Traditional Use Smaller than its Asian cousin, Panax ginseng, American ginseng is prized by modern Asian TCM adherents/practitioners over their own native species. Asians consider American ginseng more cooling and suitable for one with a yang (hot) constitution, for whom P. ginseng would be contraindicated. According to the TCM system, P. quinquefolius nourishes yin and cleanses heat. It is considered bitter, sweet, and mild. The North American Indian name for the plant, garantoquen, and the Chinese name, Jin-Chen, both translate to mean “like a man,” alluding to the shape of the root. Next to furs, P. quinquefolius was the second largest source of cash for early American settlers from Europe. These early colonists also recognized it as useful remedy for strengthening the appetite and digestion, especially for the frail elderly or young. In the 19th century, the Eclectic physician Ellingwood wrote, “It is a mild sedative to the nerve centers, improving their tone, and if persisted in, increases the capillary circulation of the brain.” It is purported that the first known users of ginseng in North America were the Iroquois. Some native tribes are reported to have cultivated small beds, ensuring supplies. Many other mid-west and eastern tribes, such as the Fox, Cherokee, Potawatomi, Ananda, and Oneida, were familiar with the healing virtues of this herb, and ginseng was an important trade item between Indians and European settlers beginning in the early 1700s. The Crow used it to induce childbirth; the Cherokee, to relieve headaches, muscular cramps, and female problems; the Creek chewed the root and applied to wounds to staunch bleeding. They also used it for childhood croup, as a compress for sore throat and to sweat out a fever. The Menominee tribe regarded it as a general tonic; the Ojibwe and Potawatomi used it to strengthen mental powers; the Penobscot valued its effect as a fertility adjunct for women; the Seneca employed it as an elderly tonic; the Seminole used it to relieve nosebleed and shortness of breath. Others used it for stomach and menstrual difficulties, or for sore eyes and earache. American ginseng is used as a general tonic and for other health benefits. It is also used as a flavoring agent or fortifying additive in foods. The Chinese prefer American ginseng to Korean/Chinese ginseng for some applications. Scientific support for health benefits Thousands of laboratory and chemical studies and a number of clinical studies have documented the diverse effects of Panax ginseng, although much of the research has been criticized for deficiencies in methodology and conflicting results. Much less study has been devoted to P. quinquefolius, although a much-publicized recent study showed that the herb improved blood glucose tolerance in diabetics (Vuksan, 2000). In addition, a recent laboratory study suggested that P. quinquefolius may work synergistically to enhance the effects of drugs used to treat breast cancer (Duda, 1999). The best-documented effects of Panax ginseng in humans are for improving resistance to stress and enhancing mental and physical performance, particularly for those in a weakened state or functioning under stressful conditions. Clinical studies have shown that P. ginseng helps relieve fatigue (LeGal, 1996), improves overall quality of life (Wiklund, 1994), enhances well being and performance (Forgo, 1981; Hallstrom 1982), and has mild blood-pressure lowering effects (Han, 1998). On the other hand, two recent review papers that collectively assessed the literature on various ginseng species (including P. ginseng, P. quinquefolius, P. notoginseng, and even Eleutherococcus senticosus) concluded that ginseng “lacks compelling evidence” for its purported health benefits, including enhancing exercise performance (Vogler, 1999; Bahrke, 2000). These review papers have been criticized on the grounds of bias and inappropriate lumping of diverse species and indications. Primary chemical constituents The key constituents in ginseng are ginsenosides (triterpene saponins), sesquiterpenes, polyacetylenes, polysaccharides. Extracts are often standardized to 4% to 5% ginsenosides. |
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| American Ginseng 3 year root fiber by the pound $89.00 per pound. Five or more pounds $82.00 per pound. | | American Ginseng 3 year root fiber by the ounce |
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When ordering enter the number of pounds or ounces desired in the Qty. field of the shopping cart. Discounts for orders of five or more pounds will be calculated automatically. Minimum order amount is $50.00. Copyright 2005 MoonBranch Botanicals, all rights reserved. |