Ginseng: A Concise Handbook

by James A. Duke

A Concise Handbook provides comprehensive information on all aspects of the plant which from ancient times the Chinese have regarded as a cure for most infirmities known to man, and that was known to the Cherokees as the "Plant of Life." In this book, James Duke examines ginseng's history, taxonomy, chemistry, and pharmacology, surveys the economics of ginseng cultivation, and compares its properties with those of the humble carrot. The book also contains a chapter on Pathogens by Melodie Putnam.
Applying a healthy scientific scepticism to some of the wilder claims made for ginseng by its growers and devotees, Dr Duke throws light on exactly what is known to us today about this ancient plant. He also analyzes the intricacies of differentiating American ginseng (Panax quinequefolius) and its oriental counterpart (Panax ginseng) -- a question which has puzzled many. (The Latin name Panax derives from the Greek word "panacea.")
In this objective presentation, James Duke has rendered a service not only to those interested in examining the properties of ginseng, but to all those concerned with the intriguing relationship between the world of herbs and human health.

273 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Dr. James A. Duke, PhD, Ethnobotanist, PhD in Botany (UNC, Chapel Hill; Phi Beta Kappa; Distinguished Alumnus), served 3 years with Missouri Botanical Garden, 7 years with Battelle Memorial Institute in Panama, Colombia and Columbus Ohio, as an ecologist; and 27 years as economic botanist, with USDA in Beltsville, Md, On Sept. 30, 1995, he retired from the USDA. Before retiring, Dr. Duke brought his ethnobotanical and phytochemical database online at USDA (http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/). It is now, in Duke’s retirement, one of the most frequently consulted areas of the USDA website. Duke serves as distinguished herbal lecturer with the Tai Sophia Healing Institute, Laurel MD. He has written more than 30 books on medicinal plants.