Home > Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine > Ginseng, Siberian

Description

Siberian ginseng, Eleutherococcus senticosus, is also known as eleuthero ginseng or eleuthero. It is in the same botanical family as Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). Siberian ginseng is one of the most widely used herbs in the world.

Siberian ginseng is a thin, thorny shrub that grows up to 15 ft (4.6 m) high. It is native to forests in southeastern Russia, northern China, Japan, and Korea. The root of the plant is used medicinally.

The family of ginseng plants has historically been used for medicinal purposes. Korean ginseng, also called Asian, red, or white ginseng, has been used in China for thousands of years. In China, it is a celebrated herb known to promote strength, energy, and longevity. American ginseng was discovered in North America in the early 1700s, and has since been used as a medicine and tonic. Siberian ginseng has been...