Native Americans recognized the healing powers of ginseng just as the Chinese did for use in their respective herbal medicine treatments. American ginseng is in the ivy family and was once found in abundance in many parts of North America, in particular, the Appalachian and Ozark regions and in the forests of Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario.  It is becoming increasingly harder to find in the wild due to overharvesting, deforestation and through an increasing deer population in smaller parcels of forests. It is now grown commercially, mostly in Wisconsin and Minnesota which count for almost 95 percent of the ginseng grown in the United States.

American Ginseng is used as an herbal medicine to reduce stress, boost the immune system and fight infections such as the flu and the common cold.  It is also used to fight bacterial infections in the intestines and respiratory tracts.  Another common use for American ginseng would be to improve appetite and digestion, as well as, relief from vomiting, colitis and inflammation in the lining of the stomach, otherwise referred to as gastritis.  If you suffer from not enough iron in the blood, diabetes, insomnia, fibromyalgia or even a hangover then American Ginseng may be just what the doctor ordered.  Some herbalists even recommend American Ginseng for those men who suffer from erectile dysfunction. Headaches, dizziness, attention deficit disorders can all be treated with American Ginseng.  It is also recommended as an anti-aging herb.

American Ginseng differs from Asian and Siberian Ginseng because it has many more medicinal uses.