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Herb library · Herb · Panax quinquefolius

American ginseng

The root of a woodland plant of eastern North America, a close relative of Asian ginseng, sold for colds, fatigue and blood sugar. A handful of trials in people found small effects on colds, cancer-related fatigue and blood sugar; it can weaken the blood thinner warfarin.

Traditional use

Native to the forests of eastern North America. From the early 1700s the wild root was dug and shipped to China, where it sold well but was ranked below Korean ginseng; by the early 1900s American doctors described it as a mild tonic for poor appetite and "nervous" exhaustion, and warned that wild stands were being dug out. Today it is farmed and sold mainly for colds and flu, fatigue, and blood sugar. Among the Eastern Cherokee, James Mooney recorded (1891) the root as "it climbs the mountain," drunk as a decoction for headache and cramps, and dug to sell to traders as "sang."

What studies show

  • Limited

    Colds: a 2011 review of five trials, all using a North American ginseng extract taken for 8 to 16 weeks, found it may shorten colds, but not enough evidence that it lowers the chance of catching one or makes one milder. The trials varied widely in quality.

  • Limited

    Fatigue after cancer: in a 2013 trial of 364 people, 2,000 mg a day for 8 weeks improved fatigue scores more than placebo at 8 weeks, though not at 4 weeks. The researchers called for more studies.

  • Limited

    Blood sugar in type 2 diabetes: a small 2019 crossover trial (24 people, added to their usual care) found slightly lower HbA1c and fasting blood sugar over 8 weeks. The authors called for larger studies.

  • Insufficient

    General wellness, stress and other uses: LiverTox notes that the scientific basis for ginseng's claimed effects is not well established, and that products vary widely in their active compounds; some contain none.

Be careful of

Cautions

  • InteractionWarfarin: in a controlled trial in healthy people, American ginseng lowered warfarin's blood-thinning effect. If you take warfarin or another blood thinner, do not start it without your clinician.
  • InteractionLiverTox reports that ginseng may affect how the liver processes some medicines, and that liver injury has occurred when ginseng was added to certain drugs (imatinib, raltegravir).
  • ConditionIt may lower blood sugar. If you have diabetes or take diabetes medicine, talk with your clinician before using it.
  • NoteSide effects of ginseng are uncommon and mild, according to LiverTox: trouble sleeping, nausea, morning diarrhea, headaches and nosebleeds. Products vary widely in content.
  • PregnancyThe sources read here give no safety information for pregnancy or breastfeeding. Talk with your clinician first.
  • Ask a clinicianTalk with a clinician or pharmacist before using this if you take prescription medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are giving it to a child.

From the old books

What herbals and dispensaries of the past printed. History, in their words.

“Decoction of root drunk for headache, cramps, etc., and for female troubles; chewed root blown on spot for pains in the side.”
James Mooney, The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees (1891), pp. 326–327. See the page of The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees, pp. 326–327 (opens in a new tab) · Read the full passage from The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees, pp. 326–327
“Japanese and American ginseng are also found in quantities, but these, especially the latter, are considered to be much inferior to the Korean kind. American ginseng is considered by Western physicians to have no medicinal virtues worth mentioning, and is thought to be a superfluous member of the Pharmacopœia.”
G. A. Stuart, Chinese Materia Medica: Vegetable Kingdom (1911), p. 302. See the page of Chinese Materia Medica: Vegetable Kingdom, p. 302 (opens in a new tab) · Read the full passage from Chinese Materia Medica: Vegetable Kingdom, p. 302
“Ginseng is becoming very scarce and, unless a method of cultivation becomes practical, bids fair to be exterminated.”
Harvey Wickes Felter and John Uri Lloyd, King's American Dispensatory (1905), vol. 2, p. 1430. See the page of King's American Dispensatory, vol. 2, p. 1430 (opens in a new tab) · Read the full passage from King's American Dispensatory, vol. 2, p. 1430

Sources

  1. Ginseng — LiverTox (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
  2. North American (Panax quinquefolius) and Asian Ginseng (Panax ginseng) Preparations for Prevention of the Common Cold in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
  3. Wisconsin Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) to improve cancer-related fatigue: a randomized, double-blind trial, N07C2 (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
  4. Efficacy and safety of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) extract on glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with type 2 diabetes (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
  5. American ginseng reduces warfarin's effect in healthy patients: a randomized, controlled trial (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026

Reviewed September 25, 2026.