What was Panax notoginseng traditionally used for?

Panax notoginseng has a rich history in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), dating back to ancient texts such as the Compendium of Materia Medica by Li Shizhen during the Ming dynasty. Li Shizhen described Panax notoginseng as having properties to stop bleeding, remove blood stasis (a concept in TCM that refers to stagnant blood), and relieve pain. The roots of Panax notoginseng remain a key component of popular herbal remedies like Yun Nan Bai Yao, which is used to stop bleeding. Moreover, Panax notoginseng is often added to cardiotonic preparations (to make the heart beat more strongly) typically used in China, Korea, and Russia for managing cardiovascular conditions such as angina pectoris. Additionally, the flowers of P. notoginseng are mentioned in the TCM of Yunnan as being able to clear away heat, calm the liver, and lower blood pressure. Even today, Panax notoginseng’s flowers are used to prepare herbal teas.^[1][2]