A familiar plant in Vietnam, known as 'poor man's ginseng'

Below is the sharing of physician Bui Dac Sang - Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi Oriental Medicine Association about the effects of ginseng:

Polyscias fruticosa, also known as fish salad plant, is a small plant often grown as an ornamental plant in front of the house. Small-leafed Polyscias fruticosa is considered "poor man's ginseng" because of its wonderful medicinal properties. People use Polyscias fruticosa as a vegetable, a spice, and to treat headaches. In many places, Polyscias fruticosa leaves are often used to cook soup with meat and fish to nourish pregnant women, the elderly, or people who have just recovered from illness.

According to modern medicine, ginseng contains active ingredients with properties similar to ginseng. The root has 0.3% glucoside, alkaloid, saponin, tannin, 13 types of amino acids and vitamin B1, containing 13 types of amino acids necessary for the body. The whole ginseng plant can be used. People pick young leaves and often use them to eat with fish salad, wrap them in spring rolls, and use them as a spice to eat with meat. The root, stem, and dried leaves are used as medicine.

In Oriental medicine, the leaves of the ginseng plant have a nutty, bitter, aromatic, slightly cool taste, and have the effect of cooling the blood, detoxifying, preventing fishy odors, promoting urination, and reducing itching. The roots of the ginseng plant have a sweet, bland, slightly bitter taste, and are warm in nature. They have the effect of clearing the blood vessels, reducing swelling and inflammation, relieving pain, and relieving body weakness, fatigue, and weakness. Note that when preparing, the core should be removed.

The effects of ginseng

- Wound healing: For bleeding skin wounds, just crush a few washed leaves of the Polyscias fruticosa and apply them to the wound. The leaves will quickly stop the bleeding and help the wound heal quickly.

- Lactation: Polyscias fruticosa is a remedy to increase milk production for women after giving birth. People take a handful of Polyscias fruticosa leaves, wash them, boil them, strain the water and drink it while it is still warm, avoid drinking cold water. In addition, you can also dry the Polyscias fruticosa leaves, roast them until golden brown, and brew them like tea to drink every day.

- Cure night sweats: If children often sweat a lot on the head, use dried Polyscias fruticosa leaves to line the pillow or spread on the bed for the child to lie on. After a while, you will see obvious results.

- Treating digestive diseases: The leaves of the Polyscias fruticosa are boiled to make a drink to treat digestive diseases such as bloating, indigestion, and diarrhea. In Malaysia, people often use the method of treating hemorrhoids by grinding the Polyscias fruticosa leaves into a fine powder and rolling it up, massaging it on the rectum before going to bed. The roots and branches of the Polyscias fruticosa are used to clean the gums, teeth, and treat mouth ulcers.

- Kidney disease: The ginseng plant is considered a diuretic and is used to treat kidney disease, especially kidney stones. Most of the ginseng root has the most benefits. People with kidney disease should drink ginseng leaf juice every day to help filter the kidneys effectively.

- Treating muscle and joint pain and swelling: Take about 40g of fresh leaves, crush them, then apply directly to the painful swelling. When dry, apply again, continuously like this, the swelling and pain will subside and heal quickly.

Note, because the Saponin component is abundant in ginseng roots, this substance has blood-breaking properties that will break red blood cells, so it should only be used when necessary and must be used in the correct dosage and preparation method. When processing ginseng roots, the core should be removed.

Do not use high doses of ginseng root because it will cause drug intoxication and fatigue, vomiting, and diarrhea. In particular, when using ginseng root, you must use plants that are 3-5 years old or older, do not use plants that are too old.