What is the difference between American ginseng and Panax quinquefolius?

The Difference Between American Ginseng and Panax Quinquefolius

1. Imported American ginseng (American ginseng):

① The taproot is round or spindle-shaped, with the reed head remaining or removed, and the remaining one slightly tilted to one side;

②The surface is light yellow or yellowish white, with fine leather texture and protruding horizontal lenticels;

③The texture is full and firm. The fracture surface is slightly horny, and there are often small cracks between the cortex and wood or in the center. The cross section is white, and a brown cambium ring can be seen in the cortex, with reddish-brown dots scattered inside and outside the ring;

2. Domestic American ginseng:

① It is long cylindrical, with thick branches and large reed heads;

② The surface is relatively smooth, the color is darker, and the vertical lines are obvious;

③The texture is light and compact, like red bricks just out of the kiln, with poor powderiness and few cracks;

Types of American Ginseng

Authentic American ginseng tastes sweet and bitter, is cool in nature, and enters the lungs and stomach. Its main ingredients include ginsenosides, resins, volatile oils, sugars, etc.

American ginseng can be divided into three types according to its quality:

First , good ginseng has a darker color in appearance. The color of native American ginseng is darker than that of domestically transplanted American ginseng. The shape is mostly short and thick spindle-shaped, with horizontal texture. The texture of domestically transplanted American ginseng tends to be longitudinal, and the shape is mostly smooth, slender, spindle-shaped or cylindrical. Observing from the inner layer of the slice, the surface is uniformly light yellow, with fine and clear radiating textures like chrysanthemum petals, light in texture and fine in texture, fragrant, not dry, and oily;

The Difference Between American Ginseng and Panax Quinquefolius

The second is sick or dead ginseng, which is like dead wood and has no medicinal value;

The third is ginseng without enough juice, that is, it is used before the time for it to take effect. Naturally, this kind of ginseng cannot achieve the same therapeutic effect as authentic American ginseng.