ren shen

人参·Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng

ginseng

About ren shen

Ren Shen (人参) is the root of ginseng, a plant of the ivy family, recorded as Radix Ginseng. It is sweet and slightly bitter in flavour, slightly warm, and enters the Lung and Spleen channels. The catalogue files it first among the herbs that tonify Qi, and records seven distinct actions for it.

Names

Pinyinren shen
Chinese人参
Latin NameRadix et Rhizoma Ginseng·Radix Ginseng
English Nameginseng·Ginseng Root
Japaneseninjin
Koreaninsam

Classification

Channels
Lung, Spleen
Flavour
Sweet, Slightly Bitter
Temperature
Slightly Warm
Part used
Root
Family
Araliaceae
Species
Panax Ginseng
Tags
Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Powerfully tonifies Yuan Qi

  • Collapse of Qi (abandoned condition): shallow or short breathing, cold limbs, heavy sweating and a faint, barely perceptible pulse, following major blood loss, excessive sweating, vomiting or diarrhea, or grave chronic illness; it may be given alone in this emergency
  • Collapse of Yang
  • Collapse of Yin

Tonifies Spleen and Stomach Qi

  • Spleen Qi deficiency with lethargy, poor appetite, nausea and vomiting, loose stools or long-standing diarrhea, a weak voice, and distension of the chest and abdomen
  • Prolapse of the stomach, uterus or rectum when the deficiency is severe

Tonifies Lung Qi

  • Deficient Lung Qi: wheezing, breathlessness, and weak, laboured breathing that worsens on exertion

Generates Body Fluids and stops thirst

  • Xiao Ke (wasting and thirsting disorder)
  • Qi and fluids damaged by high fever or heavy sweating

Tonifies Heart Qi, calms the Spirit and clears the mind

  • Heart Qi deficiency
  • Deficient Heart Qi and Blood, rooted in weak Yuan Qi, showing as palpitations, anxiety, poor sleep with vivid dreams, poor memory, and mental unrest or confusion

Tonifies Qi and Yang and benefits the Kidneys

  • Impotence, combined with Kidney Yang tonics

Supports Qi in deficient patients with an Exterior condition

  • An Exterior disorder on a background of Interior deficiency

Combinations

Dosage

AgeRawGranuleTinctureConcentrateFrequency
Any 1-9g decocted separately; Powder: 0.5-1g; Tincture: 0.25-3ml; Emergencies: up to 30g in multiple doses; Tincture: 3-10ml1-9 g3-10 ml

Cautions

Interactions

Antagonistic with

Drug interactions

Prepared forms (1)

ren shen Bai

人参·Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng

Ren Shen (Bai) (人参) is white ginseng, the root and rhizome of panax, recorded as Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng. Beyond the names the record is empty: no category, no channels, no actions.

The catalogue records no separate actions, dose or cautions for this preparation. Unless noted above it follows ren shen.