American ginseng
Panax quinquefolius L.Araliaceae // root
Overview
Plant parts
root
Known constituents
ginsenosides with species-specific profile
Research corpus coverage
Chemistry notes
- CHEMISTRY: Relevant reported constituents include ginsenosides with species-specific profile; constituent presence alone does not establish clinical efficacy.
Uses & Evidence
Traditional / historical use
Documented traditional use — not a claim of established efficacy.
TRADITIONAL: American ginseng has been used for fatigue; respiratory resilience; glucose control; this records historical/traditional use and does not establish efficacy.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph · WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants
Modern evidence
EVIDENCE: For the major use set (fatigue; respiratory resilience; glucose control), the evidence assessment is limited/mixed: Limited human evidence for cancer-related fatigue, postprandial glucose and respiratory infections.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph and mixed scientific literature · WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants
Mixed findings, product heterogeneity, or indirect evidence are preserved in the detailed profile.
Preparation
Forms used traditionally
A listed form does not imply it suits every plant part, or that one preparation is interchangeable with another — see the plant’s own notes below.
PREPARATION: The medicinal material is root; traditional and modern forms include decoction, tincture, powder/capsule, standardized extract. No dose or potency is specified.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph · EMA European Union herbal monographs and list entries
Preparation-specific evidence should not be generalized across extracts, teas, oils, or whole herb.
Safety
Additional safety notes (general, unstructured)
Free-text safety notes carried from their source — not broken out by species, route, or hazard type, and not equivalent to the structured records above. Each note names the kind of source it came from.
SAFETY: Major issues include Insomnia, GI effects, possible hypoglycemia. Contraindications/cautions include Diabetes medicines require caution; hormone-sensitive conditions caution.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph · EMA European Union herbal monographs and list entries
SAFETY: Clinically relevant interaction concerns include May reduce warfarin effect and add to glucose-lowering drugs.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph · EMA European Union herbal monographs and list entries
Some interactions are theoretical or based on case reports/pharmacokinetics rather than outcome trials.
SAFETY: Pregnancy/lactation reference: Insufficient pregnancy/lactation evidence.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph or evidence synthesis · WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants
Absence of evidence is not evidence of safety.
Preparation × species risk matrix
Unknown means insufficient evidence was located — not that a form is safe.
Cats
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Dogs
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Identity
- Possible adulterantAsian ginseng
Asian ginseng has been detected in products labeled as American ginseng.
Why it matters: Species-specific ginsenoside profiles differ; substitution can alter pharmacology.
HIGH · Chemical Authentication of Botanical Ingredients: A Review of Commercial Herbal Products
- Synonym
GBIF resolves Aralia quinquefolia (L.) Decne. & Planch. as a synonym of Panax quinquefolius. The older name still appears in herbal and taxonomic literature.
HIGH · GBIF Species Match API
Botanical synonym
Aralia quinquefolia (L.) Decne. & Planch.
Taxonomic identity note
- American ginseng is treated here as Panax quinquefolius L. in the family Araliaceae; recorded older names include Aralia quinquefolia (L.) Decne. & Planch..
Sources
Research records are source-linked but may not yet be editorially reviewed.
WHO monograph
EMA monograph
- Plants of the World Online1 claim
botanical taxonomy database
- GBIF Species Match API1 claim
authoritative taxonomic database
peer-reviewed authentication review