Ginseng

NaturalGREENS, HERBS & FOUGERESearthy · warm · sweet

HeartPyramid

—Strength

—Tenacity

4Origins

Specimen

Panax ginseng

Definition

Ginseng is the root of plants in the genus Panax, such as South China ginseng, Korean ginseng and American ginseng, characterized by the presence of ginsenosides and gintonin. Among its aroma compounds, α-pinene contributes turpentine, rosiny, pine tree, camphor and fir-needle notes in ginseng products.

GREEN EARTHY SWEET HERBAL WARM FRESH DRY

Asian ginseng, Chinese ginseng, Korean ginseng

Type: Ingredient
Olfactive family: Aromatic
Subfamily: Herbal aromatics
Cluster: Green-herbal notes
Source: root

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

Producing countries

China Korea Russia Japan

Scent

The sweet and herbal notes of ginseng grown under forest were the highest among all groups compared. Steamed 4-year red ginseng showed slightly more pronounced sweet, floral and citrus notes than 4-year white ginseng, while its woody and herbal characteristics were stronger. Heptanal, commonly found across all seven ginseng products, contributes citrus, fatty and rancid notes. 2-Pentyl furan mainly influences the green bean and vegetable notes. Trimethylpyrazine gives roasted nut, cocoa and peanut notes, and 2-methoxy-3-isopropylpyrazine gives string-bean, pea, earthy, chocolate and nutty notes. 1-Octen-3-one gives the forest-grown ginseng a mushroom-like note, and 2-undecanone gives orange, fresh and green notes. In Asian ginseng, α-gurjunene is described as balsamic and alloaromadendrene as woody. γ-Selinene and viridiflorene, which emit herb and wood flavors, were identified only in Asian ginseng.

In PREMIEREPEAU

DISCOVERY SET7 × 2 ml →EXTRAIT DE PARFUMThe seven extraits →

The Full Story

The species Panax ginseng

Panax ginseng is a herbaceous perennial that grows from 30 to 60 cm tall, with a spindle- or cylinder-shaped taproot that usually has 1 or 2 main branches. It is native to mountainous regions of the Russian Far East, Northeast China and the Korean Peninsula. The specific epithet ginseng means "man-herb" or "forked root".

Cultivation and trade

All ginseng produced in South Korea is Korean ginseng, while ginseng produced in China includes Korean ginseng, South China ginseng and the recently introduced American ginseng. Commercial ginseng is sold in over 35 countries, with China as the largest consumer. In 2013, global sales of ginseng exceeded $2 billion, of which half was produced by South Korea. Cultivated ginseng is less expensive than the rarely available wild ginseng. American ginseng roots are usually five to 10 times more expensive than Asian ginseng roots in the herbal market. Wild ginseng grows naturally in mountains and is hand-picked by gatherers known as simmani.

Chemistry

Ginsenosides, also called panaxosides, are a class of natural product steroid glycosides and triterpene saponins. They are found almost exclusively in the plant genus Panax. Ginsenosides can be isolated from various parts of the plant, though typically from the roots, and can be purified by column chromatography. Ginsenoside molecules are naturally bitter-tasting and discourage insects and other animals from consuming the plant. In the stems and leaves of Asian ginseng the ginsenoside concentration is 3-6%, compared to just 1-3% in the root. Steaming ginseng causes ginsenosides to lose their sugar and malonyl side chains, converting more polar molecules into less-polar ones that are rarer in nature.

The compounds responsible for the aroma and flavor characteristics of ginseng root are mainly volatile. The major volatile components of ginseng roots are terpenes, including monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Panaginsene, ginsinsene, α-isocomene and caryophyllene were predominant in Korean ginseng cultivars, whereas β-farnesene levels were higher in American ginseng. Falcarinol, also known as panaxynol, is a fatty alcohol found in ginseng (Panax ginseng) as well as in carrots, celery, fennel, parsnip and ivy.

Uses

The root is most often available in dried form, either whole or sliced. In Korean cuisine, ginseng is used in various banchan (side dishes) and guk (soups), as well as tea and alcoholic beverages. Ginseng may be added in small amounts to energy drinks or herbal teas, and it is sold as a dietary supplement. A tincture of Korean ginseng is approved by the EFSA for use in horses, dogs, and cats as a sensory additive (animal feed flavoring). Ginseng is used as an herb in folk medicine. There is little evidence that using P. ginseng provides any health effect.

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Related: Alpha Pinene · Angelica · Angelica Root · Angelica Root Oil · Artemisia · Barrenwort · Beachheather · Behini Tree

Did You Know?

The price of one root of wild ginseng begins at 50,000 won and can double and triple depending on how old the roots are. Harvesting of wild plants faster than they can grow and reproduce, driven by high demand, has left wild ginseng almost extinct in China and endangered globally.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

White ginseng is fresh ginseng that has been dried without being heated, so that the water content falls to 12% or less. Red ginseng is steamed and dried ginseng, which has a reddish color. Red ginseng is less vulnerable to decay than white ginseng. Wild ginseng can be processed to be red or white ginseng. The roots are usually harvested when the plants are five or six years old.

Formula: Complex natural mixture (key constituents: ginsenoside Rb1 C₅₄H₉₂O₂₃; falcarinol C₁₇H₂₄O)
Botanical: Panax ginseng
Appearance: Yellowish-white root (white ginseng) or reddish root (red ginseng)
Synonyms: Asian ginseng, Chinese ginseng, Korean ginseng

IFRA status

See note

No IFRA Standard for the material itself (51st Amendment)

In Perfumery

Sesquiterpenes such as caryophyllene usually have a low odor threshold, so they release enough odor and flavor at low concentrations. The sesquiterpene hydrocarbon profile is thought to influence the aroma and flavor differences between Panax species and cultivars. In a reference beer flavor, the hydrocarbon fraction of sesquiterpenes enhanced the citrus, spicy, woody and hay/straw aspects.

Role in the formula

01modifier

02lifting agent

03blender

04volume builder

05freshness

Available as

dried root sliced root white ginseng red ginseng tincture