The Herb Book by John Lust
GlNSENG

Common Names: Asiatic ginseng, Chinese ginseng, wonder-ofthe-world.
Medicinal Part: Root

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Description: Asiatic ginseng is a small perennial plant which grows in the damp woodlands of Manchuria and is cultivated primarily in Korea. The aromatic root commonly grows to a length of 2 feet or more and is often divided at the end. The simple, glabrous stem bears near the top a whorl of three or five palmately compound leaves consisting of five oblong-ovate, finely double-serrate leaflets. From June to August the is plant is topped by a solitary simple umbel of greenish-yellow flowers. The fruit is a small, red, edible, drupelike berry. Ginseng's high reputation in the orient ensures that the wild plant remains extremely rare; world trade in ginseng consists almost exclusively of cultivated plants.

Properties and Uses: Demulcent, panacea, stimulant, stomachic. The Chinese have held ginseng root in almost religious esteem {grounded, in fact, in their most basic notions of man and existence) as a panacea for all ailments for thousands of years, those roots resembling a human being in shape being the most highly prized. It is considered especially valuable for feverish and inflammatory illnesses, for hemorrhage, and for blood diseases. Women also take it for everything from normalizing menstruation to easing childbirth. In a general way, it is said to promote both mental and physical vigor; and, considering the population of China, who can quarrel with its reputation as an aphrodisiac? In the more prosaic western view, ginseng does promote appetite and may be helpful for digestive disturbances. It is mildly stimulating to the central nervous system and to various glands, accounting perhaps for its reputation as a rejuvenator. As a demulcent, it is helpful for coughs, colds, and various chest problems.