Ginseng () is the root of plants in the genus '' Panax'', such as South China ginseng ('' P. notoginseng''), Korean ginseng ('' P. ginseng''), and American ginseng ('' P. quinquefolius''), characterized by the presence of

ginsenoside Ginsenosides or panaxosides are a class of natural product steroid glycosides and triterpene saponins. Compounds in this family are found almost exclusively in the plant genus ''Panax'' (ginseng), which has a long history of use in traditional med ...

s and gintonin. Ginseng is common in the cuisines and medicines of China and

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

. Ginseng has been used in

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices rooted in the cultural beliefs of various societies, especially Indigenous groups, used for maintaining health and treatin ...

over centuries, though modern

clinical research Clinical research is a branch of medical research that involves people and aims to determine the effectiveness (efficacy) and safety of medications, devices, diagnostic products, and treatment regimens intended for improving human health. The ...

is inconclusive about its medical effectiveness. There is no substantial evidence that ginseng is effective for treating any medical condition and it has not been approved by the US

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...

(FDA) to treat or prevent a disease or to provide a health benefit. Although ginseng is sold as a

dietary supplement A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement a person's diet by taking a pill (pharmacy), pill, capsule (pharmacy), capsule, tablet (pharmacy), tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients eithe ...

, inconsistent manufacturing practices for supplements have led to analyses of some ginseng products contaminated with unrelated filler compounds, and its excessive use may have

adverse effect An adverse effect is an undesired harmful effect resulting from a medication or other intervention, such as surgery. An adverse effect may be termed a "side effect", when judged to be secondary to a main or therapeutic effect. The term compli ...

s or untoward interactions with

prescription drug A prescription drug (also prescription medication, prescription medicine or prescription-only medication) is a pharmaceutical drug that is permitted to be dispensed only to those with a medical prescription. In contrast, over-the-counter drugs c ...

History

One of the first written texts covering the use of ginseng as a medicinal herb was the '' Shen Nong Pharmacopoeia'', written in China in 196 AD. In his ''

Compendium of Materia Medica The ''Bencao gangmu'', known in English as the ''Compendium of Materia Medica'' or ''Great Pharmacopoeia'', is an encyclopedic gathering of medicine, natural history, and Chinese herbology compiled and edited by Li Shizhen and published in th ...

'' herbal of 1596,

Li Shizhen Li Shizhen (July 3, 1518 – 1593), courtesy name Dongbi, was a Chinese acupuncturist, herbalist, naturalist, pharmacologist, physician, and writer of the Ming dynasty. He is the author of a 27-year work, the '' Compendium of Materia ...

described ginseng as a "superior tonic". However, the herb was not used as a "cure-all" medicine, but more specifically as a tonic for patients with

chronic illnesses A chronic condition (also known as chronic disease or chronic illness) is a health condition or disease that is persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects or a disease that comes with time. The term ''chronic'' is often applied when the ...

and those who were convalescing. Control over ginseng fields in China and Korea became an issue in the 16th century.

In folk belief

In Chinese folk tales from the northeastern regions, ginseng is said to transform into children, often depicted with skyward-reaching braids, sometimes tied with red ribbons, and occasionally dressed in bellybands. In these stories, a ginseng child will typically enter a house to play with another child. However, if the adults tie a red ribbon around the child's feet, the child vanishes. When they follow the ribbon, they find it tied to a blade of grass, and upon digging, they uncover a ginseng root.

Ginseng species

Ginseng plants belong only to the genus '' Panax''. Cultivated species include ''

Panax ginseng ''Panax ginseng'', ginseng, also known as Asian ginseng, Chinese ginseng or Korean ginseng, is a species of plant whose root is the original source of ginseng. It is a perennial plant that grows in the mountains of East Asia. It is mainly cultiv ...

