Notoginseng
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Hemostatics
Notoginseng
Latin:
Radix Notoginseng
Origin:
The root of the perennial plant Panax pseudo-ginseng notoginseng (Burkill.) G.Hoo. & C.J.Tseng., of the family Araliaceae. Native to east Asia, it is found in forests and shrubberies in China, Burma, and up to 2100-4300 metres in Central Nepal and the Himalayas.
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The perennial plant grows to about 1.2 m high at a slow rate. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It requires moist soil.
In China, notoginseng is mainly grown in the provinces Yunnan, Guangxi, etc. The root is harvested in autumn before flowering or after the seed has ripened, then dried in the sun for use when raw.
Properties:
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Sweet and slightly bitter in flavor, warm in nature, it is related to the liver and stomach channels.
Functions:
Removes blood stasis, arrests bleeding, promotes blood circulation and kills pain.
Applications:
1. To treat various types of internal and external bleeding syndromes:
This herb can not only arrest bleeding, but also dissipate blood stasis, producing outstanding curative effects. It is used for various types of internal and external bleeding syndromes and is especially applicable to bleeding syndromes due to blood stasis. It is an excellent herb with features such as the ability to arrest bleeding without leaving any blood stasis and to dissipate blood stasis without impairing primordial qi.
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It can take effect when used alone for oral administration and external application. It can also be used in combination with ophicalcite and burnt hair, e.g., Huaxue Dan in the book 'Records of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in Combination'.
2. To treat traumatic injuries and blood stasis with pain:
This herb can promote blood circulation by removing blood stasis to subdue swelling and kill pain, so it is a major traumatological herb.
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It can be used alone for oral administration or external application or in combination with blood-circulation-promoting and qi-activating herbs.
3. To treat other syndromes due to blood stasis, such as coronary angina pectoris, ischemic cerebrovascular diseases, cerebral hemorrhagic sequelae, chronic hepatitis due to blood stasis and metroptosis:
In recent years, this herb has produced quite good curative effects in the treatment of such ailments as coronary angina pectoris, ischemic cerebrovascular diseases, cerebral hemorrhagic sequelae, etc., as it can dissipate blood stasis. It can also be used for chronic hepatitis due to blood stasis.
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In addition, its injectio has been used for intramuscular injections and it has been made into vaginal suppositories for the treatment of metroptosis.
Dosage and Administration:
3-10 g., decoction.
1-1.5 g, powder form.
In most cases, grind into powder for oral administration. It can also be included in a decoction. Use an adequate amount externally. Grind into powder for external rubbing or mix the powder with oil for external application.
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Cautions on Use:
Reference Materials:
'The Compendium of Materia Medica' :
"Arresting bleeding, dissipating blood stasis and killing pain."
"Treats knife and arrow incised wounds, traumatic bleeding, hematemesis (vomiting blood), epistaxis (nosebleed), hematochezia, dysentery with bloody dysentery, metrorrhagia (profuse uterine bleeding especially between menstrual periods), incessant menstruation, postpartum lochiostasis, swooning due to excessive loss of blood during child delivery, pain due to blood stasis, conjunctivitis, tiger, snake and other animal bites."
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'The Records of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in Combination' :
"This herb is good at dissipating blood stasis and arresting bleeding due to excessive blood-heat, so it is a major drug for hematemesis and epistaxis. After recovery, no blood stasis will remain in the channels. It will not impair new blood although it dissipates blood stasis, so it can be characterized as a wonderful herb for the regulation of blood circulation."
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Toxic or Side Effects:
Modern Researches:
This herb contains pseudoginseng saponin, flavonoid glycosides, quercetin, quercitrin, beta-sitosterol and B-N-Z-diacetyl-L-A,B-diaminopropionic acid, an active hemostatic ingredient.
Notoginseng is a fairly recent newcomer to Chinese herbalism, the first recorded usage dating from the sixteenth century. Nevertheless, it has attained an importance as a tonic medicine that supports the function of the adrenal glands, in particular the production of corticosteroids and male sex hormones. It can speed up the elimination of sports fatigue and strengthen the physique.
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It also helps to improve blood flow through the coronary arteries, thus finding use as a treatment for arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure and angina (a disease marked by spasmodic attacks of intense suffocative pain).
It can arrest bleeding. It also has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, tranquilizing, anti-ageing and antineoplastic effects.
Both notoginseng and ginseng are plants under the same family of Araliaceae. There is a popular custom of using notoginseng root (Radix Notoginseng) for tonification.
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The roots are said to be analgesic, antiinflammatory, antiphlogistic, antiseptic, astringent, cardiotonic, discutient, diuretic, haemostatic, hypoglycaemic, styptic, tonic and vulnerary. They are used in the treatment of contused wounds, soft tissue injuries and all kinds of bleeding, both internal and external, like haematuria, epistaxis, haematemesis, uterine bleeding etc. They are also used in the treatment of coronary heart disease and angina pectoralis. The roots can be applied externally as a poultice in order to help speed the healing of wounds and bruises.
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There is much confusion in literature over this plant and P. pseudo-ginseng. It is probable that the two can be used interchangeably but this has still to be confirmed. The following are the uses attributed to P. pseudo-ginseng:
The roots and the flowers are antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antiseptic, cardiotonic, diuretic, haemostatic and hypoglycaemic. The root is used internally in the treatment of coronary heart disease and angina. The roots are also used both internally and externally in the treatment of nosebleeds, haemorrhages from the lungs, digestive tract and uterus, and injuries. The roots are harvested in the autumn, preferably from plants 6-7 years old, and can be used fresh or dried.
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The flowers are used to treat vertigo and dizziness.
In addition, the root of gynura (Gynura segetum (Lour.) Merr.) of Compositae is known as Juye Sanqi (chrysanthemum-leaf notoginseng); the root or whole herb of aizoon stonecrop (Sedum aizoon L.) of Crassulaceae is known as Jingtian Sanqi (aizoon pseudo-ginseng). These two herbs have similar functions to those of notoginseng root (Radix Notoginseng), with weaker potency, but they can also remove toxic substances and relieve inflammation., http://www.100md.com