Ginseng refers to species within * Panax* _ , a genus of 11 species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, in the family Araliaceae. They grow in the Northern Hemisphere in eastern Asia (mostly northern China, Korea, and eastern Siberia), typically in cooler climates; _Panax vietnamensis , discovered in Vietnam, is the southernmost ginseng found. This article focuses on the Series Panax ginsengs, which are the adaptogenic herbs, principally Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius. Ginseng is characterized by the presence of ginsenosides.
Siberian ginseng ( Eleutherococcus senticosus ) is not a ginseng at all. It is another adaptogen, but a different species named "Siberian ginseng" as a marketing ploy; instead of a fleshy root, it has a woody root; instead of ginsenosides, eleutherosides are present, (see below).
- ginseng - Etymology
- The English word ginseng derives from the Chinese term rénshēn (simplified: ; traditional: ), or Cantonese jan4 sang1 , literally "man root" (referring to the root's characteristic forked shape, resembling the legs of a man). The difference between rénshēn and "ginseng" is explained by the fact that the English pronunciation derives from a Japanese reading of these Chinese characters. However, the current Japanese word for these characters 人参 (ninjin) means carrot, and ginseng is referred to in Japanese as 朝鮮人参 (chosen ninjin), or 고려인삼 高麗人参(Goryo Insam) also known as Korean ginseng.
- ginseng - Traditional uses
- Both American and Panax (Asian) ginseng rhizomes are taken orally as adaptogens, aphrodisiacs, nourishing stimulants, and in the treatment of type II diabetes, including sexual dysfunction in men. The rhizome is most often available in dried form, either in whole or sliced form. Ginseng leaf, although not as highly prized, is sometimes also used; as with the rhizome it is most often available in dried form.
- ginseng - Modern science and ginseng
- As with herbalism in general, ginseng's medical efficacy remains controversial. It has been difficult to verify the medicinal benefits of ginseng using modern science, as there are contradictory results from different studies, possibly due to the wide variety and quality of ginseng used in studies. Another issue is the profit potential of corporate research since ginseng cannot be patented. As a result, high-quality studies of the effects of ginseng are rare. Incidentally, one of the better studies involving ginseng actually uses a proprietary ginseng extract. flu although animal experiments to determine whether longevity and health were increased in the presence of stress gave negative results. adapt2 .
- ginseng - Ginseng, Nitric Oxide, and Reproductive Activity
- A 2002 study by the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (published in the annals of the New York Academy of Sciences) found that in laboratory animals, both Asian and American forms of ginseng enhance libido and copulatory performance. These effects of ginseng may not be due to changes in hormone secretion, but to direct effects of ginseng, or its ginsenoside components, on the central nervous system and gonadal tissues ^_Hong B; Ji YH; Hong JH; Nam KY; Ahn TY A double-blind crossover study evaluating the efficacy of korean red ginseng in patients with erectile dysfunction: a preliminary report.
- ginseng - Side effects
- One of Panax ginseng 's most common side-effects is the inability to sleep. [http://www.umass.edu/cnshp/faq.html Other side-effects include nausea, diarrhea, euphoria, headaches, epistaxis, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, mastalgia, and vaginal bleeding. [http://www.aafp.org/afp/20031015/1539.html
- ginseng - Overdose
- The common adaptogen ginsengs (Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolia) are generally considered to be relatively safe even in large amounts.
- ginseng - Common classification
- [ginseng - ''[Panax quinquefolius
]'' American ginseng (root)]
- The page ginseng - ''[[Panax quinquefolius]]'' American ginseng (root) does not exist.
- [ginseng - ''[Panax ginseng]'' Asian ginseng (root)]
- The page ginseng - ''[[Panax ginseng]]'' Asian ginseng (root) does not exist.
- ginseng - References
- ginseng - See also
- * Adaptogen
- ginseng - External links
- ginseng - References
- ginseng - Related topics