Korean red ginseng (Panax ginseng) is a safe, widely available alternative remedy that improves patients' ability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for intercourse, even in a population with severe erectile dysfunction. It is a reasonable, nonprescription treatment, especially for men with reservations about taking sildenafil (Viagra). A 500-mg capsule of Korean red ginseng costs about 6 cents, compared with $10 for a tablet of sildenafil.