A cross-cultural ethnobotanical assembly highlights diverse health-promoting functions of genus Panax globally

This study aims to achieve a cross-cultural consolidation of the local and traditional knowledge in order to contribute to an understanding of these knowledge systems and to guide bioprospecting on Panax spp. Documentation-based taxonomic revision was performed to define the current accepted species in Panax . Historic uses of Panax spp. used in China was compiled using historical herbal literature. A cross-cultural ethnobotanical assembly was performed to compile the traditional uses of Panax spp. globally. With a network-based integration, the scattered local and traditional knowledge was consolidated and evaluated. Currently, the genus Panax comprises 14 accepted species, mainly distributed in East Asia and eastern North America, all of which are used locally as traditional food and/or medicine. Four species are recorded in Chinese historical herbals. Eight species and one variety are used by 25 of the Chinese ethnic minorities. Beyond China, there are ten species and two varieties used traditionally in 12 countries. General health promotion functions are frequently mentioned. In different biocultural backgrounds, the used species and usages varied greatly, and even the same species can be used differently. For the first time, this study archives a comprehensive understanding on the health benefits of global Panax spp. and provides solid evidence for their versatility in maintaining human health from the perspective of ethnobotany