Witas' Ancient Herbal
GINSENGS

American Ginseng
panax quinquefolius
panax ginseng

AKAs
Chinese: Jin Chen
(like a man)
Five-fingers
Five fingers root
Five-leafed ginseng
Garantogen

PART USED
Root

ACTIONS
Medicinal Properties
Adaptogen
Alternative
Aphrodisiac
Cardio-Tonic
Carminative
Cell Proliferant
Demulcent
Digestant
Expectorant
Immuno-Stimulant
Nervine
Nutritive
Rejuvenative
Stimulant
Stomachic
Tonic

Biochemical Information
Arabinose, calcium, camphor, gineosides, iron,
mucilage, panaxosides, resin, saponin,
starch, and vitamins A, B12, and E.

Many health benefits are claimed for ginseng,
which enjoys great popularity in Asia.

If you want to add just one herbal supplement
to your diet, ginseng would be a good choice.

Acts on the lower spinal cord, stimulates secretions.
A mild painkiller, and improves blood circulation.

Reported to successfully treat asthma, bronchitis, cancer,
flatulence, diabetes, weakness, fever,
coughs and heartburn, and a mild stimulant.

In tea form it helps to relieve
stress and moderate heart disease.

USES
The root is considered demulcent, mild stimulant, tonic.
Research suggests it may increase
mental efficiency and physical performance,
aid in adapting to high or low temperatures and stress
when taken over an extended period.
Ginseng's effect is called "adapatogenic",
tending to return the body to normal.

Promotes appetite, helps dyspepsia, rheumatism,
headache, lumbago, sciatica, debility, colds,
coughs, bronchitis, symptoms of menopause,
constipation, lung troubles, cystitis.

Native Americans in some areas used a decoction
of ginseng root to relieve nausea and vomiting.
Several tribes used it as an ingredient
in love potions and charms.
May inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors.

WARNING
Some caution required, large doses
are said to raise blood pressure.
Do not use if you have high blood pressure.

Because it grows slowly,
is rare over much of its former range and because
it has been overcollected, wild plants should be left alone.

Panax means all-healing.

Used by Native Americans for healing.

Tonic for mental/ physical fatigue.
Chewing the root releases its sapogins.

MODES
Sold in a variety of commercial preparations.

Tincture
used to 3rd potency for;
sciatica
low back pain
rheumatism

Where Found
Rich woods. Maine to Georgia; Oklahoma to Minnesota.
Now an endangered species in much of this area.
Wisconsin-grown ginseng is highly valued
throughout the Orient.

Description of Plant and Culture
A perennial slow growing plant with a large
spindle-shaped fleshy root and a smooth erect stem;
1-2 feet high.
Root sometimes resembling human form,
spindle-shaped or forked.
At the top of the stem are 3 large leaves
palmately divided into 4-5 occasionally 3-7 sharp-toothed
oblong-lance-shaped leaflets.
In the leaf axil grows an umbel
of yellow-green, scented, flowers.
June to July.
Fruits 2-seeded red berries follow the blossoms.
Partial shade in zone 4.

Wild Ginseng
Perennial North American herb with dark green
leaves and a smooth stem that grows to 2 feet.
The taproot is large and fleshy.
It blooms from May to August
with a single cluster of greenish-white flowers.
Cultivated for export, it is rare in the wild.
Harvest the root.


CONSTITUENTS
CULTURE
DESCRIPTION
DOSAGE
INDICATIONS
LEGENDS, MYTHS, AND STORIES
MAGICK
MEDICINAL
NUTRIENTS
USES


SOURCES
[A Witches'Book of Shadows]
aislinfae


Culinary Witch
ACTIONS
MEDICINAL
Properties Of Herbs



Website Sources

Draconian

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