Panax ginseng.  人 參   Rén shēn  Ginseng  Family: Araliaceae        
Ginseng is a perennial, which throws off all aboveground plant parts in the fall and then goes dormant. Ginseng originally is a forest plant and therefore tolerates only little sun. Therefore, a sufficient shading of the ginseng fields is very important for the growth of the plants. In springtime, shortly before the sprouting of the plants, the shades are set up. In fall they will be removed to prevent damage to the construction by storm or snow.
Red and white ginseng are not, as is often assumed, products of various plants. Rather, they are from the same plant, Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, whose roots were conserved only in different ways.
人 參   Rén shēn   White Ginseng
PART USED: Carrot like root
Nature- white ginseng- neutral. Red ginseng is warm. Red ginseng is the same species grown for longer     FLAVOR: Sweet, slightly bitter. CHANNELS: Spleen, Lung
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Tonify Qi
1. Promote Energy.
2. Tone up Heart. Increase the Calm the Spirit.[1,2,3]
3. Produce saliva.  Produce fluids.[3]
4. Stimulate appetite.
ACTIONS
INDICATIONS
1. Qi and Blood deficiency. Deficiency prolapse.
2. Heart deficiency- Heart failure. Palpitation. Neurasthenia. Insomnia.
3. Cough, excessive perspiration.[3] Asthma. Panting. Short breath.
3. Injuries caused by internal activity of emotions, particularly worry.
4. Convalescent weakness. Frequent urination.[3]
5. Poor appetite, fatigue, upset stomach, diarrhea.[3]
6. Forgetfulness.[3]
7. Impotence.[3]
8. Diabetes.[3]
9. Vaginal bleeding.[3]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
COMBINATIONS
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Coughing of blood. Vomiting of blood. Ginseng could cause encephalemia or cerebrovascular accidents in people suffering from hypertension. Edema and incomplete functions of the kidneys with decreased urination because Ginseng is an antidiuretic that may cause worsening of edema. Excessive type of insomnia, because Ginseng can make an excessive condition even more excessive.[3]  Common cold with fever, since this is a Full (Excessive) condition and Ginseng tonifies increasing the production of extreme heat in the body, which can intensify the fever.[3]   
PREPARATIONS: Decoction - Root 3-9 g each dose.[1] Dried roots 1-9 g.[2]
White ginseng is dried immediately after harvest and then offered as a dry root or in powdered form. In the case of Asian imported goods, the processing of white ginseng usually already starts in the 3rd or 4th year of growth, which has an impact on the quality and effectiveness of the products. In addition, in many of these countries, the white ginseng is additionally peeled, i. e. the active agent-rich, outer layer is removed to look visually "attractive".
         
COMPARISON: There are three main type of Ginseng with different functions: Chinese Ginseng; Korean or red Ginseng, and American Ginseng.
chinese ginseng is more beneficail to the Lungs and the digestive system, is more often used to benefit the Lung , produce fluids and heal other critical symptoms.
Korean or red Ginseng is warmer; it is mot frequently used to tone up energy and blood to imporve the functions of the sex gland and is less effective for other symptoms.
American Ginseng has a cool energy, and is mostly used for cough thirst, and alcoholism.[3]
红 人 參 Hóng rén shēn 韩 国 人 参 Hán guó rén shēn- "Korean ginseng"  Red Ginseng, Korean Ginseng
To become "red ginseng", the root pieces have to pass an additional treatment. This is the so-called Maillard method: After the original white roots are harvested, sorted by size and cleaned, they are exposed to hot air flow at 120 to 130° C. As a result, the roots turn reddish and their surface becomes firm and glassy. Due to this heat treatment also certain enzymes are destroyed. After this processing step the now "red ginseng" will be dried.
Nature: Warm      FLAVOR: Pleasant
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Tonify Qi, GROUP: Tonify Yang depending on Nature.
1. Strengthens primary energy.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Yang deficiency,[1] Spleen and Kidney Cold deficiency.[1] Anemia shortness of breath, palpitation, insomnia, much dreaming, deficiency related asthma, spontaneous perspiration, convalescent weakness, chronic sores.[1]
PREPARATIONS: Decoction or steamed injested 3-9 g.[1]
Fluid extract 1:2 in 45% alcohol.[4]

References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents.
Research.
