In traditional Chinese medicine, ginseng, especially Asian Panax ginseng, is recommended to warm and stimulate someone who is weak, stressed and cold from nervous exhaustion. Ginseng in most cases is used to treat underlying weakness that can lead to a variety of conditions. It is an adaptogen, capable of protecting the body from physical and mental stress and helping bodily functions return to normal.
Chinese herbal experts believe the cultivated ginseng has different properties from the natural wild specimens, and the Asian species is said to be the superior medicine, compared to the American species. The Asian Panax ginseng is said to be more warming, while the American Panax quinquefolius is said to be more cooling. So American ginseng is used in China to help people recuperate from fever and the feeling of fatigue associated with the heat of summer.
Generally speaking, red ginseng is considered stronger and more stimulating than white, wild ginseng is stronger than cultivated, Korean ginseng is stronger than Chinese ginseng, and Chinese ginseng is stronger than American species.
So in herbal medicine market, the wild ginsend is more valued than the cultivated ginseng. The plant was overharvested from the wild, causing scarcity and increased demand. A mature woods-grown root of Panax ginseng will sometimes more expensive than gold by weight. For example, a 200g mature wild Korean ginseng will sometimes fetch $100,000 or more.
