[Variety Source]

This product is the root of Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Mey.), a perennial herbaceous plant of Araliaceae. Mainly produced in Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang. In the wild, it is called "mountain ginseng"; in cultivators, it is called "garden ginseng". Excavated in autumn. Garden ginseng is generally harvested after 6 to 7 years of cultivation. Fresh ginseng that is washed and dried is called "raw sun-dried ginseng"; those that are steamed and dried are called "red ginseng"; those that are blanched and soaked in sugar and then dried are called "sugar ginseng" or "white ginseng"; the fine roots that are cut off after processing are called "red ginseng". "Ginseng". After the wild ginseng is dried, it is called "raw sun-dried wild ginseng". Slice or grind into powder.

[Character]

Perennial herb, up to 60cm tall. The rhizome is short, upright, and grows a segment every year, commonly known as the reed head, sometimes with one or several adventitious roots growing on it. The main root is thick, fleshy, cylindrical, mostly oblique, with branches at the lower part, and the outer skin is light yellow. The stem is upright, single, unbranched, smooth and hairless, with palmately compound leaves whorled at the stem end. Usually annuals (referring to the second year after sowing) have one three-compound leaf, biennials have one five-compound leaf, and three-year-olds have one five-compound leaf. It has two five compound leaves, and one leaf will be added every year, up to 6 compound leaves. The compound leaves have long stalks, with mostly 5 or even 3 leaflets, the base pair is smaller, and the three middle leaves are several equal in size, elliptical to oblong or slightly obovate, 4 to 5 cm long and wide. 2～6.5cm, the apex is tapered, the base is wedge-shaped and extends downwards, the edges are finely serrated, and the upper veins have sparse setae. The umbel is single and terminal. The total flower root is 7-20cm long. The flowers are small and numerous. The peduncles are thin and about 5mm long. The bracts are small and linear-lanceolate. The calyx is 5 and tooth-shaped. The petals are 5 and light yellow-green. , ovate, apex blunt; stamens 5, filaments short, anthers oblong; ovary inferior, 2-chambered, upper part of style 2-lobed, cup-shaped disk. The drupe is berry-shaped, oblate spherical, 9 to 5 mm in diameter, and bright red when ripe. 2 seeds, semi-round, milky white. The flowering period is from June to July, and the fruiting period is from July to September.

[Property]

sweet and slightly bitter, slightly warm. act on heart, lung and spleen channels.

[Efficacy]

Powerful tonification of primordial qi, banking up earth to generate metal, promoting body fluids and calming the nerves.

[Indications]

1. It is used for severe symptoms and signs of qi deficiency, such as loss of appetite and weak pulse. Whether it is due to large loss of blood, vomiting and diarrhea, or long-term illness or serious illness, just take a large amount of Ginseng with thick decoction. , that is, it has the effect of powerful tonification of primordial qi, rejuvenating pulse and stabilizing qi, just like Dushen Decoction. In recent years, it has been reported that Dushen Decoction can be used for heart failure and cardiogenic shock. If both reversal cold of limbs and yang qi are declining, Aconite Lateral Root can be used to tonify qi and restore yang, that is, Ginseng and Aconite Decoction (modern preparations include Shenfu Injection); if there is excessive sweating, qi and yin damage, you can use Ophiopogon Tuber or Schisandra Fruit to tonify qi and restrain yin, that is, Pulse-Reinforcing Powder (existing Shengmai injection).
2. Used for lung qi deficiency, shortness of breath panting, weak voice, weak pulse, spontaneous sweating and other symptoms. Ginseng can tonify the lung and replenish the qi, and can be used with Astragalus Root and Schisandra Fruit; if panting for a long time and the lungs and kidneys are deficient, it is often used with walnut kernel meat, Tokay Gecko and other lung and kidney tonic medicines are used together, such as Ginseng and Walnut Decoction, Ginseng Root and Tokay Gecko Powder.
3. It is used for symptoms such as lack of spleen qi, lack of strength, lack of food and loose stool. Ginseng can also tonify the spleen and replenishing qi, and is often used with spleen-reinforcing medicines such as White Atractylodes Rhizome, Poria, and Liquorice Root Used together, such as Four Gentlemen Decoction.
4. It is used for Rebing Qi and body fluid damage, body heat, thirst and consumptive thirst. It has the effect of tonifying qi and promoting body fluid production. To treat body heat, excessive sweating, thirst and pulse deficiency, it is often used with Gypsum and Anemarrhena, such as White Tiger Decoction Plus Ginseng; consumptive thirst syndrome, can be used equivalently with Snakegourd Root, Unprocessed Rehmannia Root, Astragalus Root.
5. It is used for palpitation, insomnia, amnesia and other symptoms of deficiency of qi and blood. It has the effect of tonifying qi, calming the nerves and improving intelligence. Can be used alone or in combination of medicinals Unprocessed Rehmannia Root, Salvia, Sour Jujube and other nourishing blood and tranquilizing spirit medicines For the same use, add Celestial Emperor Heart-Tonifying Pill.
6. In addition, for blood deficiency syndrome/pattern, failure of qi to control blood, hemorrhagic syndrome and impotence syndrome, it can tonifying qi produce blood, tonifying qi to absorb blood and tonifying qi tonifying yang; for external contraction of body deficiency or evil excess For symptoms of positive deficiency, the combination of medicinals releasing exterior and internal medicine can be used to reinforcing healthy qi and eliminate pathogenic factors.

