• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.102-106
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• 2014

Wild ginseng pharmacopuncture is a partly used Traditional Korean Medicine's therapy with no previously well documented hepatotoxicity. We report the the first case of suspected drug-induced liver injury (DILI) after intravenous Wild ginseng Pharmacopuncture therapy. Our clinical observation based on patient's laboratory studies, medical history, detailed drug history and ruling out other possible causes. Our patient's suspected diagnosis was wild ginseng pharmacopuncture-induced liver injury with correlation between detailed drug history and laboratory studies. This diagnosis was supported by the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences-Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method(RUCAM). This report represents the first documented cases of suspected DILI after intravenous wild ginseng pharmacopuncture therapy, highlighting the need for future research regarding potential hepatotoxicity of Wild ginseng Pharmacopuncture.

• Plant Resources
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.165-169
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• 2003

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) is herbaceous perennial plants indigenous to North American forests. This is highly valued as medicinal herbs with a long history of collection from wild populations since 1716. Wild American ginseng distributed from Quebec in Canada to northern Florida in USA. A heavy concentration is found in the Appalachian mountains, although wild American ginseng is considered endangered. The price paid for field cultivated ginseng has dropped dramatically in the past 10 years, while the price for wild or woods cultivated ginseng has rised significantly. The price curve for ginseng resembles a roller coaster, reflecting not only supply and demand but many other factors. This information will be useful to understand American ginseng compared to Korean ginseng.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.10 no.12
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• pp.166-174
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• 2020

Cosmetic functional ingredients are products of emotional convergence technology. Unlike pharmaceuticals, it is very important that cosmetics ingredients contain emotional attractiveness because they are household products that have limitations in their effectiveness. Ginseng has long been used as a major prescription of oriental medicine for human health. Detailed records such as the origin and propagation of ginseng can lead to various cosmetical application of ginseng as an emotional convergence ingredients that utilizes the authenticity and excellence of ginseng as an asset of K-beauty. In the unfortunate reality that the first records of ginseng use depend on ancient Chinese literature, it is very meaningful to describe and leave the records of ginseng used in the field of beauty. This study examined the general historical records needed for the study of the cosmetics application of ginseng and the recent findings of ginsenoside in the area of skin function, and provided basic data that can be applied to new cosmetics development research.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 2011

Panax ginseng root has been used as a major source of ginsenoside throughout the history of oriental medicine. In recent years, scientists have found that all of its biomass, including embryogenic calli and flower buds can contain similar active ingredients with pharmacological functions. In this study, transcriptome analyses were used to identify different gene expressions from embryogenic calli and fl ower buds. In total, 6,226 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were obtained from cDNA libraries of P. ginseng. Insilico analysis was conducted to annotate the putative sequences using gene ontology functional analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes orthology biochemical analysis, and interproscan protein functional domain analysis. From the obtained results, genes responsible for growth, pathogenicity, pigments, ginsenoside pathway, and development were discussed. Almost 83.3% of the EST sequence was annotated using one-dimensional insilico analysis.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.6
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• pp.1-12
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• 2024

Emperor Minh Mang (明命), the second ruler of the Nguyen Dynasty in Vietnam, reigned from 1820 to 1841. He is widely regarded by contemporary historians as the most distinguished monarch of his dynasty, despite some controversial policies. One aspect of his extraordinary legacy is the remarkable 142 offspring he sired - 78 princes and 64 princesses - earning him the unprecedented distinction of having the most progeny among kings in world history. Vietnamese people suppose Minh Mang's prolific reproductive success to the consumption of a specially prescribed medicine known as Minh Mang Thang (明命湯, MMT). This medicine, often associated with sexual potency and fertility, is characterized by intriguing names such as "One night Five sexes," "One night Six sexes born Five babies," or "Six sexes Three pregnancies." Vietnamese folklore vividly recounts Minh Mang's exceptional sexual prowess, attributing it to the use of MMT. MMT formulations, which include various herbs, notably Korean ginseng, may incorporate additional botanical ingredients depending on their intended purpose. This paper aims to explore the origins, history, ingredients, and applications of MMT, unraveling the mystery behind this mystical prescription that has inspired several oriental medicinal researchers. Through this investigation, we seek to shed light on the cultural and historical contexts surrounding Minh Mang's use of MMT and its enduring impact on traditional Vietnamese medicine and folklore.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.63-71
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• 2017