The ginsenosoides have immunomodulatory activity;[1,2] they stimulate the biosynthesis of proteins in rat liver and kidney and increase plasma levels of ACTH an corticosterones;[3] and inhibit thrombin induced conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin, preventing platelet aggregation in experminetal disseminated coagulation in rats.[4] They control homeostasis by acting on the endocrine system.[5] Ginsenoside Rb-1 acts as a CNS sedative and Rg-1 has antifatigue and stimulant properties.[6]
In animals, an extract increases the capacity of skeletal muscle to oxidize free fatty acids in preference to glucose to produce cellular energy,[7] which would help to explain the antifatigue activity seen in convential exhaustion tests. For review.[9]
The glycans, panaxans A-E, are hypoglycaemic in mice and are probably responsible for at least some of the effects of ginseng on carbohydrate metabolism. Although ginseng is taken so widely, fatalities are unkown. However despite it being so safe, side effects are well documented and include estrogenic effects, hypertension, irritability and related symptoms.[8]
References
[1] Singh, V. K. et al. (1984) Planta Med, 50, 462
[2] Singh, V. K. et al. (1983) Planta Med. 47, 234
[3] Hiai, S. in "Advances in Chinese Medicinal Materials Research", Ed. H. M. Chang et al. Pub. World Scientific Pub. Co. (1985) Singapore and USA
[4] Matsuda, H. et al. (1986) Chem. Pharm. Bull. 34 (3), 1153
[5] Fulder, S. J. (1981) Am. J. Chin. Med. 9, 112
[6] Salto, H. and Lee, Y. U. (1978) Proc. 3rd Int. Ginseng Symp. 109
[7] Avakian, E. V. et al. (1984) Planta Med. 50, 151
[8] Baldwin, C. A. et al. (1986) Pharm. J. 237, 583
[9] Phillilpson, J. D. and Anderson, L. A. (1984) Pharm. J. 232, 161

Ginseng, the 'Immunity Boost': The Effects of Panax ginseng on Immune System
Soowon Kang and Hyeyoung Min
Abstract
Thousands of literatures have described the diverse role of ginseng in physiological processes such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, insulin resistance, and hypertension. In particular, ginseng has been extensively reported to maintain homeostasis of the immune system and to enhance resistance to illness or microbial attacks through the regulation of immune system. Immune system comprises of different types of cells fulfilling their own specialized functions, and each type of the immune cells is differentially influenced and may be simultaneously controlled by ginseng treatment. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the effects of ginseng on immune system. We discuss how ginseng regulates each type of immune cells including macrophages, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, T cells, and B cells. We also describe how ginseng exhibits beneficial effects on controlling inflammatory diseases and microbial infections.
J Ginseng Res. 2012 Oct; 36(4): 354–368. doi: 10.5142/jgr.2012.36.4.354. PMCID: PMC3659612  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Panax ginseng in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Ik-Hyun Cho
Abstract
Ginseng, the root of the Panax ginseng, has been a popular and widely-used traditional herbal medicine in Korea, China, and Japan for thousands of years. Now it has become popular as a functional health food and is used globally as a natural medicine. Evidence is accumulating in the literature on the physiological and pharmacological effects of P. ginseng on neurodegenerative diseases. Possible ginseng- or ginsenosides-mediated neuroprotective mechanisms mainly involve maintaining homeostasis, and anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, and immune-stimulatory activities. This review considers publications dealing with the various actions of P. ginseng that are indicative of possible neurotherapeutic efficacies in neurodegenerative diseases and neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis.
J Ginseng Res. 2012 Oct; 36(4): 342–353. doi: 10.5142/jgr.2012.36.4.342. PMCID: PMC3659610  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cardiovascular Diseases and Panax ginseng: A Review on Molecular Mechanisms and Medical Applications
Jong-Hoon Kim
Abstract
Ginseng is one of the most widely used herbal medicines and is reported to have a wide range of therapeutic and pharmacological applications. Ginseng may also be potentially valuable in treating cardiovascular diseases. Research concerning cardiovascular disease is focusing on purified individual ginsenoside constituents of ginseng to reveal specific mechanisms instead of using whole ginseng extracts. The most commonly studied ginsenosides are Rb1, Rg1, Rg3, Rh1, Re, and Rd. The molecular mechanisms and medical applications of ginsenosides in the treatment of cardiovascular disease have attracted much attention and been the subject of numerous publications. Here, we review the current literature on the myriad pharmacological functions and the potential benefits of ginseng in this area. In vitro investigations using cell cultures and in vivo animal models have indicated ginseng’s potential cardiovascular benefits through diverse mechanisms that include antioxidation, modifying vasomotor function, reducing platelet adhesion, influencing ion channels, altering autonomic neurotransmitters release, and improving lipid profiles. Some 40 ginsenosides have been identified. Each may have different effects in pharmacology and mechanisms due to their different chemical structures. This review also summarizes results of relevant clinical trials regarding the cardiovascular effects of ginseng, particularly in the management of hypertension and improving cardiovascular function.
