American ginseng

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• American ginseng
• five-leaved ginseng
• ginseng
• redberry
• Occidental ginseng
• sang
• sheng

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Aralia quinquefolia
• Ginseng quinquefolium
• Panax americanus
• Panax cuneatus
• Panax quinquefolius var. americanus
• Panax quinquefolius var. obovatus
• Panax americanus var. elatus
• Panax americanus var. obovatus

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is categorized under the order Apiales and the family Araliaceae. Finally, its scientific classification is completed within the genus Panax.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as American ginseng, is found across several specific regions in North America. In Eastern Canada, its range includes the provinces of Ontario and Québec. Moving southward, the species extends into the North-Central United States. Within this region, it can be located in the state of Illinois. Furthermore, its geographical distribution continues through Iowa and Kansas.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Panax quinquefolius is characterized by its status as a perennial species, meaning it persists through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its cycle in a single year. In terms of its structural growth strategy, the plant is classified as a hemicryptophyte, a life form where the perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, typically protected by leaf litter or organic matter during unfavorable conditions. This growth habit allows the plant to maintain its survival across seasonal transitions, relying on its underground structures to emerge and develop foliage once favorable environmental conditions return.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Panax quinquefolius is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. This plant is a terrestrial species, existing as an independent organism rather than acting as a parasite or an epiphyte. In terms of its structural habit, it is a self-supporting plant, lacking any climbing or liana-like tendencies.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Panax quinquefolius is characterized by a metabolic framework defined by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, wherein carbon fixation occurs primarily through the enzyme RuBisCO within the mesophyll cells during the Calvin cycle. As a perennial herb adapted to shaded, temperate forest understories, its physiological processes are highly sensitive to light intensity and temperature fluctuations, necessitating efficient management of photoinhibition and transpiration rates. The plant exhibits a specialized secondary metabolism focused on the biosynthesis of triterpene saponins, known as ginsenosides, which are synthesized through complex enzymatic pathways in the roots and leaves as part of its chemical defense and stress response mechanisms. Furthermore, its physiological vigor is closely tied to its root system's ability to facilitate nutrient uptake and water transport, supporting the slow growth patterns and long-term resource accumulation characteristic of the species.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Panax quinquefolius is characterized by the production of fruit classified as a berry, which remains indehiscent upon maturity. The dispersal of the species follows a zoochorous syndrome, relying on animals to aid in the movement of its seeds. The seeds produced by this plant are remarkably uniform in size, with a recorded seed mass that is consistent across minimum, mean, and maximum values at 0.027754 g.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit type :

berry

Seed mass mean:

0.027754 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Panax quinquefolius has 5 reported plant parts identified across 19 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, flower, leaf, fruit, stem.

Root

1. Journal of ginseng research
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. International journal of molecular sciences
4. Fitoterapia
5. Physiologia plantarum

Flower

1. Journal of ginseng research
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. International journal of molecular sciences
4. Fitoterapia
5. Physiologia plantarum

Leaf

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Fitoterapia
4. Physiologia plantarum
5. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Fruit

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Fitoterapia

Stem

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Chemicals

Panax quinquefolius has 282 reported phytochemicals identified across 19 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Ginsenosides, RB1, RE, GINSENOSIDE, RG1.

Ginsenosides

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. BMC genomics
4. Current protein & peptide science
5. Molecular biology reports

RB1

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
2. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
3. SpringerPlus
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
5. BioMed research international

RE

1. Phytochemistry
2. The American journal of Chinese medicine
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Natural product research
5. BioMed research international

GINSENOSIDE

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
3. Phytochemistry
4. Journal of chromatography. A
5. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry

RG1

1. Journal of AOAC International
2. Phytochemistry
3. The American journal of Chinese medicine
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Natural product research

Saponins

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current protein & peptide science
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. Frontiers in plant science
5. International journal of molecular sciences

RC

1. BioMed research international
2. Phytochemistry
3. Journal of separation science
4. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

RD

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
2. BioMed research international
3. Journal of separation science
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Phytochemistry

Rg3

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
2. SpringerPlus
3. Phytochemistry
4. Journal of separation science
5. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

SAPONIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
4. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

Activities

Panax quinquefolius has 661 reported activities identified across 19 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic, Antioxidant, Antitumor, Adaptogenic, Anxiolytic.

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Food & function

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Food & function

Adaptogenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fitoterapia

Anxiolytic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of chromatography. A

Cardioprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food & function

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

Immunostimulant

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of biological macromolecules

Neuroprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food & function

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Panax quinquefolius has 43 reported investigations on conditions identified across 19 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include antidiabetic, breast cancer, cancer, Alzheimer disease, DNA damage.

Antidiabetic

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Food & function

Breast cancer

1. Annals of surgical oncology
2. Journal of surgical oncology

Cancer

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
2. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Alzheimer disease

1. Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP

Dna damage

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Insulin resistance

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Ldl cholesterol

1. Atherosclerosis

Lung adenocarcinoma

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antioxidants

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Anxiolytic effects

1. Journal of chromatography. A

Preparations

Panax quinquefolius has 15 reported preparations identified across 19 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include American ginseng, Cold FX, North American ginseng extract, PQS, dietary supplements.

American ginseng

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Cold fx

1. The American journal of Chinese medicine

North american ginseng extract

1. Molecular and cellular biochemistry

Pqs

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Dietary supplements

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Energy drinks

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Extracts

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Ginseng methanolic extracts

1. Analytical chemistry

Nutraceuticals

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Polysaccharides

1. Journal of immunology research