What is the difference between ginseng and codonopsis?

Ginseng and Codonopsis are both common Chinese medicinal materials. The difference between the two is quite obvious. First of all, there is a big difference in appearance. Ginseng is longer than Codonopsis. In addition, there are many differences in their main therapeutic effects. Codonopsis has a certain blood-replenishing effect and has a good regulating and health-care effect on insufficient qi and blood, while ginseng has a good effect of replenishing vital energy and can improve the level of immunity.

Codonopsis pilosula is mostly long conical in shape. The roots are thick and slightly thin, with few branches. Due to different growth years, the roots are 8 to 30 cm long and 0.5 to 2.5 cm in diameter. The surface is gray-brown or gray-brown. The terminal base mark degenerates over the years or becomes honeycombed, commonly known as "lion's head". There are dense circular transverse wrinkles near the reed head, which gradually become sparse downwards, accounting for about half of the whole.

Ginseng is a perennial herb with a taproot that is 30-60 cm high, thick, fleshy, yellow-white, cylindrical or spindle-shaped, and slightly branched underneath; the rhizome (reed head) is short and erect.

Codonopsis pilosula can be said to be one of the most commonly used medicinal herbs in life. Because its medicinal effect is weaker than that of ginseng, it has the effect of nourishing blood, so it is very suitable as a tonic product and can be used for general chronic weak diseases. It is especially suitable for people with weak constitution, insufficient qi and blood, sallow complexion, and those who are weak after illness or childbirth, with symptoms such as spleen and stomach qi deficiency, fatigue, limb weakness, poor appetite and loose stools, chronic diarrhea, insufficient lung qi, cough and shortness of breath, qi deficiency and weakness, and susceptibility to colds.

Ginseng is mainly used to treat: physical weakness and collapse, cold limbs and weak pulse, spleen deficiency and poor appetite, lung deficiency and wheezing and coughing, thirst due to loss of body fluids, internal heat and thirst, weakness due to long-term illness, palpitations and insomnia, impotence and cold uterus; heart failure and cardiogenic shock. It is used for shortness of breath, palpitations, forgetfulness, thirst, sweating, poor appetite and weakness, all acute and chronic diseases, and shock and collapse caused by blood loss. It greatly replenishes vital energy, consolidates the body, produces body fluids, and calms the mind. It is used to treat exhaustion, loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, loose stools, weak cough and shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating and sudden collapse, palpitations, forgetfulness, dizziness and headache, impotence, frequent urination, thirst, metrorrhagia in women, slow fright in children, and long-term weakness, and all symptoms of insufficient qi, blood, and body fluids.