Ginseng is also known as hand ginseng, and is taken as a decoction with water, in bulk, or in wine.
Hand ginseng is the tuberous root of Hand Ginseng, a plant of the family Orchidaceae. It is sweet, slightly bitter and cool in nature, with the effect of tonifying the kidney and benefiting the vital essence, regulating qi and relieving pain, and can be used clinically for post-disease weakness, cough, leucorrhoea, impotence, prolonged diarrhea, blood stasis and swelling pain, bruises and other diseases.
Hand ginseng can be taken by decocting soup, or made into powder, soaked in wine and taken internally. For cough and asthma, it can be combined with lily of the valley and jujube to be decocted in water. It can be used for post-disease weakness, prolonged diarrhea, impotence, and can be combined with Codonopsis pilosula and Rhizoma Polygonati Odorati, which can be consumed with stewed meat.
Adverse effects and contraindications of Radix Panax Ginseng are not clear, and should be taken under the guidance of a doctor.