Panax ginseng

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Panax Ginseng

Panax ginseng (pronunciation: /ˈpænəks ˈdʒɪnsɛŋ/), also known as Asian ginseng, Chinese ginseng, or Korean ginseng, is a species of plant whose root is the original source of ginseng. It is a perennial plant that grows in the mountains of Eastern Asia.

Etymology

The genus name Panax means "all heal" in Greek, from pan (all) and akos (cure), symbolizing the traditional belief in the plant's wide-ranging healing properties. The species name ginseng is derived from the Chinese term rénshēn (人参), where rén means "person" and shēn means "plant root". This refers to the root's characteristic forked shape, which resembles the legs of a person.

Description

Panax ginseng is a slow-growing perennial plant with fleshy roots, growing 60 to 80 cm tall. The leaves are produced in a whorl of three to five, each leaf divided into five to seven leaflets. The flowers are hermaphroditic, produced in a dense umbel at the top of the stem. The fruit is a bright red berry.

Medical Uses

Panax ginseng is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and has been claimed to enhance physical (athletic, cognitive, sexual) performance, and to improve health, stimulate immune function, and increase longevity. However, these uses have not been definitively substantiated by clinical research.

Related Terms

  • Ginsenosides: The active compounds of Panax ginseng.
  • Adaptogen: A natural substance considered to help the body adapt to stress and to exert a normalizing effect upon bodily processes.
  • Rhizome: A continuously growing horizontal underground stem which puts out lateral shoots and adventitious roots at intervals.

External links

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