Notoginseng (Tienchi / Sanchi Ginseng)

Root of Panax notoginseng, a ginseng species distinct from Panax ginseng, distinctively high in ginsenoside Rg1 and the unique notoginsenoside R1 (total dammarane-saponin content is broadly comparable to Panax ginseng, not higher). Traditionally a Chinese hemostatic/circulatory herb. Human evidence is dominated by mixed-quality Chinese-language RCTs of the isolated saponin fraction (often intravenous) as add-on therapy for ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease; systematic reviews consistently flag high risk of bias and probable publication bias, and report symptom relief without reductions in hard cardiovascular events. Efficacy of oral whole-root supplements for any consumer outcome is essentially untested. Per our evidence hierarchy this is traditional-use plus mechanistic and mixed-quality-trial data — low evidence. NOTE: antiplatelet/anticoagulant activity carries bleeding risk and a documented warfarin (PT/INR) interaction; caution with aspirin/clopidogrel and before surgery. Traditionally the whole root is also used as a hemostatic, so its net effect on bleeding may be biphasic.

Limited clinical evidence. Human data are mostly mixed-quality Chinese trials of an injectable saponin fraction; oral supplement efficacy is unproven