Yunnan Notoginseng

Yunnan Notoginseng

　　Notoginseng, also known as "Tian Notoginseng," "Shen Notoginseng," or "Mountain Lacquer," is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Araliaceae family. It has horizontal spindle-shaped fleshy roots, with a thick main root approximately two to five centimeters long and one to three centimeters in diameter, along with branching roots. The surface is brownish-yellow or dark brown. The stem is upright, solitary, and unbranched. It features palmate compound leaves that grow in whorls at the top of the stem, typically consisting of five to seven small leaflets with fine, dense serrated edges. In early summer, it bears pale yellowish-green small flowers arranged in a single umbel at the apex. The petals are oblong, ovate, and pointed at the tip. The fruit is flattened and spherical, turning red when ripe.

In the works of many famous ancient Chinese physicians, notoginseng is hailed as the "miracle herb for stopping bleeding," and is even more miraculous when used in combination with blood-tonifying and qi-invigorating herbs. In ancient Chinese military camps, some highly valued soldiers who violated military orders and had to endure corporal punishment were often treated by military doctors with notoginseng powder to dress their wounds. Their pain was quickly alleviated, and swelling subsided. In battle, soldiers wounded by weapons were also treated with notoginseng. Since ancient times, notoginseng has been an essential medicine in the Chinese military for treating wounds caused by blades and other weapons.

In traditional Chinese medicine, both the root and the flower are used medicinally. The root contains compounds such as notoginsenoside A, notoginsenoside B, alkaloids, and flavonoid glycosides. The root is warm in nature, sweet and slightly bitter in taste, and has functions such as activating blood circulation, stopping bleeding, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. The flower is cool in nature, sweet in taste, and has effects such as clearing heat, calming the liver, and lowering blood pressure. The root is primarily used to treat nosebleeds, vomiting of blood, coughing up blood, bloody stools, and functional uterine bleeding.