[Documentation]

1. Benjing: "Supplement five zang-organs, soothe the spirit, calm the soul, stop palpitation due to fright, remove pathogenic qi, improve vision, happy and beneficial to the mind."
2. 《 "Medicinal Methods": "Ginseng is sweet and warm, and can replenish the original qi in the lungs; if lung qi is strong, the qi of the four internal organs will be strong, and the essence will grow and form by itself, so the lungs govern all qi."
3. Bencao Jingshu "Ginseng can restore yang qi when it is extinct, but the deficiency-type pathogen is in a short time. Its main treatment is to supplement the five zang-organs. Although there are five zang-organs, the flow of qi is one. The five zang-organs of beneficial vital qi are all replenished. The reason why pathogenic qi stays for a long time and does not go away is because its qi deficiency is invincible. 」

[Usage and Dosage]

For decoction, 5-10g; for acute and severe cases, the dose can be increased to 15-30g. It is advisable to drink mild fire decocted separately. Grind into powder and swallow, 1.5~2g each time.

[Precaution]

Counter false hellebore . Dread Trogopterus Dung. It is not advisable to eat radish or drink tea at the same time to avoid affecting the strength.

[Modern Pharmacology]

Ginseng root contains several Ginseng saponins. The total saponin content is about 5%, which is a mixture of more than 15 saponins. It also contains a small amount of volatile oil (the low boiling point part of the oil contains β-elemene; the high boiling point part mainly contains Ginseng acetylenols), a variety of sugars and vitamins, etc.

1. Ginseng enhances both the excitatory and inhibitory processes of high-level neural activity. It can enhance the flexibility of neural activity process and improve mental work function.
2. It has the effect of excitating first and then inhibiting the heart of various animals, excitating in a small amount and inhibiting in a large amount.
3. Can excite the pituitary adrenal cortex system and improve stress response ability. It has the effects of anti-shock, anti-fatigue, lowering blood sugar, promoting the biosynthesis of protein, RNA, and DNA, regulating cholesterol metabolism, promoting the function of the hematopoietic system, and reducing radiation damage to the hematopoietic system.
4. Can increase the body's immune function.
5. It can enhance gonadal function and has gonadotropin-like effects.
6. In addition, it has anti-allergic, anti-diuretic and anti-cancer effects.

The pharmacological activity of Ginseng often acts in two directions depending on the body's functional status. Therefore, Ginseng is considered to be a typical representative drug with "adaptogen"-like effects.

[Supplementary Medication]

Japanese ginseng: Also known as ginseng, it is the rhizome part at the top of the root of Ginseng, which is used after being steamed or soaked in sugar juice. Bitter and slightly warm in nature and flavor. Functions surge and improve. In the past, it was mainly used to treat phlegm fluid retention disease due to physical weakness. Recently, it has also been used to treat chronic diarrhea and yang qi subsidence. The general dosage is one to three qian, decoction and taken.