'' (Korean ginseng), '' Panax japonicus'' (Japanese ginseng), '' Panax notoginseng'' (South China ginseng), '' Panax quinquefolius'' (American ginseng). Ginseng is found in cooler climates – Korean Peninsula, Northeast China,

Russian Far East The Russian Far East ( rus, Дальний Восток России, p=ˈdalʲnʲɪj vɐˈstok rɐˈsʲiɪ) is a region in North Asia. It is the easternmost part of Russia and the Asia, Asian continent, and is coextensive with the Far Easte ...

, Canada and the United States, although some species grow in warm regions – South China ginseng being native to Southwest China and Vietnam. '' Panax vietnamensis'' (Vietnamese ginseng) is the southernmost ''Panax'' species known.

Wild and cultivated ginseng

Wild ginseng

Wild ginseng () grows naturally in mountains and is hand-picked by gatherers known as ''simmani'' (). The wild ginseng plant is almost extinct in China and endangered globally. This is due to high demand for the product in recent years, leading to the harvesting of wild plants faster than they can grow and reproduce (a wild ginseng plant can take years to reach maturity). Wild ginseng can be processed to be red or white ginseng. Wild American ginseng has long been used by Native Americans for medicine. Since the mid-1700s, it has been harvested for international trade. Wild American ginseng can be harvested in 19 states and the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...

but has restrictions for exporting. File:Wild ginseng.jpg, Wild Korean ginseng (''P. ginseng'') File:American Ginseng 3.jpg, Wild

American ginseng American ginseng (''Panax quinquefolius'') is a species of flowering plant in the ivy family (biology), family Araliaceae. It is native to eastern North America and has been introduced into China. The specific epithet ''quinquefolius'' means "fiv ...

(''P. quinquefolius'')

Cultivated ginseng

Cultivated ginseng () is less expensive than the rarely available wild ginseng. Cultivated ginseng () is planted on mountains by humans and is allowed to grow like wild ginseng. File:인삼사진.jpg, Cultivated Korean ginseng (''P. ginseng'') File:Americanginseng.jpg, Cultivated

(''P. quinquefolius'')

Ginseng processing

Ginseng seed normally does not germinate until the second spring following the harvest of berries in autumn. They must first be subjected to a long period of storage in a moist medium with a warm/cold treatment, a process known as stratification.

Fresh ginseng

Fresh ginseng (), also called "green ginseng", is non-dried raw product. Its use is limited by availability. File:Punggi-insam.jpg, Fresh ginseng ('' P. ginseng'')

White ginseng

White ginseng () is peeled and dried ginseng. White ginseng is fresh ginseng which has been dried without being heated. It is peeled and dried to reduce the water content to 12% or less. Drying in the sun bleaches the root to a yellowish-white color.

Red ginseng

Red ginseng () is steamed and dried ginseng, which has reddish color. Red ginseng is less vulnerable to decay than white ginseng. It is ginseng that has been peeled, heated through steaming at standard boiling temperatures of , and then dried or sun-dried. It is frequently marinated in an herbal brew which results in the root becoming extremely brittle. File:Korean red ginseng.jpg, Red ginseng ('' P. ginseng'')

Production

Commercial ginseng is sold in over 35 countries, with China as the largest consumer. In 2013, global sales of ginseng exceeded $2 billion, of which half was produced by South Korea. In the early 21st century, 99% of the world's 80,000 tons of ginseng was produced in just four countries: China (44,749 tons), South Korea (27,480 tons), Canada (6,486 tons), and the United States (1,054 tons). All ginseng produced in

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

is Korean ginseng (''P. ginseng''), while ginseng produced in China includes ''P. ginseng'', South China ginseng (''P. notoginseng''), and the recently introduced

(''P. quinquefolius''). Ginseng produced in Canada and the United States is mostly ''P. quinquefolius''. * As of 2020, global ''P. ginseng'' and ''P. quinquefolius'' production each sum to an approximate 7,000 tons on a dry-weight basis. On a dry-weight basis, 70% of ''P. ginseng'' and 30% of ''P. quinquefolius'' is produced in China; 60% of ''P. quinquefolius'' is produced in Canada; and 10% of ''P. quinquefolius'' is produced in the US. ''P. ginseng'' is also cultivated in Japan.