Traditional Asian medicine has an extensive evidence base built upon thousands of years of experience within Asia, of curing various diseases. Only recently, within the past two centuries, have modern medical scientists developed interest in traditional Asian medicine. Asian Medicine seems to be regarded only as an adjunctive medicine and viewed as alargely un-proven alternative medicine to complement western medicine, used in some cases to establish a new paradigm of "integrative medicine". This article reviews how Korean herbal cosmetics emerged by applying traditional Asian medicine to the science of cosmetics. The characteristics of Korean herbal cosmetics are examined through examples of history, concepts and traditions. With the advancements in biotechnology, studies are now being conducted on the dermatological effects and processing methods of herbal ingredients, including ginseng. The authors explain the current research on the identification on the active ingredients of herbs, extraction methods, and bio-processing of ingredients to improve the biological efficacies of herbs on the skin. A summary of studies focused on modern reinterpretations of ageing theories, such as 'Seven year aging cycle', are provided. In conclusion, the development of Korean cosmetics products are based on the accumulated knowledge of thousands of years of experience including; 1) practical heritage of traditional Asian medicines such as Donguibogam; 2) excellent medicinal plants, such as ginseng, which are native to Korea; and 3) innovative attempts to modernize materials, processes, and principles.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.4
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• pp.38-58
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• 2022

Park Wan-seo's novels deal with realistic topics of society, such as women's issues, the capitalist system, and the problems that come with old age. Assuch, her work is used as a tool to analyze social phenomena in various fields, such as women's studies, sociology, and literature. A characteristic style of Park Wan-seo's novels is that she bases them on her own experiences. However, among her novels, the novel Mimang is exceptional. The plot is based on stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. This is to show the spirit of the times through the unforgettable story of her hometown, Gaesong. Mimang is the story of a family chronology that spans four generations centered on Chun Cheu-Man and his family, who became powerful capitalists through the cultivation and commerce of ginseng cultivation. Set in the late 19th century until the end of the Korean War, the novel unravels the essence of the times symbolized by merchants of ginseng and Gaeseong, focusing on the actions of people living in a period of historical turbulence. Gaeseong is the mecca of Korean ginseng, and Gaeseong cannot be portrayed without the story of ginseng and its merchants. Therefore, Mimang, a fictionalized story based on real facts, contains valuable testimony of the history of ginseng, not only as historical values of modern history and personal customs but also as microhistory. In the novel, traces of the times of Gaeseong and the spirit of ginseng merchants, as shown in the Japanese sacking of ginseng during the colonial period, the resistance of ginseng merchants, and the conversion of ginseng capitalism to modern capitalism, are imprinted like fossils. What is especially meaningful is that the stories in the novel correspond to historical facts and constitute a chapter in the history of ginseng. The symbolism of ginseng in the novel can be explained in three main ways. First, it shows the essence of Korean ginseng. It reveals the soul of ginseng through the sincerity and rigor of ginseng farming, as well as the spirit and pride of ginseng. Second, it symbolizes the exploitation of ginseng in Japan as a national issue. The efforts of ginseng merchants to protect this and support the independence movement are presented as important themes to express nationalism. Third, it shows the modern capitalist progressiveness of Gaeseong ginseng merchants, who do not stay in landownership and commercial capital, but convert them to productive capital and contribute to society by modernizing them. The three symbolisms show the spirit of the times of the Gaeseong ginseng merchants, clearly revealing the meaningful relationship between the Korean people and ginseng.

