for their young leaves as ''sansai'' ("mountain vegetables").〔 * (government website PDF)〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「eleutherococcus」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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