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Panax, Ren Shen, Ginseng 人参

Ren Shen (TCM)
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Panax ginseng (as Aralia ginseng)
Baillon, H.E., Histoire des plantes, vol. 7 (1877-1880)

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Red (left) and White (right) Ginseng (Adam, Chengdu Herb Market)

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Ginseng often forms man-like roots,
hence its name RenShen  'Man root'.
This is similar to the way Mandrake
got its name in the West. This example
is doing his best Elvis impersonation!
(Adam, 2017)



See also:
Ginseng from the General History of China
Observations on Ginseng

Botanical name:
Panax ginseng (syn. Aralia ginseng)
Panax quinquefolium is the closely related American Ginseng

Parts used:
Root

Temperature & Taste:
Warm, moist. Sweet, slightly Bitter

Classification:
N. Tonics

Uses:
1. Strongly Tonifies Qi:
-powerfully increases Qi of the Heart, Lungs, Spleen, and Kidneys in particular
-'collapse of Qi': fatigue, short of breath, cold limbs, sweating, very low pulse (ie. after blood loss, excess sweating or shock)
-can be used in a variety of chronic diseases and disorders associated with deficiency
-supportive tonic to increase and preserve health and promote longevity.
-Red Ginseng especially tonifies Kidney Qi and Yang

2. Strengthens the Spleen and Stomach Qi:
-lethargy, poor appetite, abdominal distention, chronic diarrhea
-beneficial in recuperation and as support in old age.
-prolapses associated with Qi deficiency

3. Strengthens the Lung, Increases Qi:
-chronic cough, wheezing, shortness of Breath, labored Breathing

4. Benefits Heart Qi, Calms the Mind and Spirit:
-palpitation with anxiety, insomnia, forgetfulness, restlessness
-beneficial to support Brain function in the elderly

5. Generates Fluid, Stops Thirst:
-'Wasting and Thirsting disorder'; thirst with wasting as seen in Diabetes
-White Ginseng or American Ginseng are used for this purpose


DOSE:
500mg–2 grams in powder; 3–9 grams in decoction (usually cooked separately in a double-boiler then added to other herbs once cooked) Up to 30 grams is used in emergency situations such as Shock.

PREPARATION:
It is steamed with wine to make it more warming to the Yang.

CORRECTIVES:
1. Oxymel (Unani)
2. Lettuce seed (Unani)

SUBSTITUTE:
1. Codonopsis Dang Shen is an accepted substitute in TCM. It is generally substituted except in cases of extreme Qi deficiency; dosage in generally increased 2–3 fold.
2. Unani regards American Ginseng (Xi Yang Shen) as a substitute.
3. Date (Unani)
4. Withania is also used similarly, and is sometimes called 'Indian Ginseng'. While it is not as strong to tonify the Qi, it has a broader scope of action, being used for various conditions including Weakness and Fatigue, Fertility, chronic Joint disease, Mental illness etc,

NOTE:
Three main varieties of Ginseng can be differentiated:
1. White Ginseng (Ren Shen, Bai Ren Shen), dried, unprepared; strengthens Qi and nourishes Yin.
2. Red or Korean Ginseng (Hong Shen), has been steamed with alcohol, is warmer and better to strengthen Yang and Qi, especially of the Kidneys.
3. American Ginseng (Xi Yang Shen); primarily a Yin tonic, it is weaker to strengthen Qi.

Main Combinations:
Deficiency in General:
1. Marked Qi and Yang deficiency with sweating, ice-cold extremities, short of breath, very low pulse:
i. Ginseng with Cinnamon and Astragalus Huang Qi
ii. Ginseng with prepared Aconitum Fu Zi (as in Shen Fu Tang). This effect is both better and safer if Licorice and Ginger are added (this makes Si Ni Jia Ren Shen Tang)
2. Qi and Yin deficiency with sweating, shortness of Breath and a low pulse, Ginseng with Schisandra Wu Wei Zi and Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong (as in Sheng Mai San, 'Generate the Pulse Powder')
3. Yin deficient Heat, Hectic Fever, Cough:
i. Ginseng with Paeonia Bai Shao, Dang Gui, Phellodendron Huang Bai, Anemarrhena Zhi Mu
ii. Ginseng with Turtle shell, Phellodendron Huang Bai

