Snow ginseng is a precious medicinal herb. There are many types of ginseng on the market, with varying qualities. It is necessary to learn some identification knowledge to distinguish good ginseng. To identify good ginseng, you must master the following points: you need to see the "Five Forms" clearly and identify the "Six Bodies".
1. The "Five Forms" include roots, stems, skin, patterns, and body.
Roots: The roots of ginseng are long and tough, clean and long, with small grain-like nodules called "pearl dots" attached to them. If the color is white and tender (commonly known as water roots), it is not pure wild ginseng.
Stems: The stems of ginseng can be divided into two-segment stems, three-segment stems, thread stems, and goose neck stems. Two-segment stems - with horse tooth stems and round stems. Three-segment stems - with horse tooth stems, round stems, and stacked flower stems. The so-called horse tooth stems have obvious stem marks on the rhizome, resembling horse teeth, mostly in the upper part of the rhizome. The so-called round stems have stem marks on the rhizome that are flat due to age, resembling cylinders. The so-called goose neck stems are thin and slightly curved, resembling goose necks. The so-called thread stems have long, thin rhizomes with flat stem bowls due to their age, and the rhizomes are thin and long.
Skin: The skin of ginseng is old and brown, with a tight and glossy texture. If the skin is tender and white, it is not pure ginseng.
Patterns: At the top of the hair root, there are fine and deep spiral patterns. If the patterns are rough, shallow, and discontinuous, it is not pure ginseng.
Body: Refers to the hair root (see Six Bodies).
2. The "Six Bodies" include agile, clumsy, old, tender, horizontal, and smooth.
Agile: Refers to ginseng with a graceful body shape, good appearance, and obvious legs that can be separated. It has two legs, with a large angle of divergence. It can be divided into "diamond-shaped body" and "nodule body" according to its shape.
Clumsy: Refers to ginseng with a straight root shape, clumsy body shape, and not aesthetically pleasing. Even if it has two legs, the thickness or length of the two legs is not symmetrical.
Old: The skin of wild ginseng is old, yellow-brown, and the patterns are fine and solid. If the skin is tender and white, it is not pure wild ginseng.
Tender: The skin is tender and white, the patterns are rough and shallow, and the roots are tender, white, and easy to break. If these characteristics are present, it is not pure wild ginseng.
Horizontal: Refers to ginseng with short, thick roots and multiple legs extending sideways, mostly wild ginseng.
Smooth: Refers to ginseng with straight and smooth roots, with a single leg or legs close together, mostly not wild ginseng.
Differences between Snow Ginseng and Western Ginseng in Pharmacological Effects
Snow ginseng and Western ginseng belong to the same family but different species. Both are precious medicinal herbs, and they have some differences in pharmacological active ingredients and their use in traditional Chinese medicine, resulting in different pharmacological effects.
Snow ginseng mainly contains triterpenoid saponins of the Rb monomer type. It has a warm and hot nature, excites and regulates blood pressure, and has the effects of replenishing qi, consolidating the surface, restoring yang, and rescuing collapse. It is a good medicine for treating acute collapse syndrome (such as collapse, shock, profuse sweating, severe diarrhea, vomiting, etc.). When used in combination with warm and hot medicines, it often achieves special therapeutic effects. Ginseng has a warm nature, so it is suitable for treating cold syndromes. Among them, raw and sun-dried ginseng are products for clearing and nourishing, mainly used for symptoms and signs of Qi and Yin deficiency, such as fatigue with sweating, weak stomach and intestines, loss of appetite, heart dysfunction, thirst, etc. If people with heat syndrome use warm natured raw and sun-dried ginseng, it will increase the excitement of the body and worsen inflammation. Red ginseng is a warm-nourishing medicine with a strong odor, slightly bitter and sweet in taste. Its function is biased towards warming and nourishing, mainly used for diseases with Qi deficiency and cold symptoms, such as cardiovascular diseases and the recovery period after severe diseases. It should be noted that red ginseng should not be used for heat syndrome.
Western ginseng contains triterpenoid saponins of the Rb monomer type. It has a cool nature and is generally used for heat syndromes such as high blood pressure and constipation. Due to its cool nature, it can be used for sedation and blood pressure reduction. Western ginseng can replenish qi, nourish yin, and generate body fluids while treating patients with chronic diseases and both yin and yang deficiency. It is commonly used to treat symptoms such as cough, hemoptysis, night sweats, irritability, thirst, insufficient qi, and inadequate body fluids caused by insufficient lung yin. It is often used in the treatment of tuberculosis, intestinal tuberculosis, typhoid fever, and chronic wasting diseases such as chronic hepatitis, chronic nephritis, Addison's disease, lupus erythematosus, aplastic anemia, leukemia, and excessive deficiency heat and fluid loss caused by other malignant tumors. Western ginseng can be used alone or in combination with other tonics, both of which can achieve good therapeutic effects. In addition, Western ginseng can be combined with food to make health food, such as Western ginseng milk essence, which can play a certain dietary role. Western ginseng has definite effects on diseases such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, anemia, and neurosis.