Uses

Ginseng may be included in

energy drinks An energy drink is a type of non-alcoholic psychoactive functional beverage containing stimulant compounds, usually caffeine (at a higher concentration than ordinary soda pop) and taurine, which is marketed as reducing tiredness and improving p ...

herbal tea Herbal teas, technically known as herbal infusions, and less commonly called tisanes (UK and US , US also ), are beverages made from the infusion or decoction of herbs, spices, or other plant material in hot water. Often herb tea, or the plai ...

s in small amounts or sold as a

Food or beverage

The root is most often available in dried form, either whole or sliced. In

Korean cuisine Korean cuisine is the set of foods and culinary styles which are associated with Korean culture. This cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient Prehistoric Korea, agricultural and nomad ...

, ginseng is used in various ''

banchan ''Banchan'' ( ; ; ) are small side dishes served along with cooked rice in Korean cuisine. ''Banchan'' are often set in the middle of the table to be shared. At the center of the table is the secondary main course, such as ''galbi'' or ''bulg ...

'' (side dishes) and '' guk'' (soups), as well as

tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of '' Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of south-western China and nor ...

and

alcoholic beverages Drinks containing alcohol are typically divided into three classes—beers, wines, and spirits—with alcohol content typically between 3% and 50%. Drinks with less than 0.5% are sometimes considered non-alcoholic. Many societies have a di ...

. Ginseng-infused tea and

liquor Liquor ( , sometimes hard liquor), spirits, distilled spirits, or spiritous liquor are alcoholic drinks produced by the distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar that have already gone through ethanol fermentation, alcoholic ferm ...

, known as '' insam-cha'' () and '' insam-ju'' ('ginseng liquor') is consumed. Ginseng leaves are also used to prepare foods and beverages. Leaves are used to prepare Asian soups, steamed with chicken or combined with ginger, dates, and pork, or are eaten fresh. File:Insam-twigim.jpg, ''Insam- twigim'' (ginseng fritters) File:Korean soup-Samgyetang-11.jpg, '' Samgye-tang'' (ginseng chicken soup) File:Insam-cha and yugwa.jpg, '' Insam-cha'' (ginseng tea) and '' yugwa'' (rice puffs) File:Insamju (ginseng liquor).jpg, '' Insam-ju'' (ginseng liquor) File:Korea-Sokcho-Sansamju-Wild ginseng wine-02.jpg, '' Sansam-ju'' (wild ginseng liquor)

Traditional medicine and phytochemicals

Although ginseng has been used in

for centuries, there is no good evidence it causes any improvement of health or lowers the risk of any disease.

Clinical research Clinical research is a branch of medical research that involves people and aims to determine the effectiveness (efficacy) and safety of medications, devices, diagnostic products, and treatment regimens intended for improving human health. The ...

indicates there are no confirmed effects on memory, fatigue,

menopause Menopause, also known as the climacteric, is the time when Menstruation, menstrual periods permanently stop, marking the end of the Human reproduction, reproductive stage for the female human. It typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 5 ...

symptoms, and insulin response in people with mild

diabetes Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...

. A 2021 review indicated that ginseng had "only trivial effects on erectile function or satisfaction with intercourse compared to placebo". Although the roots are used in

traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medicine, alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. A large share of its claims are pseudoscientific, with the majority of treatments having no robust evidence ...

