Panax ginseng
Panax ginseng, ginseng, also known as Asian ginseng, Chinese ginseng, or Korean ginseng, is a species of plant whose root is the original source of ginseng. It is a perennial plant that grows in the mountains of East Asia. It is among the longest living of plants. Names. "Panax ginseng" is called Rénshēn ( or or ; ) in Chinese, Insam (인삼; 人蔘) in Korean and Ninjin () in Japanese. Distribution. "Panax ginseng" is native to mountainous regions of Russian Far East (Outer Manchuria), Northeast China, and the Korean Peninsula. It is a protected plant in Russia and China, and most commercial  ginseng is now sourced from plants cultivated in China, Korea and Russia. It is also cultivated in some areas of Japan. The plant is a slow-growing perennial and the roots are usually harvested when the plants are five or six years old. Cultivation. "Panax ginseng" is one of the most commonly cultivated ginseng species, along with "P. notoginseng" (found naturally in China) and "P. quinquefolius". Research. There is no high-quality evidence for ginseng having a health effect. Ginseng phytochemicals called ginsenosides are under preliminary research for their potential to affect fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis, memory and  cognition in otherwise healthy adults, and erectile dysfunction. Panax ginseng is generally considered safe for adults when used for less than six months, but may be unsafe to use for longer than six months. Folk medicine. Ginseng is used as an herb in folk medicine.