I don't know much about medicinal herbs. Recently, I wanted to give someone a gift, and I saw that the pharmacy had Salvia miltiorrhiza and Panax quinquefolius, both of which are ginseng. So, what is the difference between them?
Source Difference
Salvia miltiorrhiza: It is the dried root and rhizome of the Lamiaceae plant Salvia miltiorrhiza, mainly harvested in spring and autumn.
Panax quinquefolius: It is the root of the perennial herbaceous plant in the Araliaceae family, with flowering period in July and fruit ripening period in September.
Origin Difference
Salvia miltiorrhiza: Mainly produced in China, it is distributed in most parts of the country and prefers to grow in sunny slopes, along ditches, roadsides, or forest edges.
Panax quinquefolius: Originally from Quebec, Canada and Wisconsin, USA, it is also cultivated in Huairou, Beijing and Changbai Mountain, China.
Appearance Difference
Salvia miltiorrhiza: The rhizome is short and thick, cylindrical in shape, with a brownish-red or dark brownish-red surface and longitudinal wrinkles; the cross section has cracks or is slightly flat and dense, with yellowish-white radial texture.
Panax quinquefolius: The main root is round or spindle-shaped, with a light yellow or yellowish-white surface, oily appearance, fine skin texture, full and firm texture, clean cut surface, and clear chrysanthemum-like texture.
Taste Difference
Salvia miltiorrhiza: Salvia miltiorrhiza has a slight odor and a pronounced bitter taste when chewed, with poor mouthfeel.
Panax quinquefolius: Panax quinquefolius has a more pronounced ginseng flavor, and when chewed, it has a sweet taste with a slight bitterness.
Efficacy Difference
Salvia miltiorrhiza: It has the effects of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, regulating menstruation and relieving pain, clearing the heart and relieving restlessness, cooling the blood and dissolving abscesses, etc. It can be used to treat chest pain, abdominal pain, restlessness, irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, boils, sores, etc. It also has a certain auxiliary therapeutic effect on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.
Panax quinquefolius: It has the effects of replenishing qi and nourishing yin, clearing heat and generating fluid, and can be used for qi deficiency and yin deficiency, internal heat, polydipsia, dry mouth and throat, etc. It also has high health value, can improve immune function, protect the cardiovascular system, improve sleep, and assist in the treatment of diabetes.
Price Difference
Salvia miltiorrhiza: Salvia miltiorrhiza has a relatively abundant yield and is relatively inexpensive. The price varies depending on the quality of the herb, with prices on the market ranging from 0.2 yuan to 0.6 yuan per gram.
Panax quinquefolius: The price of Panax quinquefolius varies greatly depending on the origin. Generally, the price ranges from 1 yuan to 3 yuan per gram.