• CELLMED
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.2.1-2.10
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• 2024

Through big data analysis of the 'Joseonwangjosilok', this study examines the perception of ginseng among the ruling class and its utilization during the Joseon era. It aims to provide foundational data for the development of ginseng into a high-value cultural commodity. The focus of this research, the Joseonwangjosilok, comprises 1,968 volumes in 948 books, spanning a record of 518 years. Data was collected through web crawling on the website of the National Institute of Korean History, followed by frequency analysis of significant words. To assess the interest in ginseng across the reigns of 27 kings during the Joseon era, ginseng frequency records were adjusted based on years in power and the number of articles, creating an interest index for comparative rankings across reigns. Analysis revealed higher interest in ginseng during the reigns of King Jeongjo and King Yeongjo in the 18th century, King Sunjo in the 19th century, King Sejong in the 15th century, King Sukjong in the 17th century, and King Gojong in the 19th century. Examining the temporal emergence and changes in ginseng during the Joseon era, general ginseng types like insam and sansam had the highest frequency in the 15th century. It appears that Korea adeptly utilized ceremonial goods in diplomatic relations with China and Japan, meeting the demand for ginseng from their royal and aristocratic societies. Processed ginseng varieties such as hongsam and posam, along with traded and taxed ginseng, showed peak frequency in the 18th century. This coincided with increased cultivation, allowing a higher supply and fostering the development of ginseng processing technologies like hongsam.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2013

Ginseng is being distributed in 35 countries around the world and there are differences by each country in the distribution volume and amount. However, since there is no accurate statistics on production and distribution amount by each country, it is very difficult to predict the world ginseng market. Ginseng trading companies and governments are in desperate need of comprehensive data that shows the world ginseng market status for sales and marketing. For that reason, this study will look into the approximate size of the world ginseng market based on recent ginseng distribution amount by each country and production by major ginseng producing nations. In addition, the review sets an opportunity to check the status of ginseng (Korea) in the world and presents future direction by examining recent history of ginseng development in Korea, which is one of the world's largest ginseng distributers. Since ginseng is cultivated in limited areas due to its growth characteristics, ginseng distributing countries can be divided based on whether they grow it domestically or not. In general, four countries including South Korea, China, Canada, and the US are the biggest producers and their total production of fresh ginseng is approximately 79,769 tons which is more than 99% of 80,080 tons, the total ginseng production around the world. Ginseng is distributed to different countries in various forms such as fresh ginseng, dried ginseng, boiled and dried ginseng (Taekuksam), red ginseng and the related products, etc. and is consumed as food, dietary supplements, functional food, medical supplies, etc. Also, the world ginseng market including ginseng root and the processed products, is estimated to be worth $2,084 million. In particular, the size of the Korean market is $1,140 million which makes Korea the largest distributer in the world. Since the interests in alternative medicine and healthy food is increasing globally, the consumer market of ginseng with many features and the processed products are expected to expand continuously.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.2
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• pp.39-70
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• 2020

In this paper, through the mutual interpretation and verification of the ancient Korean history books with different origin that have been suspected as false documents, it proves that they could be logically real records and reveal that the substance of the legendary 'medicine for anti-aging and longevity', which also had been mentioned in Chinese old books, is Korean ginseng. Furthermore, with reference to the modern Y chromosomal map of the migratory routes of mankind corresponding to these routes recorded in 「Budoji」, the core history book, the formation of the four ethnic constitution groups (Sasang Constitution) based on the life style of each human group has been estimated. And the cause of Korean ginseng with fever problem for Southeast Asians is their pharmacogenomic constitution problem by protopanaxatriol (PPT) type ginsenosides in ginseng. It was resolved with over production of protopanaxdiol (PPD) type ginsenosides against PPT type in Korean red ginseng as historical or scientific point of view. In addition, by explaining that the processing method to Korean red ginseng could increase red ginseng acidic polysaccharides (RGAP), the RGAP, PPD type ginsenosides, and arginine which is originally abundant in Korean ginseng could increase the expression of the 'heat shock proteins' as a kind of chaperone in the body, this paper presents the theory allowing the scientific interpretation of the efficacy of Korean red ginseng as an 'adaptogen' or 'medicine for anti-aging and longevity'. Lastly, through the consideration of the growing environment of American ginseng and Korean ginseng, the differences are presented.