GINSENG has been used by man for thousands of years, and Oriental folk medicine describes it as both a tonic for restoration of strength and a panacea (hence, the genusPanax, meaning all healing). The term "ginseng" can refer to any of 22 related plants, but it is generally associated withP ginseng.¹It is widely used in contemporary Chinese medicine as a stimulant to increase metabolism and to regulate blood pressure and blood glucose.²The only recognized medical use in the United States is as a demulcent in skin ointments. Recently there has been increased Western interest in ginseng, and it is readily available in health food stores, markets, and drugstores in a bewildering assortment of commercial preparations. Numerous popular books have promoted ginseng as a healthful tonic, stimulant, and aphrodisiac.³⁻⁸Using current import and sales statistics from members of the Herb Trade Association, I have
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Ronald K. Siegel (1979) studied this question.