Spleen Qi Deficiency:
4. Spleen Qi deficiency with fatigue, poor appetite, loose stool:
i. Ginseng with Atractylodes Bai Zhu, Poria Fu Ling and Licorice (as in Si Jun Zi Tang, 'Four Gentlemen Decoction')
ii. Ginseng, Astragalus Huang Qi, Poria Fu Ling, Chinese Red Date (Da Zao)
5. Marked Spleen Qi deficiency and sinking of the Yang Qi, including Prolapses, Ginseng with Astragalus Huang Qi, Dang Gui, Bupleurum Chai Hu (as in Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang)

Lung Tonic:
6. Lung tonic, Ginseng with Chinese Red Date (Da Zao), form pills. (Zao Shen Wan from Chinese Materia Medica, Stuauoft)
7. Asthma, Wheezing, shortness of Breath from Kidney and Lung deficiency:
i. Ginseng with Walnut and Licorice
ii. Ginseng with Walnut and Gecko Ge Jie.
iii. severe cases, Ginseng, Cordyceps
8. Chronic Cough from Lung weakness:
i. Ginseng with Coltsfoot flower (Kuan Dong Hua), Almond kernel and Licorice.
ii. Ginseng with Asparagus root (Tian Men Dong), Lillium Bai He,

Heart Deficiency:
9. Insomnia, palpitation, shortness of breath, poor appetite from Heart and Spleen deficiency,
i. Ginseng with Ganoderma Ling Zhi
ii. Ginseng with Polygala Yuan Zhi and Zizyphus semen Suan Zao Ren
ii. Ginseng with Dang Gui, Astragalus Huang Qi, Longan Long Yan Rou, Polygala Yuan Zhi (as in Gui Pi Tang)
10. Insomnia, palpitations, anxiety, irritability from Heart deficiency :
i. Ginseng, Salvia Dan Shen
ii. Ginseng with Rehmannia Sheng Di, Asparagus Tian Men Dong, Polygala Yuan Zhi, Zizyphus Suan Zao Ren (as in Tian Wan Bu Xin Wan)
11. Palpitations with spontaneous sweating:
i. Ginseng with Astragalus Huang Qi, Salvia Dan Shen
ii. Ginseng with Amber and Pearl
iii. decoct Ginseng, Dang Gui and Pork Kidney (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

Kidney deficiency:
12. Impotence from Kidney deficiency:
i. Ginseng with Cinnamon, Eucommia Du Zhong
ii. Ginseng with Velvet Deer Horn (Lu Rong)
iii. severe deficiency, Ginseng with Cordyceps
13. Exhaustion after sex:
i. decoct Ginseng with citrus Chen Pi. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
ii. Ginseng, Deer Horn
iii. Ginseng, Shilajit
14. Kidney weakness from excess Sex:
i. Ginseng with Rehmannia Sheng Di, Poria Fu Ling and Honey (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
ii. Ginseng, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi, Dioscorea Shan Yao, Astragalus Huang Qi, Asparagus root Tian Men Dong

Major Formulas:
Ba Zhen Tang
Ban Xie Xie Xin Tang
Bu Fei Tang
Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang
Chai Hu Gui Zhi Tang
Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang
Dang Gui Nian Tong Tang
Di Tan Tang
Ding Zhi Wan
Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang
Fu Zi Li Zhong Wan
Fu Zi Tang
Gan Cao Xie Xin Tang
Gui Pi Tang
Gui Zhi Ren Shen Tang
Huang Lian Tang
Jian Pi Wan
Jiu Xian San
Li Zhong Wan
Liu Jun Zi Tang
Mu Xiang Liu Qi Yin

Ren Shen Bai Du San
Ren Shen Bu Fei Tang
Ren Shen Ge Jie San
Ren Shen Hu Tao Tang
Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang
Sang Piao Xiao San
Shen Fu Tang
Shen Ling Bai Zhu San
Shen Qi Si Wu Tang
Sheng Mai San
Shi Quan Da Bu Tang
Si Jun Zi Tang
Tian Wan Bu Xian Dan
Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang
Xiao Chai Hu Tang
Zai Zao San
Zhen Ren Yang Zang Tang
Zhi Gan Cao Tang
Zhi Shi Xiao Pi Wan
Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang
Cautions:
1. Not generally used in heat conditions (unless corrected in formula). Especially not used in Heat-type bleeding or external pathogenic heat.
2. Not used in rising Liver Yang.
3. Best to avoid use with coffee.

Main Preparations used:
Red Ginseng (steamed with wine)

A Complete History of Drugs:
The following excerpt is taken from A Complete History of Drugs (Pomet, London, 1748). It clearly demonstrates the link between 'Vital Spirit' of the West with 'Qi' in TCM:

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