Johnna Price Research Proposal HCOP English

Introduction
American Ginseng has been used all over the world for numerous reasons. People have
been using ginseng as a relaxer and studies have shown that it can regulate and slow the heart
rate. Lumbriculus variegatus are a species of worms that have been commonly used for scientific
experiments because of their high sensitivity to changes in their environment. Because of this,
my group and I have chosen to treat the Lumbriculus variegatus with American Ginseng to
observe its effects on their pulsation rate, movement, and behavior towards the drug. First we
will test the effects of Ginseng on the pulsation rates of the California black worms. Our next
experiment will be testing the movement of the worms after they have soaked in the ginseng
concentrated spring water. Finally we will be testing the worms to see if they are attracted to the
ginseng or if they chose to steer away from it when it is near.
The independent variables of our first experiment will be 12ug% of ginseng and 24ug%.
For the next two experiments, we will be using 6ug% and 12ug%. Our control group will be
using natural spring water. Our dependent variable will change according to the experiment. The
pulsation rate, the distance the worms move, and whether or not they are attracted to the Ginseng
will all be used as dependent variables.
In most cases, we will try to prove that American Ginseng will have a negative impact on
the Lumbriculus variegatus. We are also trying to show that if they soak in different solutions of
Ginseng the 12 g solution will cause the fastest locomotion rate.

Literature Review
Ginseng has been known for its beneficial effects on organisms. The researchers
questioned the cancer-fighting effects of some of the chemicals it contained. To test this, they
examined its effect on cancer cells and the immune system.1
I liked the way that the article progressed from the question to the results, intuitively. I
also liked how the conclusion followed the results, easily. I did not like how a real conclusion
was not reached.1
The article I read describes an experiment on Lumbriculus variegatus. They tested the
locomotive behavior of the worms comparing adult worms from a normal population and a clone
population. Each step of the experiment is listed. The introduction of this article was most
beneficial to me.2
This article is based on Panax Ginseng and its uses and effects on the body. According to
the article, the main use of Ginseng is to treat weakness and fatigue. It also says that extracts of
Panax ginseng affect the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal axis, and the immune system. This
article explains the effects Panax Ginseng has on the immune system, the psychological
functions of the body, physical performance, and people with diabetes. I liked the layout of this
website because, the information was easy to find. 3

Hypothesis
• If the Lumbriculus variegatus soak in the ginseng solution for 10/ 20 minutes, then the
pulsation rates of the worms will decrease.
Johnna Price Research Proposal HCOP English

• If 12 worms are soaked in each solution for 10 minutes and probed either every 5/10
seconds, then the worm being probed every five seconds in the 12µg % ginseng will have
the highest locomotion rate.
• If the Lumbriculus variegatus are on a dry surface and a drop of the ginseng solution
surrounds them, there will be negative response towards the drop.

Methods
Experiment 1
We will be using a total of 36 worms and 3 treatments: 12 worms for each treatment. Our
control group (spring water), treatment group (12µg% ginseng), and treatment group 2(24µg%
ginseng), will be used for this experiment. Splitting each treatment group in half will allow us to
have two different time settings; 6 of the worms will soak for 10 minutes in each solution and 6
will soak for 20 minutes in each solution. Under the microscope, our next step will be to time
and record the pulsation rates of the worms.
Experiment 2
For this experiment, also, we will be using 3 treatment groups: spring water (control
group), 6µg% ginseng (treatment group 1), and 12µg% ginseng (treatment group 2). We used the
same amount of worms but did not split them into timed segments. We then constructed race
tracks for our worms to go around that measured out every centimeter they travelled. We soaked
every worm in their solution for 10 minutes. Placing one worms at a time on the race track, my
group members and I recorded the distance the worms travelled depending on us poking them
every 5/10 seconds.
Experiment 3
This time we decided to use 60 worms, 20 for each solution, which are the same as for
the locomotion test. We placed the worm on a dry surface in the Petri dish and put 1 drop of the
solution on the tail of the worms. As the solution approached the head of the worm it would
either go into (positive response) or try to get out of (negative response) the drop of solution. We
counted our results and put them into a table.

Timeline
Thursday, June 26 – Tested the pulsation rates of the Lumbriculus variegatus with the effects of
the Lumbriculus variegatus.
Thursday July 3- Tested the effects of American ginseng on the Lumbriculus variegatus.
Thursday, July 10-Tested chemotactic responses of American ginseng on the Lumbriculus
variegatus.

Discussion/Problems
I am testing the effects of ginseng on the Lumbriculus variegatus to find out if it is a
healthy substance for personal use. Doing this experiment will show whether or not ginseng is
Johnna Price Research Proposal HCOP English

beneficial to the worms, by showing positive and negative responses. The responses that worms
have on American ginseng could be the same responses that our bodies will have on the
substance. My group struggled to find a concentration adequate for the worms, so it would be
hard making it equal for humans.

Working Bibliography
Shin, Hai R., Joon Y. Kim, Taik K. Yun, Gareth Morgan, and Harri Vainio... Cancer Causes and
Control.
<http://www.jstor.org/stable/3553787?&Search=yes&term=ginseng&list=hide&searchUri=/actio
n/doBasicSearch?Query%3Dginseng%26gw%3Djtx%26prq%3DLumbriculus%2Bvariegatus%2
52C%2Bginseng%26hp%3D25&item=3&ttl=1111&returnArticleService=showArticle&cookieS
et=1>. Available from: Academic Search Premier: EBSCO[online database].
http://web.ebscohost.com/ Accessed on July 11, 2008.

Sardo AM, Soarcs AMVM, Gerhardt A. Growth and reproduction of Lumbriculus variegatus
(Oligochaetae) in different sediment types. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 2007;
13:519-526, 8p.... Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. Available from: Academic Search
Premier [Online Database] www.ebscohost.com Accessed 2008 July 11
Kiefer D, Pantuso T. Panax ginseng. American Family Physician (2003);68:1539-1542. Available
from: Academic Search Premier: EBSCO[online database]. http://web.ebscohost.com/ Accessed
on July 1, 2008.
1
Shin, Hai R., Joon Y. Kim, Taik K. Yun, Gareth Morgan, and Harri Vainio. The Cancer-Preventive
Potential of Panax Ginseng: a Review of Human and Experimental Evidence. Cancer Causes and
Control (2000); 11(6): 565-576. Available from EBSCOHOST [online database];
<http://www.jstor.org/stable/3553787?&Search=yes&term=ginseng&list=hide&searchUri=/action/doB
asicSearch?Query%3Dginseng%26gw%3Djtx%26prq%3DLumbriculus%2Bvariegatus%252C%2Bgin
seng%26hp%3D25&item=3&ttl=1111&returnArticleService=showArticle&cookieSet=1>. Accessed
2008 July 11.

2
Sardo AM, Soarcs AMVM, Gerhardt A. Growth and reproduction of Lumbriculus variegatus
(Oligochaetae) in different sediment types. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 2007; 13:519-526,
8p. Available from Academic Search Premier [online database]; http://web.ebscohost.com/ Accessed
2008 July 11.

3
Kiefer D, Pantuso T. Panax ginseng. American Family Physician (2003);68:1539-1542. Available
from: Academic Search Premier: EBSCO[online database]. http://web.ebscohost.com/ Accessed on
July 1, 2008.