Panax Notoginseng, also known as Sanqi or Tienchi ginseng, has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for cardiovascular conditions, including angina pectoris. In recent years, scientific studies have investigated its efficacy and mechanisms of action in supporting or treating angina. Research suggests that Panax Notoginseng and its active saponins (notably notoginsenoside R1, ginsenosides Rb1, and Rg1) exhibit several cardioprotective effects. These include improving coronary blood flow, reducing myocardial oxygen consumption, anti-inflammatory activity, antioxidative effects, and inhibition of platelet aggregation. Several animal and cell studies have demonstrated that extracts from Panax Notoginseng can reduce the size of myocardial infarcts and protect cardiac tissue from ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Clinical evidence is growing but still limited. A number of randomized controlled trials conducted in China have reported symptomatic improvement in patients with angina when Panax Notoginseng preparations are used as adjuncts to standard therapy. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses (e.g., published in journals such as Phytomedicine and Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine) have concluded that Panax Notoginseng may improve clinical symptoms and ECG findings in angina patients, though many studies have methodological limitations, such as small sample sizes or lack of blinding.

In summary, while traditional use is strong, there is moderate scientific evidence supporting Panax Notoginseng for angina, particularly as an adjunct to conventional therapy. However, larger and higher-quality clinical trials are needed to confirm these benefits and establish safety profiles.