The discovery of American ginseng benefited from the medicinal value of China ginseng. 17 14, a British missionary who preached in China was particularly interested in China ginseng and brought some ginseng back to China. Later, he wrote a paper on the medicinal value of China ginseng, which was published in the Journal of the Royal Society. Later, this article was read by Father Lafite in Quebec. When he studied the ginseng specimens in China, he thought that the local forest zone was very similar to the natural environment in China, and he inferred that there should be similar plants in the local area. So he hired many people to look for it. As a result, he found this plant in southern Canada, and then found this kind of "ginseng" in the Atlantic coast of North America, southeastern Canada and the eastern United States. Since then, American ginseng has been known.

Although American ginseng is produced abroad, its medicinal value was first discovered and widely used in China. As early as the Qing Dynasty, Empress Dowager Cixi used it to treat diseases, and it was because of her use that the value of American ginseng doubled. According to legend, Cixi was often troubled by spleen deficiency and dampness, and her mood was very low. Considering her physical condition, Doctor Tai thought that the conditioning should not be dry and intense, so he used American ginseng instead of ginseng and codonopsis pilosula, and achieved good results. Because American ginseng is cold, people with symptoms of yang deficiency should not take more; Zhang Xichun, a famous doctor in modern times, thinks that people who need ginseng but can't use it to keep warm can switch to American ginseng.

Panax quinquefolium is the dry root of Araliaceae plant Panax quinquefolium. They are all cultivated products, which are dug, washed, dried or dried at low temperature in autumn. "Root-seeking Materia Medica" contains: "Clearing lung and kidney, cooling heart and spleen, reducing fire, relieving summer heat and hangover."

Encyclopedia of American ginseng

Sexual taste, sweet meridian, slightly bitter, cool. Heart, lung and kidney meridians.

Performance characteristics: the taste is bitter, cool and slightly sweet, which can tonify the heart, lung and kidney meridians. It is a cool tonic. This product is good at invigorating qi and nourishing yin, clearing fire and promoting fluid production. It is mainly used to treat the syndrome of deficiency of both qi and yin or yin deficiency hurting body fluid, especially for heat syndrome.

Benefiting qi and nourishing yin, clearing away heat and promoting fluid production.

Indication disorder

1, cough and phlegm blood due to yin deficiency.

2, fever, both qi and yin injuries.

3, lack of body fluid, dry mouth, internal heat to quench thirst.

Usage and dosage: 3 ~ 6g, decocted separately.

Use Veratrum carefully. American ginseng is cold, which can hurt yang and help dampness. Those with yang deficiency and internal cold and dampness should use it with caution.

Origin: Canada and the United States. Introduced and cultivated successfully in Northeast China, North China and Northwest China.

Discrimination between true and false, good and bad

1, look at the reed head: the reed head of American ginseng is small, and the reed bowl is generally invisible or rare, small and shallow; The reed head of sun-dried ginseng (ginseng) is obviously larger, and there are many reed bowls, which are large and deep.

2. Look at wrinkles: the longitudinal wrinkles of imported American ginseng are irregular, thick and deep; The surface of domestic American ginseng is smooth, the longitudinal wrinkles are thin and shallow, and the lateral wrinkles at the root and head are obvious. There are shallow and intermittent thick horizontal lines and obvious longitudinal wrinkles on the upper part or all of the sun-dried ginseng roots, but the longitudinal wrinkles are not as thick and deep as those of imported American ginseng.

3, look at the lenticels: American ginseng lenticels are thicker; Sun-dried ginseng skin pores are slender.

4. Ornamental texture: American ginseng has a solid and heavy texture and a solid feel; Sun-dried ginseng is light in texture and light in touch.

5, listen to the sound: American ginseng is hard and not easy to break, when cutting, the sound is crisp and the cut surface is neat; Sun-dried ginseng is loose, easy to cut, and the crisp sound is not obvious.

6. Cinnabar spot: The cambium ring on the cross section of American ginseng is brown, and there are yellow-brown dotted resin channels (cinnabar spots) in the skin, which are more and more obvious near the cambium ring. The cambium ring color of the cross section of sun-dried ginseng is light, and there are fewer cinnabar spots.