J Ginseng Res. 2012 Jan; 36(1): 16–26. doi: 10.5142/jgr.2012.36.1.16.  PMCID: PMC3659571 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Panax ginseng enhances cognitive performance in Alzheimer disease.
Lee ST, Chu K, Sim JY, Heo JH, Kim M.
Abstract
Recent experimental evidences suggest protective and trophic effects of ginseng in the memory function of Alzheimer disease (AD). Thus, we investigated the clinical efficacy of Panax ginseng in the cognitive performance of AD patients in an open-label study. Consecutive AD patients were randomly assigned to the ginseng (n=58) or the control group (n=39), and the ginseng group was treated with Panax ginseng powder (4.5 g/d) for 12 weeks. Cognitive performances were monitored using the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Alzheimer disease assessment scale (ADAS) during 12 weeks of the ginseng treatment and at 12 weeks after the ginseng discontinuation. MMSE and ADAS scales showed no baseline difference between the groups. After ginseng treatment, the cognitive subscale of ADAS and the MMSE score began to show improvements and continued up to 12 weeks (P=0.029 and P=0.009 vs. baseline, respectively). After discontinuing ginseng, the improved ADAS and MMSE scores declined to the levels of the control group. These results suggest that Panax ginseng is clinically effective in the cognitive performance of AD patients. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2008 Jul-Sep;22(3):222-6. doi: 10.1097/WAD.0b013e31816c92e6. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 Anticarcinogenic effect of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer and identification of active compounds.
Yun TK, Lee YS, Lee YH, Kim SI, Yun HY.
Abstract
The failure to improve the five-year survival rate of cancer patients, from one in three in the 1960s to one in two in the 1970s, stimulated awareness of the importance of primary prevention of cancer. Korean investigators carried out extensive long-term anticarcinogenicity experiments with 2000 newborn mice to investigate whether Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer inhibited carcinogenesis induced by several chemical carcinogens in 1978. There was a 22% decrease (p<0.05) in the incidence of urethane induced lung adenoma by the combined use of red ginseng extract. In the group sacrificed at 56 weeks after the treatment with aflatoxin B1, the incidence of hepatoma significantly decreased to 75% by the addition of red ginseng extract (p<0.05). The result showed that natural products can provide hope for human cancer prevention. By the newly established '9 week medium-term anticarcinogenicity test model of lung tumors in mice' (Yun's model), we confirmed significant anticarcinogenic effects of powders and extracts of the 6- yr-old dried fresh ginseng, 5- and 6-yr old white ginsengs, and 4-, 5-, and 6-yr old red ginseng. We also demonstrated that the anticarcinogencity of ginseng was more prominent in aged or heat treated extracts of ginseng and red ginseng made by steaming. To investigate the active components for cancer prevention, several fractions of 6-yr old fresh ginseng and red ginseng, four semi-synthetic ginsenoside Rh1, Rh2, Rg3 and Rg5, major saponin components in red ginseng, were prepared. Among the ginsenosides, Rg3 and Rg5 showed statistically significant reduction of lung tumor incidence and Rh2 had a tendency of decreasing the incidence. Ginsenoside Rg3, Rg5 and Rh2 were found to be active anticarcinogenic compounds. Rg3, Rg5 and Rh2 are active components in red ginseng, and they prevent cancer either singularly or synergistically. J Korean Med Sci. 2001 Dec;16 Suppl:S6-18. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The memory enhancing effects of a Ginkgo biloba/Panax ginseng combination in healthy middle-aged volunteers.
Wesnes KA, Ward T, McGinty A, Petrini O.
