Ginseng is a plant in the family Araliaceae and the genus Panax with the formal name of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer and the treasure of traditional herbal medicine resources as the "king of herbs". Ginseng has been traditionally used for over 2,000 years in Asian countries, especially in China and Republic of Korea. During the ginseng industry chain, the cultivation in farmland and seed breeding are important for sustainable development of ginseng resources. Active components in ginseng including ginsenosides, polysaccharides, phenolic compound and their therapeutic benefits for multiple diseases are being studied. This paper aimed to review current research status and problem-solving strategies for each step of ginseng industry, including ginseng growing cultivation and seed resources, basic and clinical studies as well as comparison of ginseng industry between China and Republic of Korea, hoping to provide a reference for research direction and future development of ginseng industry.
Keywords: cultivation in farmland; functional mechanism; ginseng; review.