Prince Ginseng (Tai Zi Shen) is commonly known as pseudostellaria root or Hai Er Shen (Kid Ginseng) too. As the name implies, this is a type of ginseng root that can be even taken by prince or kids. Besides, many people, even a lot of herbalists who deal with prescriptions and Chinese herbs on daily basis, think it should refer to the small ginseng roots. Sayings like these were right only in ancient times because a lot of medical books did record it as the "ginseng in smaller size". But things have changed since hundreds of years ago when the root of a flowering plant in the pink family were found with similar but weaker efficacy as ginseng. Since then, the name prince ginseng has nothing to do with ginseng any more although it is named so. Today, this herb is mainly used in the treatment of cough, loss of appetite, Edema and other diseases. In addition, it is one of common tonic used in autumn regimen.

Medicinally it refers to the dried tuberous root of Pseudostellaria heterophylla (Miq.) Pax ex Pax et Hoffm., which is a plant in the carnation family, Caryophyllaceae. Other common names of it include radix pseudostellariae, pseudostellaria root, false starwort, "ginseng of the lungs", Pseudostellaria heterophylla, Taizishen, and the like. In China it is mainly produced in provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, and Shandong. It is often harvested in summer when most of the leaves and stems are withered. And the rest job is to remove the fibrous roots, and dry in the sun after slightly scalding by placing in boiling water or just directly dry in the sun. Medicinally it is used raw. By the way, don't confuse it with Prince of Peace American Ginseng Root or prince American ginseng since they are not the same thing.

Prince Ginseng

PRINCE GINSENG BENEFITS
Ben Cao Cong Xin (New compilation of materia medica) reviews that this is a big tonic for promordial energy. And modern medicine believes that it is rich in saponins and fructose and it is able to slow down aging, relieve fatigue, and enhance the body’s resistance. And its modern pharmacology shows that it has significant stimulating effect to lymphocyte.

Compared to the efficacy of tonifying the qi and generating yin fluids in Ren Shen (panax ginseng), Dang Shen (Codonopsis), and Xi Yang Shen (American ginseng), prince ginseng's tonic properties is far weaker. However, it has own strong suit – its healing properties are quite mild and stable. That's to say, it is ideal for people who are suffering chronic diseases and require long-term medication. More importantly, large doses of pseudostellaria have much less side effects. For the above-mentioned reasons, it is exceptionally welcomed by those who are so physically weak that they just can't withstand the common tonics.

In a word, it is an uncommon tonic that is of cool nature and the best substitute for ginseng in many cases. For example, if you are suffering from deficiency of spleen and stomach and want to give ginseng a try for the first time, prince ginseng can be the best bet since you don't need to worry about the problems that the fierce tonic properties of ginseng may cause; the deficiency-type patients taking tonic in summer may stir up internal heat due to the combination of summer heat and efficacy of a tonic. But pseudostellaria is the exception; pseudostellaria makes sense to patients suffer from high blood pressure and Qi and Yin deficiency. It can not only improve the condition, but also avoid increasing blood pressure like ginseng does; middle-aged patients taking pseudostellaria won’t cause excessive internal heat; kids taking pseudostellaria won't cause early puberty.