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Ginseng (<i>Panax ginseng</i> C.A. Meyer) is a perennial herb of the Araliaceae family, a traditional and valuable Chinese herb in China. The main active component of ginseng is ginsenoside. The <i>NAC</i> transcription factors belong to a large family of plant-specific transcription factors, which are involved in growth and development, stress response and secondary metabolism. In this study, we mapped the NAC gene family on 24 pairs of ginseng chromosomes and found numerous gene replications in the genome. The <i>NAC</i> gene <i>PgNAC41-2</i>, found to be highly related to ginsenoside synthesis, was specifically screened. The phylogeny and expression pattern of the <i>PgNAC41-2</i> gene were analyzed, along with the derived protein sequence, and a structure model was generated. Furthermore, the <i>PgNAC41-2</i> gene was cloned and overexpressed by a <i>Rhizobium rhizogenes</i> mediated method, using ginseng petioles as receptor material. The saponin content of the transformed material was analyzed to verify the function of the NAC transcription factor in ginseng. Our results indicate that the <i>PgNAC41-2</i> gene positively regulates the biosynthesis of saponins.