Panax quinquefolius (root)

From AHPA Botanical Identity References Compendium
(Difference between revisions)
Jump to: navigation, search
(add macro characteristics)
 
(8 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
=Introduction=
+
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Panax quinquefolius'' (root) }} {{askbox|herb=''Panax quinquefolius''}}
''Introduction from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panax_quinquefolius, retrieved 02/27/2012).''
+
=Nomenclature=
 +
{{nomenclature | binomial=Panax quinquefolius
 +
|authority=L.
 +
|family=Araliaceae
 +
|scn=American ginseng
 +
|syn=
 +
|ayurvedic=
 +
|pinyin=xi yang shen (root)
 +
|aka=
 +
|notes=}}
  
American ginseng, ''Panax quinquefolius'', is a herbaceous perennial plant in the ivy family, commonly used as Chinese or herbal medicine.
+
=Botanical Voucher Specimen=
  
It is native to eastern North America, though it is also cultivated in places such as China.
 
  
The plant's forked root and leaves were traditionally used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans. Since the 19th century, the roots have been collected by "'sang hunters" and sold to Chinese or Hong Kong traders, who often pay very high prices for particularly old wild roots.
+
{{Media      |cat=Voucher
 +
           
 +
            | source=MOBOT, Tropicos.org
 +
            | mainimage=Panax quinquefolius Tropicos 53111.jpg
 +
            | companyimage=TropicosLogo.gif
 +
            | companyURL=http://www.tropicos.org/Image/53111
 +
            | reference=Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. 19 Mar 2014 <http://www.tropicos.org/Image/53111>
  
It is also known by its Chinese name Huaqishen (simplified Chinese: 花旗参; traditional Chinese: 花旗參; Mandarin Pinyin: huāqíshēn; Jyutping: faa1kei4sam1; literally "The Star-Spangled Banner (American) ginseng") or Xiyangshen (simplified Chinese: 西洋参; traditional Chinese: 西洋參; Mandarin Pinyin: xīyángshēn; Jyutping: sai1joeng4sam1; literally "west ocean ginseng").
+
            | }}
  
''The quoted text in this section was licensed for use under the Creative Commons ShareAlike License, version 3.0: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/''
+
=Organoleptic Characteristics=
=Macroscopic Entries=
+
{| border=1
=Microscopic Entries=
+
|
{{Microscopy | source=Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories-Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals, Max Wichtl, 3rd ed., 2004
+
{{Organolepsy | source=United States Dispensatory (1918)
 +
| description=[''Panax ginseng'' (root)] has a feeble odor, and a sweet, slightly aromatic taste, somewhat analogous to that of licorice root.}}
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
=Macroscopic Characteristics=
 +
{| border=1
 +
|
 +
{{Macroscopy | source=American Medicinal Plants of Commercial Importance (1930)
 +
| description=Ginseng is an erect plant growing from 8 to 15 inches high and bearing three leaves at the summit, each leaf consisting of five thin, stalked leaflets. The three upper leaflets are larger than the two lower ones. From 6 to 20 greenish-yellow flowers are produced in a small cluster during July and August, followed later in the season by bright-crimson berries.  Ginseng has a thick, fleshy, spindle-shaped root 2 to 3 inches or more in length and about one-half to 1 inch in thickness, often branched.  After the second year the root becomes branched or forked.
 +
}}
 +
{{Macroscopy | source=United States Dispensatory (1918)
 +
| description=The root is fleshy, somewhat spindle-shaped, from 5 to 12 cm. long, and 1 to 2.5 cm. thick, and terminated by one or more stem scars. Frequently there are two portions, sometimes three or more, connected at their upper extremity, and bearing a supposed, though very remote, resemblance to the human figure, from which circumstance it is said that the Chinese name ginseng originated. When dried, the root is yellowish-white and wrinkled externally, and within consists usually of a hard central portion, surrounded by a soft whitish bark. }}
 +
|}
 +
=Microscopic Characteristics=
 +
 
