An evaluation of the hemostatic effects of hydrophilic, alcohol, and lipophilic extracts of notoginseng.

Abstract

To compare the hemostatic effects of hydrophilic, alcohol, or lipophilic extract of notoginseng with those of the control and placebo. Hemorrhagic rat model. Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut; animals were housed at the Hartford Hospital animal facility. Sixty-two male Wistar rats. Intervention. Administration of placebo (wheat flour), and alcohol, hydrophilic (water), and lipophilic (hexane) extracts of notoginseng. Rats were divided into five groups, and their tails were transected 5 mm from the tip. Group 1 received no treatment (control), group 2 received placebo, group 3 received alcohol extract, group 4 received hydrophilic extract, and group 5 received lipophilic extract. Total bleeding time was determined and compared among the groups. Bleeding time was shorter for the placebo group than the control group (p=0.035). The alcohol extract group had the shortest bleeding time, which was significantly shorter than that of the control (p<0.0001), placebo (p=0.0124), and lipophilic extract groups (p=0.002). The hydrophilic extract group had a shorter bleeding time than the control group (p=0.0058) and showed a trend toward shorter bleeding time than the lipophilic extract group (p=0.068). The alcohol extract of notoginseng results in the shortest bleeding time and provides better hemostatic effects than no treatment, placebo treatment, and treatment with lipophilic extract.