GINSENG ?
WHY AND HOW IT IS
USED
Note: This document is not intended as an endorsement for ginseng. Rather,
it is a review of literature for clarification as to how ginseng is used and
why.

Introduction

This document will discuss both American and Asian ginseng together as
they are used as similar yet complementary medicinal/herbal products.
Ginseng is often consumed simply as a herbal tea, it is also a good tonic
and is used in many traditional Chinese medicinal formulas.

Ginseng is a very versatile plant and is consumed by more people and in
greater quantities than any other single herb. To understand the botanical
aspects of ginseng, refer to a companion document of this one called
?Ginseng?What it is and Isn?t.? It discusses the commercial ginseng
(Panax ) group, (three species), plus other ginseng species, plants related
to ginseng and many of the impostors known to this author. Impostors are
plants using ?ginseng? in their common name that don?t have Panax as the
genus portion of the Latin name, i.e. American Ginseng is Panax
quinquefolius,
Asian ginseng is Panax ginseng while poor man?s ginseng is Codonopsis
pilosula,
an impostor.

Chemical Differences

The differences between Asian and American ginseng is chemical rather than
physical. They look very similar when growing, but produce slightly
different
chemistry which is stored in their roots. The chemicals specific to ginseng
are
called ginsenocides, a group of closely related saponins. Some basic
differences
between Asian and American are: for example; the ginsenocide Rb1 is greater
in
American ginseng, Rg1 is greater in Asian, Rf is basically non-existent in
American
ginseng and American ginseng has approximately twice the amount of total
ginsenocides. There are over 25 ginsenocides identified but only six or
seven are
of any significance. Along with these special chemicals, ginseng contains
protein,
carbohydrate, sugar, vitamins and minerals in varying amounts, as they do in
all
vegetables.

Ministry of Agriculture and Food
162 Oriole Road
Kamloops, BC V2C 4N7
Phone: (250) 371-6059
Fax: (250) 828-4631

Revised October 1999  Ginseng Note 97-02

2 BCMAF An Information Guide. Part 2/Revised October 1999

Choosing the Product (species)

When deciding which type of ginseng (American or Asian) you should take,
there are some minor differences you need to understand. Asian ginseng is
considered a yang product or one that is heat producing or stimulating,
especially the ?red? ginseng products (described later). It is taken by the
elderly,
the ill, and in cooler seasons.

American ginseng is considered a Yin product or one that is cooling or non-
stimulating. It would be used by the young and middle aged, for stress and
in
warmer seasons.

Note: These above are only guidelines, as some find the Asian product
stimulating in any season, and American ginseng can be taken all year.

In available literature, ginseng is said to treat many conditions or to
influence
many body functions to  keep you healthy. One statement was that ginseng
caused the person to feel better, have more energy, be more alert and to
sleep
less. In this sense, ginseng is seen as a tonic, where you would take a
little bit
every day for the cumulative effects. One of the new buzzwords used in the
last
few years and being attached to ginseng is "adaptogen". This word means the
product helps the whole body adapt to the stresses of life, which may be
external,
internal, physical or mental. The word adaptogen can only be applied to a
herbal
product if it is:

? non-toxic
? non-specific and
? producing a normalizing effect

Daily Consumption

The amounts prescribed for daily consumption vary considerably according to
age, body size, temperament and health. As a tonic or adaptogen, the general
amount recommended varies from .5 ? 1 gms per day. This would be for
example,
one to four 500 mg capsules/day, or when consuming tea and using a 2 gm tea
bag, one to two times/day. Combination of ginseng products is quite
acceptable.

For medicinal use for short periods, from 2 ? 4 gms/ day might be used. This
amount is not recommended over the long term and would also be quite
expensive.

Note: If you are taking other medications, have any extreme health
conditions, or
are pregnant, don?t take ginseng or any other herbal products without the
full
knowledge and consent of your regular doctor.

Ginseng comes with few warnings about possible negative effects. These
include:

? May alter menstral cycles if taken in large amounts
? May increase menstral flow if taken in large amounts
? May not be of any benefit if the user is obese

Note: Ginseng, like any substance, may cause adverse reactions in some
people,
but this is quite rare. If this happens, do not continue. Make sure you are
taking
a true ginseng product. (See Ginseng?What It Is and Isn't.)

Purchasing Information

When you purchase ginseng, the following points may be helpful.

1. Older ginseng roots have more potency but are also more expensive.

2. Wild roots or woods grown will be more expensive and generally more
potent as they usually are harvested as older roots.

3. Whole root products have more benefit over ones made only from hair roots
and larger fibre roots. The whole root according to many, has a synergistic
effect,
i.e. where the whole works better than any one part, as it includes all the
ginsenocides,
and all other constituents.

4. Ginseng, like many other products, can be adulterated or mixed with
fillers to
stretch the ginseng. Look for 100 percent ginseng products.

5. The word ?ginseng? on the label does not assure you are getting American
or
Asian ginseng. It could be, and often is, Siberian ginseng, a related but
different plant
and can also be any one of a number of plants (see ?Ginseng?What it Is and
Isn?t?,
Ginseng Factsheet 97-01). 3 BCMAF An Information Guide. Part 2/ Revised
October 1999

6. You should know your source, quality and age of the product you use.
Ginseng
has a good shelf life if handled and stored well but root over three years
from
harvest is questionable.

7. There are ?guaranteed potency? products on the market, which are
chemically
enhanced and guaranteed to be a certain percent ginsenocide. These are good
products if you are buying ginsenocides but may have less than 100 percent
ginseng in them, i.e., not a whole root product as you can extract, then add
ginsenocides to many things.

8. In the Asian market, the shape of the root is important and is one of the
subjective criterion for purchase. The common name ?Man Root? implies that
if
a root has a particular shape it is better. Asians typically purchase
identifiable root
products.

9. ?Red? ginseng is a processed product, made by steaming ginseng roots for
eight ? ten hours. It is not a separate species of ginseng. Red ginseng
products
are usually made from Asian ginseng.