Botanical Library
Ginseng
TCM tradition
🍄Image: GinsengAdd an image URL to this ingredient in Admin to replace this placeholder.
At a glance
Where it's from
Native to the mountains of Korea, China and eastern Russia.
Look & taste
A pale, forked root that often resembles a human figure. Bittersweet, earthy
Signature compounds
Ginsenosides (the signature saponins).
Traditionally used for
Ren Shen - a premier qi tonic used to restore vitality, calm the spirit and strengthen the body.
In Canada, we can say...
Used in Herbal Medicine as an adaptogen to help increase energy and resistance to stress; helps support cognitive function and reduce mental fatigue; helps enhance physical performance; and as supportive therapy for the promotion of healthy glucose levels. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, used to reinforce qi and benefit the spleen and lung.
Did you know?
Its genus name, Panax, comes from the Greek for 'all-healing' - the root of the word panacea.
History & natural history
One of the most prized tonics in Chinese medicine for 2,000+ years; its man-like root shape fed its 'cure-all' reputation.
What we're actually allowed to say
🇨🇦 Health Canada
✓ Permitted: Used in Herbal Medicine as an adaptogen to help increase energy and resistance to stress; helps support cognitive function and reduce mental fatigue; helps enhance physical performance; and as supportive therapy for the promotion of healthy glucose levels. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, used to reinforce qi and benefit the spleen and lung.
How to use it
Capsules or tea, as directed.
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Ginseng isn't in stock yet. Tell us you'd like it and we'll consider adding it.
Request Ginseng →Side effects & safety
Check with a practitioner if pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic, or taking medication.
A note on how to read this page. Traditional (TCM / Ayurveda) and holistic notes are cultural and historical context, offered for education — not medical advice or health claims. Health Canada's permitted claims reflect what regulators have assessed. Emerging research is early, and not a promise of results. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always talk to your (or your pet's) health professional before starting a supplement.