American Ginseng
Encyclopedia
American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, is a herbaceous perennial plant
in the ivy family
, commonly used as Chinese or herbal medicine.
It is native to eastern North America
, though it is also cultivated in places such as China
.
The plant's forked root and leaves were traditionally used for medicinal purposes by Native American
s. Since the 19th century, the roots have been collected by "'sang hunters" and sold to Chinese or Hong Kong traders, who often pay very high prices for particularly old wild roots.
It is also known by its Chinese name Huaqishen or Xiyangshen .
was formerly particularly widespread in the Appalachian
and Ozark
regions (and adjacent forested regions such as Pennsylvania
, New York State
and Ontario
), but due to its popularity the wild plant has been overharvested, and is thus rare in most parts of the United States and Canada. Ginseng is also negatively affected by deer browsing, urbanization, and habitat fragmentation.It is also grown commercially, under artificial shade, in fields in Wisconsin
and Minnesota
, and usually harvested after three to four years. Many ginseng growers in Wisconsin are represented by the "Ginseng Board of Wisconsin", whose seal is often sought after on ginseng products to certify they are genuine. Wisconsin, particularly Marathon County
, accounts for approximately 95% of production in the United States. Ginseng is also widely grown in
Ontario
, Canada
.
Like Panax ginseng, American ginseng contains dammarane
-type ginsenoside
s as the major biologically active constituents. Dammarane type ginsenosides include two classifications: the 20(S)-protopanaxadiol
(ppd) and 20(S)-protopanaxatriol
(ppt) classifications. American ginseng contains high levels of Rb1, Rd (ppd classification) and Re (ppt classification) ginsenosides—higher than that of P. ginseng in one study.
In humans, M1 is detected in plasma from 7 hours after the intake of ppd-type ginsenosides and in urine from 12 hours after the intake. These findings indicate that M1 is the final metabolite of ppd-type ginsenosides.
M1 is referred to in some articles as IH-901
, and in others as compound-K.
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
in the ivy family
Araliaceae
Araliaceae is a family of flowering plants, also known as the Aralia family or Ivy family. The family includes 254 species of trees, shrubs, lianas and perennial herbaceous plants into 2 subfamilies...
, commonly used as Chinese or herbal medicine.
It is native to eastern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, though it is also cultivated in places such as China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
The plant's forked root and leaves were traditionally used for medicinal purposes by Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
s. Since the 19th century, the roots have been collected by "'sang hunters" and sold to Chinese or Hong Kong traders, who often pay very high prices for particularly old wild roots.
It is also known by its Chinese name Huaqishen or Xiyangshen .
Production
American ginsengGinseng
Ginseng is any one of eleven species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, belonging to the genus Panax of the family Araliaceae....
was formerly particularly widespread in the Appalachian
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
and Ozark
The Ozarks
The Ozarks are a physiographic and geologic highland region of the central United States. It covers much of the southern half of Missouri and an extensive portion of northwestern and north central Arkansas...
regions (and adjacent forested regions such as Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, New York State
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
), but due to its popularity the wild plant has been overharvested, and is thus rare in most parts of the United States and Canada. Ginseng is also negatively affected by deer browsing, urbanization, and habitat fragmentation.It is also grown commercially, under artificial shade, in fields in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, and usually harvested after three to four years. Many ginseng growers in Wisconsin are represented by the "Ginseng Board of Wisconsin", whose seal is often sought after on ginseng products to certify they are genuine. Wisconsin, particularly Marathon County
Marathon County, Wisconsin
Marathon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is part of the Wausau, WI, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 134,063. Its county seat is Wausau.-Geography:...
, accounts for approximately 95% of production in the United States. Ginseng is also widely grown in
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Chemical components
Dammarane
Dammarane is a tetracyclic triterpene found in sapogenins like those of ginseng ....
-type ginsenoside
Ginsenoside
Ginsenosides are a class of steroid glycosides, and triterpene saponins, found exclusively in the plant genus Panax .Ginsenosides have been the target of research, as they are viewed as the active compounds behind the claims of ginseng's efficacy...
s as the major biologically active constituents. Dammarane type ginsenosides include two classifications: the 20(S)-protopanaxadiol
Protopanaxadiol
Protopanaxadiol is an organic coumpound characterizing a group of ginsenosides. It is a dammarane-type tetracyclic terpene sapogenin found in ginseng and in notoginseng ....
(ppd) and 20(S)-protopanaxatriol
Protopanaxatriol
Protopanaxatriol is an organic compound characterizing a group of ginsenosides. It is a dammarane-type tetracyclic triterpene sapogenins found in ginseng and in notoginseng ....
(ppt) classifications. American ginseng contains high levels of Rb1, Rd (ppd classification) and Re (ppt classification) ginsenosides—higher than that of P. ginseng in one study.
Pharmacokinetics
When taken orally, ppd-type ginsenosides are mostly metabolized by intestinal bacteria (anaerobes) to ppd monoglucoside, 20-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-20(S)-protopanaxadiol (M1).In humans, M1 is detected in plasma from 7 hours after the intake of ppd-type ginsenosides and in urine from 12 hours after the intake. These findings indicate that M1 is the final metabolite of ppd-type ginsenosides.
M1 is referred to in some articles as IH-901
, and in others as compound-K.
External links
- "There is More to a Forest than Trees" by Lynn Davis, College of Natural Resources, Virginia Tech
- "Roots and Regulations: The Unfolding Story of Pennsylvania Ginseng", by Melissa Beattie-Moss