, the leaves and stems contain larger quantities of the

phytochemical Phytochemicals are naturally-occurring chemicals present in or extracted from plants. Some phytochemicals are nutrients for the plant, while others are metabolites produced to enhance plant survivability and reproduction. The fields of ext ...

s than the roots, and are easier to harvest. The constituents include

steroid A steroid is an organic compound with four fused compound, fused rings (designated A, B, C, and D) arranged in a specific molecular configuration. Steroids have two principal biological functions: as important components of cell membranes t ...

saponin Saponins (Latin ''sapon'', 'soap' + ''-in'', 'one of') are bitter-tasting, usually toxic plant-derived secondary metabolites. They are organic chemicals that become foamy when agitated in water and have high molecular weight. They are present ...

s known as

s, as well as

polyacetylene Polyacetylene (IUPAC name: polyethyne) usually refers to an organic polymer with the repeating unit . The name refers to its conceptual construction from polymerization of acetylene to give a chain with repeating olefin groups. This compound is ...

polysaccharide Polysaccharides (), or polycarbohydrates, are the most abundant carbohydrates found in food. They are long-chain polymeric carbohydrates composed of monosaccharide units bound together by glycosidic linkages. This carbohydrate can react with wat ...

peptidoglycan Peptidoglycan or murein is a unique large macromolecule, a polysaccharide, consisting of sugars and amino acids that forms a mesh-like layer (sacculus) that surrounds the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. The sugar component consists of alternating ...

s, and

polyphenol Polyphenols () are a large family of naturally occurring phenols. They are abundant in plants and structurally diverse. Polyphenols include phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannic acid, and ellagitannin, some of which have been used historically as ...

s, among other compounds. Ginsenosides from the leaves and stem () is an approved over-the-counter medication in China. The indication is written in traditional Chinese medicine language.

FDA warning letters

As of 2019, the United States

FDA The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

and

Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) United States antitrust law, antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. It ...

have issued numerous warning letters to manufacturers of ginseng dietary supplements for making false claims of health or anti-disease benefits, stating that the "products are not

generally recognized as safe Generally recognized as safe (GRAS) is a United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designation that a chemical or substance added to food is considered safe by experts under the conditions of its intended use. An ingredient with a GRAS d ...

and effective for the referenced uses" and are illegal as unauthorized "new drugs" under federal law.

Animal feed

A tincture of Korean ginseng is approved by the EFSA for use in horses, dogs, and cats as a sensory additive (animal feed flavoring). Within the provided dose limits, the tincture is considered non-toxic. A dried extract of Korean ginseng was declined by the EFSA, since its manufacturer cannot provide data on its complete composition.

Safety and side effects

Ginseng supplements are not subjected to the same pre-market approval process in the US by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as pharmaceutical drugs. FDA mandates that manufacturers must ensure the safety of their ginseng supplements before marketing, without the necessity to substantiate the safety and efficacy of these supplements in a pre-market scenario. Ginseng supplements can be complex, often containing multiple constituents. It is not uncommon to observe discrepancies between the ingredients listed on the product label and the actual components or their quantities present in the supplement. While manufacturers can employ independent organizations to authenticate the quality of a product or its ingredients, such verification does not equate to a certification of the product's safety or effectiveness. These independent quality checks primarily focus on the integrity of the product in terms of its composition and do not extend to safety evaluations or purported clinical efficacy. Ginseng generally has a good safety profile and the incidence of

s is minor when used over the short term. The FDA has classified ginseng as "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS), indicating its general tolerability in adult populations. The risk of interactions between ginseng and prescription medications is believed to be low, but ginseng may have

adverse effects An adverse effect is an undesired harmful effect resulting from a medication or other intervention, such as surgery. An adverse effect may be termed a "side effect", when judged to be secondary to a main or therapeutic effect. The term complic ...

when used with blood thinners. Ginseng interacts with certain blood thinner medications, such as

warfarin Warfarin, sold under the brand name Coumadin among others. It is used as an anticoagulant, anticoagulant medication. It is commonly used to prevent deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, and to protect against stroke in people who ha ...

