Notoginseng 9™

TCM herbal formula to stop bleeding — internal bleeding (upper gastrointestinal bleeding, stomach bleeding, duodenal bleeding, hemoptysis, hematuria, epistaxis, and excessive or irregular menstrual bleeding) and external bleeding (from external and traumatic injuries) — hemostatic; cools the blood; disperses blood stasis; stops bleeding in the upper, middle, and lower jiaos. Fast-acting: take 6–8 capsules to stop bleeding.

⚠️ Patients with profuse bleeding from serious injuries (acute trauma or accidents) should be sent to the emergency room immediately. This formula stops the SYMPTOM, not the CAUSE, of bleeding — once bleeding stops, identify and treat the underlying cause. Do NOT take long-term. Do NOT use in patients on anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs such as Coumadin (warfarin) or Plavix (clopidogrel) — may counter the effectiveness of these drugs. Avoid aspirin and NSAIDs such as Motrin (ibuprofen) and Naprosyn (naproxen) — these drugs cause and prolong bleeding.

CLINICAL APPLICATIONS

* Internal bleeding: upper gastrointestinal bleeding, stomach bleeding, duodenal bleeding, hemoptysis (coughing of blood), hematuria (blood in urine), epistaxis (nosebleed), and excessive or irregular menstrual bleeding

* External bleeding from external and traumatic injuries

Background: Bleeding may be caused by external injuries or internal factors. Bleeding from external injuries is straightforward to treat. Bleeding from internal factors is much more complex and may involve disorders from various organs and systems. Though the body has its own mechanism to stop bleeding, mechanical or medicinal intervention may be required if the bleeding is profuse, prolonged, or uncontrolled. TCM identifies the causes of bleeding and treats them differently — in addition to specific treatments, general treatment is available to immediately stop bleeding. Once bleeding stops, it is then necessary to identify the cause and treat accordingly.

Key herb-level clinical data:

— San Qi (Radix et Rhizoma Notoginseng / Notoginseng / Tienchi Ginseng / Panax notoginseng): one of the most useful and unique herbs to stop bleeding — dual function to activate blood circulation AND stop bleeding, thereby preventing the risk of blood stasis; marked hemostatic effect — decreases prothrombin time and stops bleeding; saponins have mild antiplatelet and anticoagulant effects — minimizes risk of clotting disorder; clinical applications: upper gastrointestinal bleeding, stomach bleeding, hemoptysis due to bronchiectasis/pulmonary tuberculosis/pulmonary abscess, hematuria; one study: satisfactory results for acute perforated stomach ulcer and bleeding using 6g powdered San Qi + 20g powdered Bai Ji (Rhizoma Bletillae) with acupuncture at Tianzhu (BL 10), Zhongwan (CV 12), and Zusanli (ST 36)

— Xian He Cao (Herba Agrimoniae / Agrimony / Hairy Agrimony): remarkable hemostatic effect — increases platelets and reduces bleeding time; clinical applications: hemoptysis, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, menstrual bleeding; good restraining function; commonly used to treat various bleeding disorders

— Di Yu (Radix Sanguisorbae / Sanguisorba Root / Garden Burnet Root), charred: hemostatic — reduces bleeding time by 31.9–45.5% in animal studies; clears heat; cools the blood; stops bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract; clinical applications: hemoptysis, hematochezia (blood in stools), upper gastrointestinal bleeding, profuse menstrual bleeding

— Ce Bai Ye (Cacumen Platycladi / Biota Tops / Oriental Arborvitae Leafy Twig), charred: marked influence to shorten bleeding time; cools the blood; stops respiratory bleeding; clinical applications: bleeding ulcers in 100 patients; bleeding hemorrhoids in 8 patients

— Qian Cao (Radix et Rhizoma Rubiae / Rubia Root / Madder Root): marked effectiveness in reducing bleeding time; moves blood; stops irregular and excessive menstrual bleeding; clinical study: effectively stops profuse bleeding after tooth extraction in 41 patients within 1–2 minutes

— Ai Ye (Folium Artemisiae Argyi / Mugwort Leaf / Moxa Leaf), charred: marked hemostatic effect; warms the channels and collaterals; relieves pain; treats a variety of bleeding disorders

— Jing Jie (Herba Schizonepetae / Schizonepeta / Japanese Catnip), charred: excellent hemostatic effect

— He Zi (Fructus Chebulae / Terminalia Fruit / Chebulic Myrobalan): accelerates dermal wound healing — improved rates of contraction and decreased period of epithelialization; significant increase in total protein, DNA, and collagen contents in granulation tissues of treated wounds; astringent — stabilizes and consolidates the hemostatic effect

— Wu Bei Zi (Galla Chinensis / Chinese Gall / Gallnut of Chinese Sumac): astringent — stabilizes and consolidates the hemostatic effect

WESTERN THERAPEUTIC ACTIONS

* Hemostatic — San Qi (decreases prothrombin time; stops bleeding without creating blood clots); Xian He Cao (increases platelets; reduces bleeding time); Di Yu (reduces bleeding time 31.9–45.5%); Ce Bai Ye (shortens bleeding time; 100 patients bleeding ulcers; 8 patients bleeding hemorrhoids); Qian Cao (reduces bleeding time; 41 patients post-extraction bleeding stopped in 1–2 minutes); Ai Ye charred; Jing Jie charred