Abstract
The effects of capsules containing 60 mg of a standardised extract of Ginkgo biloba (GK501) and 100 mg of a standardised extract of Panax ginseng (G115) on various aspects of cognitive function were assessed in healthy middle-aged volunteers. A double blind, placebo controlled, 14 week, parallel group, repeated assessment, multi-centre trial of two dosing regimens, 160 mg b.i.d. and 320 mg o.d. was conducted. Two hundred and fifty-six healthy middle-aged volunteers successfully completed the study. On various study days (weeks 0, 4, 8, 12 and 14) the volunteers performed a selection of tests of attention and memory from the Cognitive Drug Research computerised cognitive assessment system prior to morning dosing and again, at 1, 3 and 6 h later. The volunteers also completed questionnaires about mood states, quality of life and sleep quality. The Ginkgo/ginseng combination was found significantly to improve an Index of Memory Quality, supporting a previous finding with the compound. This effect represented an average improvement of 7.5% and reflected improvements to a number of different aspects of memory, including working and long-term memory. This enhancement to memory was seen throughout the 12-week dosing period and also after a 2-week washout. This represents the first substantial demonstration of improvements to the memory of healthy middle-aged volunteers produced by a phytopharmaceutical.Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2000 Nov;152(4):353-61. .ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effects of Panax ginseng on quality of life.
Coleman CI, Hebert JH, Reddy P.
Abstract
Panax ginseng is marketed and used to maintain natural energy, increase mental and physical abilities, improve mood and promote general health and well-being. Panax ginseng has been studied in a number of randomized clinical trials investigating its effect on physical and psychomotor performance, cognitive function, immunomodulation, diabetes mellitus and herpes simplex type-II infections. Equivocal results have been demonstrated for many of these indications. P. ginseng is also commonly used to promote quality of life (QoL). As a result, ginseng's effect on QoL has become an increasingly important endpoint in clinical trials. We reviewed all studies (n = 9) that determined the effect of P. ginseng on QoL. P. ginseng's has been evaluated at dosages of 80-400 mg. Study duration has spanned from 2 to 9 months. Several QoL measures have been used, ranging from widely accepted core instruments to unpublished investigator-derived questionnaires. In addition, many of the investigators utilized ginseng extracts that were supplemented with vitamins and minerals while others used only standardized ginseng extract. Populations evaluated also differed in terms of underlying morbidity. Nearly every study evaluated (n = 8) demonstrated some degree of QoL improvement. Beneficial effects were evident within instrument summary component scores but improvement in overall composite scores of QoL was rarely seen. However, findings were equivocal. While populations evaluated varied in terms of underlying morbidity, there did not appear to be a substantial difference in their response to ginseng with respect to QoL. Despite some positive results, improvement in overall health-related quality of life cannot, given the current research, be attributed to P. ginseng. However, the possibility that various facets of QoL may have improved and the potential of early transient effects cannot be discounted.J Clin Pharm Ther. 2003 Feb;28(1):5-15. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparative study of Korean White Ginseng and Korean Red Ginseng on efficacies of OVA-induced asthma model in mice
Chi-Yeon Lim, Jeong-Min Moon, Bu-Yeo Kim, Se-Hyun Lim, Guem-San Lee, Hak-Sun Yu, and Su-In Cho
Abstract
Background
Korean ginseng is a well-known medicinal herb that has been widely used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases, including asthma. Ginseng can be classified as white ginseng (WG) or red ginseng (RG), according to processing conditions. In this study, the authors compared the efficacies of these two ginseng types in a mouse model of acute asthma.
Methods
To produce the acute asthma model, BALB/c mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and aluminum hydroxide, and then challenged with OVA. WG and RG extracts were administered to mice orally. The influences of WG and RG on airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), immune cell distributions in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), IgG1, and IgG2a in serum were investigated. Cytokine production by lymphocytes isolated from peribronchial lymph nodes and histopathological changes was also examined.
Results
In OVA-sensitized mice, both WG and RG reduced AHR and suppressed immune cell infiltration in bronchoalveolar regions. BALF OVA-specific IgE levels were significantly lower in RG-treated OVA-sensitized mice than in the OVA-sensitized control group. WG and RG also suppressed inflammatory cytokine production by peribronchial lymphocytes. Histopathological findings showed reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and airway remodeling (e.g., epithelial hyperplasia) in WG- and RG-treated OVA mice compared with OVA controls.
Conclusion
In this study, WG and RG showed antiasthmatic effects in an OVA-sensitized mouse model, and the efficacies of RG were found to be better than those of WG.
J Ginseng Res. 2015 Jan; 39(1): 38–45.
Published online 2014 Aug 1. doi: 10.1016/j.jgr.2014.07.004
PMCID: PMC4268570 PMID: 25535475 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov