Panax notoginseng
Summary
Panax notoginseng is a ginseng-family root. A prescription saponin capsule improved recovery in a 2,966-person stroke trial in China (grade B), and a 29-person trial of 1,350 mg a day lengthened time to exhaustion on a bike test (grade D). It affects platelets and drug metabolism, so it can interact with blood thinners.
Key facts
- 240 mg a day of a prescription notoginseng saponin capsule for 3 months raised functional independence after ischemic stroke (89% vs 82%) in 2,966 adults in China[1]
- 1,350 mg a day for 30 days lengthened time to exhaustion by over 7 minutes in 29 untrained adults; a meta-analysis of Panax plants found a moderate endurance effect[2][3]
- Notoginseng has antiplatelet and anticoagulant effects in lab and animal studies and changes drug-metabolizing enzymes[4][5]
- 3 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 11, 2026
How it works
ProposedNotoginseng saponins inhibit platelet aggregation and prolong clotting in lab and rat studies and alter CYP450 enzymes and P-glycoprotein; how this translates to supplement doses in people is not established.[4][5]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heart | Grade B | Improved | RCT · n = 2,966 · 2023 | 1 row |
| Performance | Grade C | Improved | Meta-analysis · n = 90 · 2022 | 2 rows |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Functional independence after ischemic stroke | Improved | Grade B | RCT · n = 2,966 · 2023 Adults aged 18–75 within 14 days of an ischemic stroke in China Form: Panax notoginseng saponins (Xuesaitong soft capsules, a prescription medicine in China) · Dose: 240 mg/day (120 mg twice daily) · Duration: 3 months Functional independence at 3 months was 89.3% versus 82.4% with placebo; serious adverse events were similar (1.0% vs 1.1%). | 37338907 (opens PubMed)Source [1] |
| Exercise endurance (Panax genus) | Improved | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 90 · 2022 Healthy adults in 5 trials Form: Panax plants or ginsenosides (several species) · Dose: Varied · Duration: Varied Time to exhaustion improved (SMD 0.58); the review was funded by a ginseng-extract maker and found possible publication bias. | 35334841 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Endurance time to exhaustion | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 29 · 2005 Untrained adults aged 20–35 Form: Panax notoginseng capsules · Dose: 1,350 mg/day · Duration: 30 days Endurance cycling time rose by more than 7 minutes, and peak blood pressure and oxygen use at 24 minutes fell, compared with placebo. | 15744902 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panax notoginseng root extract (standardized to notoginsenosides) | Varies[1] | No head-to-head human absorption data between products in our sources.[1] | Serious adverse events matched placebo in the 3-month stroke trial.[1] | Endurance (1,350 mg/day of root), stroke recovery (240 mg/day of saponins, prescription) |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 240 mg a day of a prescription saponin capsule for 3 months to 1,350 mg a day of root capsules for 30 days.[1][2]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
Medicines
- Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugsReviewNotoginseng has antiplatelet and anticoagulant activity, and a review of herb-drug studies describes combined effects with antiplatelet drugs, and in rats it prolonged bleeding time, so the effects could add up.[4][5]
- Drugs with a narrow therapeutic windowReviewNotoginseng changes CYP450 enzymes and P-glycoprotein, which the review calls a red flag for drugs where small level changes matter.[4]
Who should be careful
- People on blood thinners or before surgery
- Its antiplatelet and anticoagulant effects could add to these drugs; check with the prescriber first.[4][5]
- People on many prescription drugs
- It alters drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters.[4]
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- No safety data were found in the trials we cite.[1]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Where to buy Panax notoginseng
Products from brands we partner with that contain Panax notoginseng. Listing a product is not a claim that it works; check the amount per serving against the doses studied above, and the label for other ingredients.
- SupersmartPaid linkNotoginseng2 capsules: 400 mg Panax notoginseng root extract standardized to 80% notoginsenosides; 30 servings. Not the prescription saponin capsule from the stroke trial, and less material than the 1,350 mg a day exercise trial. The label advises against use with diabetes medicine.Shop at Supersmart (opens in new tab)Price and label checked 2026-10-11 on the brand’s site.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Panax notoginseng the same as ginseng?
It is in the same genus as Asian ginseng but is a different species with its own saponins (notoginsenosides).[4]
What did the big stroke trial show?
A prescription notoginseng saponin capsule, 240 mg a day for 3 months alongside standard care, raised functional independence after ischemic stroke from 82% to 89% in China. Stroke care is medical; this is not evidence for over-the-counter supplements.[1]
Does notoginseng improve endurance?
One 29-person trial found longer cycling time at 1,350 mg a day for 30 days.[2]
Can I combine notoginseng with blood thinners?
It has antiplatelet and anticoagulant effects and alters drug metabolism, so anyone on warfarin, aspirin or similar drugs should ask the prescriber first.[4]
Sources
- [1]Efficacy and Safety of Panax notoginseng Saponins in the Treatment of Adults With Ischemic Stroke in China: A Randomized Clinical Trial.. JAMA Netw Open, 2023. RCT
- [2]Panax notoginseng supplementation enhances physical performance during endurance exercise.. J Strength Cond Res, 2005. RCT
- [3]Exploratory Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Panax Genus Plant Ingestion Evaluation in Exercise Endurance.. Nutrients, 2022. meta-analysis
- [4]Herb-drug interactions between Panax notoginseng or its biologically active compounds and therapeutic drugs: A comprehensive pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic review.. J Ethnopharmacol, 2023. review
- [5]Antiplatelet and anticoagulant effects of Panax notoginseng: comparison of raw and steamed Panax notoginseng with Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolium.. J Ethnopharmacol, 2009. animal-study
What changed
- First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities (title, year and journal taken from the PubMed record) and abstracts read for each cited row. Product details in Where to buy read from the brand page on the date shown. Self-reviewed in a second strict pass (no independent reviewer yet).