, leading to decreased blood levels of these drugs. Ginseng can also potentiate the effects of sedative medications. Concerns exist when ginseng is used over a longer term, potentially causing side effects such as skin rashes, headaches,

insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder where people have difficulty sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep for as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low ene ...

, and digestive problems. The long-term use of ginseng may result in nervousness, anxiety, diarrhea, confusion, depression, or feelings of depersonalization,

nausea Nausea is a diffuse sensation of unease and discomfort, sometimes perceived as an urge to vomit. It can be a debilitating symptom if prolonged and has been described as placing discomfort on the chest, abdomen, or back of the throat. Over 30 d ...

, and fluctuations in blood pressure (including hypertension). There have been reports of gynecomastia and breast pain associated with ginseng use. Other side effects include breast pain and vaginal bleeding. As of 2023, there is a lack of data regarding the safety and efficacy of ginseng in lactating mothers and infants. Given its potential estrogenic activity and the absence of safety data during lactation, ginseng is not recommended for use during breastfeeding. Ginseng also has adverse drug reactions with

phenelzine Phenelzine, sold under the brand name Nardil among others, is a non-selective and irreversible monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) of the hydrazine family which is primarily used as an antidepressant and anxiolytic to treat depression and a ...

, and a potential interaction has been reported with

imatinib Imatinib, sold under the brand names Gleevec and Glivec (both marketed worldwide by Novartis) among others, is an oral targeted therapy medication used to treat cancer. Imatinib is a small molecule inhibitor targeting multiple tyrosine kinases ...

, resulting in

hepatotoxicity Hepatotoxicity (from ''hepatic toxicity'') implies chemical-driven liver damage. Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a cause of acute and chronic liver disease caused specifically by medications and the most common reason for a drug to be withdr ...

, and with lamotrigine.

Overdose

The common ginsengs (''P. ginseng'' and ''P. quinquefolia'') are generally considered to be relatively safe even in large amounts. One of the most common and characteristic symptoms of an acute overdose of ''P. ginseng'' is bleeding. Symptoms of mild overdose may include dry mouth and lips, excitation, fidgeting, irritability, tremor, palpitations, blurred vision, headache, insomnia, increased body temperature, increased blood pressure, edema, decreased appetite, dizziness, itching, eczema, early morning diarrhea, bleeding, and fatigue.Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology, by John K. Chen, Tina T. Chen Symptoms of severe overdose with ''P. ginseng'' may include

, vomiting,

irritability Irritability is the excitatory ability that living organisms have to respond to changes in their environment. The term is used for both the physiological reaction to stimuli and for the pathological, abnormal or excessive sensitivity to stimul ...

, restlessness, urinary and bowel incontinence, fever, increased blood pressure, increased respiration, decreased sensitivity and reaction to light, decreased heart rate, cyanotic (blue) facial complexion, red facial complexion, seizures, convulsions, and

delirium Delirium (formerly acute confusional state, an ambiguous term that is now discouraged) is a specific state of acute confusion attributable to the direct physiological consequence of a medical condition, effects of a psychoactive substance, or ...

Terminology and etymology

The English word "ginseng" comes from the Teochew Chinese (; where this transliteration is in

Pe̍h-ōe-jī ( ; , , ; POJ), also known as Church Romanization, is an orthography used to write variants of Hokkien Southern Min, particularly Taiwanese Hokkien, Taiwanese and Amoy dialect, Amoy Hokkien, and it is widely employed as one of the writing syst ...

). The first character (

pinyin Hanyu Pinyin, or simply pinyin, officially the Chinese Phonetic Alphabet, is the most common romanization system for Standard Chinese. ''Hanyu'' () literally means 'Han Chinese, Han language'—that is, the Chinese language—while ''pinyin' ...

''rén''; or ) means "person" and the second character (; ) means "plant root" in a forked shape.The word 參 ''shēn'' "plant root" itself, from

Old Chinese Old Chinese, also called Archaic Chinese in older works, is the oldest attested stage of Chinese language, Chinese, and the ancestor of all modern varieties of Chinese. The earliest examples of Chinese are divinatory inscriptions on oracle bones ...

