Ginseng

American Ginseng has a strange and perilous history. It has one of the longest germination periods of any known species, and only two environments in the world have offered the ideal growing conditions for wild ginseng. The first was the forests of northern China, which disappeared over a millennium ago, and the sole remaining habitat is the Appalachian Mountain region of eastern North America, an area now threatened by logging and mining. Chinese legend says that ginseng is the child of lightning.

This book provides an up-to-date critical view of the botanical description and complexity of ginseng, including its phytochemistry, traditional and biotechnological production systems, traditional usage, current applications, and future directions for the development of ginseng compounds as effective medicinal agents. It is a useful resource for academicians, scientists, students, and industry professionals interested in traditional medicine and ginseng.