Latest evidence and perspectives of Panax notoginseng extracts and preparations for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases: a review

Cardiovascular diseases are a major cause of death worldwide, and their high incidence poses a significant threat to human health and public health systems. Panax notoginseng, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb with a long history, has shown promise in treating cardiovascular diseases. This review examines the diverse mechanisms through which Panax notoginseng addresses cardiovascular diseases, including anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet aggregation, anticoagulation, anti-oxidative stress, regulation of angiogenesis, antiatherosclerosis, improvement of microcirculatory disorders and protection against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, highlighting saponins as the principal active components. It also summarizes studies involving Panax notoginseng preparations like Xueshuantong and Xuesaitong in treating coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction, and discusses the safety, limitations, and future research directions of these extracts. In conclusion, the cardiovascular protective mechanism of Panax notoginseng is multi-targeted and multi-pathways, and its clinical application is relatively safe, with rare and mild adverse drug reactions, suggesting a promising therapeutic potential.