American ginseng is a member of the ivy family and native to eastern
United States and Canada, although the species is also cultivated in
China. The root is harvested from plants that are five to ten years old.
Like its Asian counterpart, Panax ginseng, American ginseng is
considered an adaptogenic herb that helps the body cope with stress and
resist disease. The active agents in the root are ginsenosides, a class
of saponins that are exclusive to plants in the Panax genus.
