為五加科植物刺五加Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr.et Maxim.) Harms的干燥根和根莖或莖，又稱西伯利亞人參，五加參等。《本草綱目》記載刺五加為“本經(jīng)上品”，能“補中益氣，堅筋骨，強意志，久服輕身耐老”；“寧得一把五加，不要金玉滿車”。據(jù)現(xiàn)代藥理研究證明，刺五加具有抗疲勞、抗癌、抗衰老、抗帕金森病和抗心肌缺血、擴張血管、降低血小板凝聚、降低血液粘稠度、促進和改善微循環(huán)、防止血栓形成、提高耐低壓氧能力及促性腺等作用。刺五加的藥理作用和臨床療效和人參十分相似，，其所含的主要成分刺五加苷具有類似人參皂苷的生物活性，總苷的抗疲勞作用比人參苷強，因此被作為人參的代用品。另外刺五加中還含有區(qū)別同科屬其他五加的特征性有效成分含量異嗪皮啶。黑龍江的小興安嶺，完達山脈為道地藥材產(chǎn)地中心。

Acanthopanax senticosus: it belongs to Araliaceae and is the dry root and rhizome or stem of Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr.et Maxim) Harms. It is also called Siberian ginseng and so on. In “Compendium of Materia Medica” it recorded as “a high-grade drug of this meridian”. It can tonify the middle and replenish the qi. Strengthen the tendon and bone. Strengthen the will and counter ageing after long use. “I would rather have a handful Acanthopanax, not packed gold and jades.” The modern pharmacology have shown that    Acanthopanax has the effects of anti-fatigue, anticancer, anti-aging, anti-Parkinson disease and anti-myocardial ischemia, expanding blood vessels, reducing platelet aggregation, reducing blood viscosity, promoting and improvinge microcirculation, preventing thrombosis,increasing the ability to bear low oxygen and promoting the gonad etc. The pharmacological effects and the clinical efficacy of Acanthopanax are very similar to ginseng, so it is taken as a substitute for ginseng. Eleutheroside has the similar biological activity to ginsenosides;the anti-fatigueeffects of total saponins are stronger than ginsenoside.In addition, the Acanthopananx contains the characteristic active ingredient content isofraxidin differ from the same as other family. Xiao Hinggan Ling and Wanda Mountain in Heilongjiang are the center of genuine medicinal herbs.