Widely regarded as the "king of herbs," ginseng is perhaps the best known of all botanical medicines. There are at least five types of ginseng plants, each of which has different chemical properties. Panax ginseng has been grown in China for several thousand years. The genus name Panax is derived from the Latin word panacea meaning "cure all." American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) grows throughout the woods of eastern North America from Canada to the Carolinas. Ginseng root is now available as a whole root, powdered extract, liquid extract, tea granules, tinctures, tablets, and capsules.

Recent research in China, summarized by Dr. C. Liu in the February 1992 issue of the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, indicates that Panax ginseng has 28 different ginsenosides that "act on the central nervous system, cardiovascular system and endocrine secretion, promote immune function, and have effects on anti-aging and relieving stress." Ginseng appears to help regulate the amount of adrenaline secreted by the adrenal glands. It also improves adrenal gland function and prevents the shrinkage of the adrenal gland due to aging, prolonged stress, or corticosteroid drugs.

Michael Murray in The Healing Powers of Herbs suggests that ginsenosides also increase nerve fiber growth and prevent nerve damage by radiation. They also protect the liver against damage by increasing cell growth in the liver. In addition, ginseng lowers total cholesterol, especially low density lipoproteins ("bad" cholesterol) while increasing HDL ("good") cholesterol.

Matthew Mishr

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