*''srəm'', has been compared to words meaning 'root' in other languages of the

Sino-Tibetan Sino-Tibetan (also referred to as Trans-Himalayan) is a family of more than 400 languages, second only to Indo-European in number of native speakers. Around 1.4 billion people speak a Sino-Tibetan language. The vast majority of these are the 1.3 ...

family such as Japhug ''tɤ-zrɤm'' "root", see The Korean loanword ''insam'' comes from the cultivated ginseng (), which is less expensive than wild ginseng. The botanical genus name ''Panax'', meaning "all-healing" in Greek, shares the same origin as " panacea" and was applied to this genus because

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

was aware of its wide use in

Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. A large share of its claims are pseudoscientific, with the majority of treatments having no robust evidence of effectiveness or ...

as a

muscle relaxant A muscle relaxant is a drug that affects skeletal muscle function and decreases the muscle tone. It may be used to alleviate symptoms such as muscle spasms, pain, and hyperreflexia. The term "muscle relaxant" is used to refer to two major therapeu ...

Other plants sometimes called ginseng

True ginseng plants belong only to the genus ''Panax''. Several other plants are sometimes referred to as ginseng, but they are from a different

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

or even

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

. Siberian ginseng is in the same family, but not genus, as true ginseng. The active compounds in Siberian ginseng are eleutherosides, not ginsenosides. Instead of a fleshy root, Siberian ginseng has a woody root. * ''

Angelica sinensis ''Angelica sinensis'', commonly known as ''dong quai'' () or female ginseng, is a herb belonging to the family Apiaceae, indigenous to China. ''A. sinensis'' grows in cool high altitude mountains in East Asia. The yellowish brown root of the plan ...

'' (female ginseng, ''dong quai'') * '' Codonopsis pilosula'' (poor man's ginseng, ''dangshen'') * '' Eleutherococcus senticosus'' (Siberian ginseng) * ''

Ficus microcarpa ''Ficus microcarpa'', also known as Chinese banyan, Hill's weeping fig, small-fruited fig, Malayan banyan, Indian laurel, or curtain fig, is a species of banyan tree in the family Moraceae. Its native range is from India to China and Japan, thro ...

'' (Ginseng ficus) * '' Gynostemma pentaphyllum'' (five-leaf ginseng, ''jiaogulan'') * '' Kaempferia parviflora'' (Thai ginseng, ''krachai dum'') * '' Lepidium meyenii'' (Peruvian ginseng, ''maca'') * '' Oplopanax horridus'' (Alaskan ginseng) * ''

Pfaffia paniculata ''Hebanthe erianthos'' (many synonyms, including ''Iresine erianthos'' and ''Pfaffia paniculata''), known as suma or Brazilian ginseng, is a species of plant in the family Amaranthaceae. The specific epithet is also spelt "''eriantha''", although ...

'' (Brazilian ginseng, ''suma'') * '' Pseudostellaria heterophylla'' (Prince ginseng) * ''

Schisandra chinensis ''Schisandra chinensis'', whose fruit is called magnolia berry or five-flavor fruit (, in , ), is a vine plant native to forests of Northern China, the Russian Far East and Korea. Wild varieties are also found in Japan. It is hardy in USDA Zone ...

'' (five-flavoured berry) * '' Trichopus zeylanicus'' (Kerala ginseng) * ''

Withania somnifera ''Withania somnifera'', known commonly as ashwagandha, is an evergreen shrub in the Solanaceae family that is native to the Middle East and North Africa, other African regions, southern Europe, and Indian subcontinent. Several other species in ...

'' (Indian ginseng, ''ashwagandha'') * '' Eurycoma longifolia'' (Malaysian ginseng, ''tongkat ali'')