 +
{{Media2 |cat=Microscopy | source=Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories
 
             | companyimage= AP-LOGO-Laboratories Crop - Copy.jpg
 
             | companyimage= AP-LOGO-Laboratories Crop - Copy.jpg
             | companyURL=http://www.Alkemist.com
+
             | companyURL=http://www.alkemist.com
 
             | mainimage=American ginseng.jpg
 
             | mainimage=American ginseng.jpg
 
             | caption1=Rosette of calcium oxalate observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution.
 
             | caption1=Rosette of calcium oxalate observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution.
             | description= American Ginseng (root) (''Panax quinquefolius'')
+
| source2=Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories
 +
            | companyimage2= AP-LOGO-Laboratories Crop - Copy.jpg
 +
             | companyURL2=http://www.alkemist.com
 
             | image2=American ginseng-1.jpg
 
             | image2=American ginseng-1.jpg
 
             | caption2=Yellow secretion from a resin canal observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution.
 
             | caption2=Yellow secretion from a resin canal observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution.
 
             | characteristics=cellular structures identified in this botanical specimen are the rosette of calcium oxalate and the yellow secretion from a resin canal when observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution.
 
             | characteristics=cellular structures identified in this botanical specimen are the rosette of calcium oxalate and the yellow secretion from a resin canal when observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution.
 +
            | reference=Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals, Max Wichtl, 3rd ed., 2004
 
             | }}
 
             | }}
  
=HPTLC Entries=
+
=High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic Identification=
=Other Points of Interest=
+
 
 +
=Supplementary Information=
 +
=Sources=
 +
<references />

Latest revision as of 20:55, 16 June 2015

AHPA recognizes other valuable resources exist regarding the identity of Panax quinquefolius.

To submit a suggestion or contribution, please contact Merle Zimmermann.

Contents

Nomenclature

Panax quinquefolius L.   Araliaceae  
Standardized common name (English): American ginseng  
Pinyin name(s): xi yang shen (root)

Botanical Voucher Specimen

bottomright

Panax quinquefolius Tropicos 53111.jpg
Source: MOBOT, Tropicos.org[1]

Organoleptic Characteristics

[Panax ginseng (root)] has a feeble odor, and a sweet, slightly aromatic taste, somewhat analogous to that of licorice root.

Source: United States Dispensatory (1918) [2]

Macroscopic Characteristics

Ginseng is an erect plant growing from 8 to 15 inches high and bearing three leaves at the summit, each leaf consisting of five thin, stalked leaflets. The three upper leaflets are larger than the two lower ones. From 6 to 20 greenish-yellow flowers are produced in a small cluster during July and August, followed later in the season by bright-crimson berries. Ginseng has a thick, fleshy, spindle-shaped root 2 to 3 inches or more in length and about one-half to 1 inch in thickness, often branched. After the second year the root becomes branched or forked.

Source: American Medicinal Plants of Commercial Importance (1930) [3]

The root is fleshy, somewhat spindle-shaped, from 5 to 12 cm. long, and 1 to 2.5 cm. thick, and terminated by one or more stem scars. Frequently there are two portions, sometimes three or more, connected at their upper extremity, and bearing a supposed, though very remote, resemblance to the human figure, from which circumstance it is said that the Chinese name ginseng originated. When dried, the root is yellowish-white and wrinkled externally, and within consists usually of a hard central portion, surrounded by a soft whitish bark.

Source: United States Dispensatory (1918) [4]

Microscopic Characteristics

bottomright bottomright

American ginseng.jpg
Rosette of calcium oxalate observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution.
Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories[5]

American ginseng-1.jpg
Yellow secretion from a resin canal observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution.
Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories[6]

High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic Identification

Supplementary Information

Sources

  1. MOBOT, Tropicos.org http://www.tropicos.org/Image/53111
  2. United States Dispensatory (1918)
  3. American Medicinal Plants of Commercial Importance (1930)
  4. United States Dispensatory (1918)
  5. Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories http://www.alkemist.com
  6. Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories http://www.alkemist.com
MediaWiki Appliance - Powered by TurnKey Linux