A selective high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure using a reverse-phased technique was applied to the quantitation of the saponin contents in fifteen ginsengs, with a view to evaluating their quality in the market of Taiwan. Wild American ginseng possesses the highest ginsenoside Rb1 content (2.594%), followed by American ginseng (2.582%) and Shi-chu ginseng (0.349%). Wild American ginseng also contains the highest content of ginsenoside Rg1 (0.827%), lateral roots of American ginseng the next highest (0.785%), and Korean white ginseng the least (0.088%). The rootlets of ginseng contain the highest amount of ginsenoside Re (0.171%). American ginseng the next highest (0.135%), and Makino red ginseng the least (0.034%).