7. Taste: American ginseng has a strong flavor and a strong effect of promoting fluid production; Sun-dried ginseng is light in taste and weak in producing body fluid.

Modern pharmacological research Panax quinquefolium saponin is one of the most important effective components in Panax quinquefolium, and it is also the most important physiologically active substance. So far, many saponins have been extracted from American ginseng. Although there are many kinds of saponins in American ginseng, they are mainly triterpenoids, which are similar in structure to ginsenoside, but some of them are unique to American ginseng.

Clinical compatibility application

1. Fever can damage yin, quench thirst, dry mouth and throat: compatible with Dendrobium, Ophiopogon japonicus and Adenophora adenophora.

2, yin deficiency and blood deficiency, physical weakness: use angelica, rehmannia glutinosa, white peony root, red peony root.

3. Unilateral (journal of traditional chinese medicine, Shanghai, 1979, (4): 29): Indications: Patients with tumors (such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma) have adverse reactions such as dry throat, nausea, emaciation, loss of appetite and leukopenia during radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Take 3 ~ 9g of American ginseng every day and decoct it in water. From 2 weeks before radiotherapy to the end of radiotherapy. In the prescription, American ginseng can replenish qi and nourish yin, promote fluid production and quench thirst.

Daily health care value

1, enhancing the function of the central nervous system

Saponins in American ginseng can effectively strengthen the central nervous system, achieve the effects of calming, eliminating fatigue and enhancing memory, and can be used for insomnia, irritability, hypomnesia and senile dementia.

2. Protect the cardiovascular system

Taking American ginseng regularly can resist arrhythmia, myocardial ischemia, myocardial oxidation and enhance myocardial contractility. Patients with coronary heart disease have symptoms of deficiency of both qi and yin, palpitation and shortness of breath, and can take American ginseng for a long time, with remarkable curative effect. The function of American ginseng is that it can regulate blood pressure, effectively reduce temporary and persistent blood pressure, and contribute to the recovery of hypertension, arrhythmia, coronary heart disease, acute myocardial infarction, cerebral thrombosis and other diseases.

3. Improve immunity

Panax quinquefolium, as the first choice for invigorating qi and health care, can promote the synthesis of serum protein, bone marrow protein and organ protein, improve the body's immunity, inhibit the growth of cancer cells and effectively fight cancer.

4. Promote blood vitality

Taking American ginseng for a long time can reduce blood coagulation, inhibit platelet aggregation, resist atherosclerosis, promote the growth of red blood cells and increase hemoglobin.

Step 5 treat diabetes

Panax quinquefolium can lower blood sugar, regulate insulin secretion, promote sugar metabolism and fat metabolism, and has a certain auxiliary effect on treating diabetes.

American ginseng diet prescription

1, containing methods

Put American ginseng in a casserole, steam it with water until soft, then cut it into thin slices and put it in a clean glass bottle or porcelain bottle. Take 2 ~ 4 tablets before breakfast and after dinner every day, chew slowly.

2. Powder stamping method

Grind Radix Panacis Quinquefolii into fine powder, put 5g ginseng powder into a cup each time, pour it into boiling water and cover it for about 5 minutes before drinking, which can be repeated several times until it is tasteless.

3. Cooking method

Sliced American ginseng, put 2 ~ 5g into a porcelain bowl every day, and soak in proper amount of water for 3 ~ 5h. Cover the bowl, then put the bowl into the pot and steam it for 20 ~ 30 minutes, and take it half an hour before breakfast.

4, soup method

Slice American ginseng, and put about 10g*** into the soup to cook.

5, soaking wine method

Put 30g American ginseng into a purifier, soak it in 500g rice wine, seal it for 7 days, take it twice a day, and drink 20ml on an empty stomach each time. Add the wine when it is used up, and drink it when it is weak.

6. Cooking methods

Slice American ginseng, 3g into a casserole, add appropriate amount of water, and simmer for about 10 minute. Take ginseng tablets and ginseng soup on an empty stomach before meals.

Tips: When taking American ginseng, don't drink tea for 24 hours and avoid eating radishes.