Panax ginseng 人参 (Renshen, Ginseng)

Abstract

Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer is a perennial herb native to Korea and China. It has been used as a herbal remedy in eastern Asia for thousands of years. Ginseng is 60–80 cm tall, its main root being often 5–6 cm long. The herb is fleshy, bifurcate, aromatic, and grayish white to amber yellow. The surface of the root is wrinkled and furrowed, and tastes at first sweet, with a somewhat bitter after taste. Ginseng stem is straight, and deep red in color; its flower is pink; and its fruit, a small berry, is red. The leaves are clustered together, oval, and thin (Yun in J Korean Med Sci 16:53–55, 2001 [1]). Sun-dried ginseng (white ginseng), sliced red ginseng, and ginseng in crude drug form are illustrated in Fig. 19.1.