AbstractImmunochemical and genetic methods have been developed in order to distinguish Panax spp. With the aim of establishing immunochemical methods, two hybridomas (3H4 and 5H8), each secreting a monoclonal antibody (MAb) against proteins of Panax ginseng, were prepared by fusing splenocytes immunized with two kinds of ginseng water‐soluble fractions and a hypoxanthine–thymidine–aminopterin‐sensitive mouse myeloma cell line, P3‐X63‐Ag8‐U1. MAb 3H4 cross‐reacted with four Panax spp., whereas the MAb 5H8 cross‐reacted with P. ginseng in the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). ELISA and western blotting methods using a ginseng water‐soluble fraction as the solid‐phase antigen were developed for the unambiguous authentication of P. ginseng. A combination of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and eastern blotting analyses using anti‐ginsenoside Rb1 and Rg1 monoclonal antibodies was used for the identification of P. notoginseng, P. quinquefolius and P. japonicus. RAPD can be used to differentiate the species of Panax from each other. An important parameter used for differentiating P. notoginseng is the absence of ginsenoside Rc in the extract of P. notoginseng with eastern blotting. The combination of these methods enabled a reliable identification of Panax spp. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.