* Antiplatelet / anticoagulant (mild) — San Qi saponins (minimizes risk of clotting disorder while stopping bleeding)

* Wound healing — He Zi (accelerates dermal wound healing; improved contraction; decreased epithelialization; increased total protein, DNA, and collagen in granulation tissues)

CHINESE THERAPEUTIC ACTIONS

* Cools the blood (Ce Bai Ye, Di Yu)

* Disperses blood stasis; activates blood circulation while stopping bleeding (San Qi)

* Stops bleeding in upper, middle, and lower jiaos (San Qi, Xian He Cao, Di Yu, Ce Bai Ye, Qian Cao, Ai Ye, Jing Jie)

* Moves blood; stops irregular and excessive menstrual bleeding (Qian Cao)

* Warms channels and collaterals; relieves pain (Ai Ye)

* Astringent — stabilizes and consolidates hemostatic effect (Wu Bei Zi, He Zi)

DOSAGE

Standard: 6–8 capsules to stop bleeding. If necessary, repeat 3–4 times daily until bleeding stops. Do NOT take long-term — once bleeding stops, identify and treat the underlying cause.

Supplementary formulas (once cause is identified): Gastric or duodenal ulcer bleeding — add GI Care. Colitis or intestinal bleeding with burning diarrhea — add GI Care II. Crohn's disease or IBS bleeding — add GI Harmony. Ulcerative colitis bleeding — add GI Care (UC). External bleeding from injuries and trauma — stop bleeding first, then use Flex (TMX). Cough with blood-streaked sputum — add Respitrol (CF). Hemorrhoids — add GI Care (HMR). Urinary tract infection, cystitis, or abnormal uterine bleeding due to heat — add V-Support. Menstrual pain — add Mense-Ease. Uterine fibroids or cysts — add Resolve (Lower). Bleeding with high fever and excess heat — add Gardenia Complex. Blood stagnation — add Circulation (SJ). Dryness and thirst — add Nourish (Fluids).

Nutrition: Consume adequate calcium and magnesium — important for blood clotting. Consume adequate multivitamin, especially vitamin K — essential for blood clotting; foods rich in vitamin K: alfalfa, broccoli, cauliflower, egg yolks, kale, spinach, and all green leafy vegetables. Avoid alcohol — irritates the stomach and may cause ulcer and bleeding. Find the cause of bleeding and avoid it accordingly.

Tao of Nutrition (Dr. Maoshing Ni and Cathy McNease):

— Nosebleed and hypertension: drink lotus root juice daily.

— Vomiting or defecating blood: cook ½ cup lotus root starch with ½ cup rice porridge until jelly-like consistency; consume while lukewarm.

— Blood in the urine: make tea of lotus root and bamboo leaves.

— Bloody stools: juice fresh water chestnuts; mix with equal amount of rice wine; drink 3 times daily on an empty stomach — results should be seen within 3 days.

— Excess uterine bleeding: charcoal the water chestnuts, powder them, and take with rice wine.

— Abnormal bleeding and anemia: boil tea from black fungus and Chinese dates.

CASE STUDIES

— K.J., 33-year-old female: Excess menstrual flow for 2 days — red and slightly purple; abdominal pain on palpation; blood heat, slight blood stagnation, uterine hemorrhaging. Notoginseng 9 — 4 pills 3x daily. Result: bleeding stopped the very next day. Patient was able to compete in her sport activity the following night. Described it as "an amazing herbal formula."

— L.B., 45-year-old female: Excessive blood flow from menstruation — not in quantity but duration; bleeding very lightly but constantly for 6 months; doctors did not know what to do; metrorrhagia; blood heat. Notoginseng 9 for 1.5 weeks. Result: excessive flow completely resolved. Has not recurred since. Patient became "a firm believer of Chinese medicine."

— P.I., 46-year-old female: Spotting and uterine bleeding between menstrual cycles; irregular short cycles (15–27 days); heavy bleeding, no clots; night sweats; chronic anxiety worse before menses; perimenopausal syndrome; Liver and Kidney yin deficiencies with deficiency heat, blood stagnation, Liver qi stagnation, and shen disturbance. Calm (ES) 2g 3x daily (ongoing for 2 years for anxiety) + Nourish + Notoginseng 9 (same dosage) for 6 months. Result: Notoginseng 9 successfully stopped irregular bleeding and night sweats — gradually reduced over 6 months; periods returned to normal with light flow; anxiety much better since adding Nourish.

Related Reading

Also see: GI Care – for gastric or duodenal ulcer bleeding | GI Care II – for colitis or intestinal bleeding with burning diarrhea | GI Harmony – for Crohn's disease or IBS bleeding | GI Care (UC) – for ulcerative colitis bleeding | GI Care (HMR) – for hemorrhoids | Flex (TMX) – for external bleeding from injuries and trauma | Respitrol (CF) – for cough with blood-streaked sputum | V-Support – for urinary tract infection, cystitis, or abnormal uterine bleeding due to heat | Mense-Ease – for menstrual pain | Resolve (Lower) – for uterine fibroids or cysts | Gardenia Complex – for bleeding with high fever and excess heat | Circulation (SJ) – for blood stagnation | Nourish (Fluids) – for dryness and thirst | Pain Relief Collection.