Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer
Ginseng - called "green gold" by some - is both one of the world's most valued plants and one of its most revered medicines. Its botanical name is “Panax Ginseng C.A.Meyer” The species name "Panax "comes from the Greek root meaning "all healing," and the word from which "panacea" (meaning cure-all) was also derived.
Gathering and Preparation
Ginseng's medicinal value lies in its root, which may be chewed and eaten unprocessed, added to soups or liquors, and boiled or ground into tea, extracts, or powders that are ingested in a variety of forms. Ginseng is commonly added to mixtures of herbal medications.
History
Ginseng has been revered in China for the past 5,000 years as a gift of the divine powers, capable of extraordinary restorative powers that adjust the whole body so that it is in tune with nature. It was thought to maintain the body in peak condition and thus combat degenerative conditions and the loss of vitality that comes with aging.
Historical Uses
·To alleviate fatigue, headache, amnesia and weakness
·Preventive powers
·Aphrodisiac
·To treat tuberculosis, diabetes, circulatory and metabolic disorders, cancer and heart   and kidney     diseases by boosting immunity and supporting patient's vitality
·To improve strength, vitality and stamina
·To increase body's resistance
Modern Medicinal Uses
Westerners are increasingly adopting Ginseng as cure-all, aphrodisiac, stimulant, and stress regulator. traditional Chinese medicine views :Ginseng is thought to have warming, energizing powers and is thus recommended for men, the old and weak, and in cold climates. The sedative qualities of Ginseng are thought to build strength and allow proper rest.
Herbalists today prescribe Ginseng as a stimulant, and as a tonic to prevent stress. The active components of Ginseng are the terpenoidal glycosides. Included are: antitumor activities by Ginseng saponins; relationship to antidiarrheal effects; inhibitory effects of saponin on nicotine-induced hyperactivity; decrease of platelet adhesiveness in heart and circulatory problems; enhancement of nerve growth factor mediated neurite outgrowth; and effects of standardized Panax Ginseng extract on hepatic antioxidant functioning.