Ginseng generally includes raw sun-dried ginseng, white ginseng, red ginseng, etc.
The processing technology of red ginseng is different from others.
Harvesting and Storage
Cultivation of ginseng (garden ginseng) is 5-7 years old, excavated in September-October, washed, and processed after removing the stems and leaves. Raw sun-dried ginseng: Cut off the branches and fibrous roots of fresh ginseng, smoke them with sulfur or blanch them in boiling water and then dry them in the sun, or dry them in the sun; the branches and fibrous roots are processed into white ginseng whiskers. Red ginseng: Steam for 2-3 hours, dry or sun-dry; branch and fibrous roots are processed into red ginseng whiskers: adventitious roots are processed into red ginseng pods. Sugared ginseng (white ginseng): fresh ginseng is soaked in boiling water, tied with needles, soaked in concentrated sugar juice, and dried in the sun or oven. When harvesting wild ginseng (mountain ginseng), avoid breaking branch roots and fibrous roots to preserve the entire root system. It is mostly processed into raw sun-dried ginseng or sugared ginseng.
Medicinal material identification
(1) The main root of raw sun-dried ginseng (garden ginseng) is conical or spindle-shaped, 3-15cm long, 1-2 (-3) cm in diameter; the upper end is connected Thin rhizomes (commonly known as reed heads), 2-5.5cm long, with 4-6 bowl-shaped stem marks (commonly known as reed bowls), arranged alternately, winter buds can often be seen next to the top stem marks; 2-4 are sprouted from the lower part The branch roots and a few thin lateral roots are 8-12cm long. Many slender fibrous roots grow at the lower part of the branch roots, and there are sometimes unobvious small wart-like protrusions (commonly known as pearl points) on their surfaces. The surface is light yellowish brown, with irregular longitudinal wrinkles and fine horizontal lines. The horizontal lines on the main root are often fine and intermittent and form a ring; there are a few long transverse lenticels on the surface of the branch roots. Hard, intermittent rings; there are a few transverse long lenticels on the surface of the root. It is hard, with a yellow-white cross-section, many radial cracks in the skin, and scattered yellow-brown dots (resin canals). The gas is peculiar and fragrant, and the taste is slightly sweet and bitter.
(2) Most of the lateral roots of red ginseng have been removed, reddish brown, translucent, or earthy yellow, opaque, and horny.
(3) The main root of raw sun-dried wild ginseng is thick and short, with multiple roots and is splayed or cylindrical, 2-10cm long and 1-2cm in diameter. The surface is grayish-yellow with longitudinal wrinkles and fine spiral patterns on the upper part, commonly known as iron lines. The rhizome at the top of the main root is slender, about as long as the main root or longer, with dense bowl-shaped stem marks. The section of rhizome close to the main root is relatively bare and has no stem marks. It is commonly called garden reed. There are pendulous adventitious roots beside the rhizome. Jujube core, commonly known as jujube core. There are sparse and slender fibrous roots on the branch roots, which are about 2-3 times as long as the ginseng body, and have obvious wart-like protrusions. The surface of the roots of fresh wild ginseng is yellowish white.