Yunnan Baiyao

Pronunciation: YOO-nan BYE-yow.

Generic name
Yunnan Baiyao (proprietary Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal blend)
Drug class
Not a regulated pharmaceutical drug -- a proprietary Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal formula, primarily based on notoginseng (Panax notoginseng) along with other, only partially disclosed, herbal ingredients
Form
Capsule, loose powder, topical plaster, aerosol spray, or tincture, depending on the product
Route
Oral (capsule/powder) or applied to the skin (plaster/aerosol/tincture), depending on the product form
Legal status
Not an approved pharmaceutical drug in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Australia, or New Zealand. In Canada, specific Yunnan Baiyao capsule and powder products are licensed as Natural Health Products (a non-drug licensing category), not as pharmaceutical drugs.

Availability and supply rules vary by country

Trade names by country: Canada

Australia: · Full directory

What Yunnan Baiyao (proprietary Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal blend) is and how it works

Yunnan Baiyao is a proprietary Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal blend created in 1902 and manufactured by Yunnan Baiyao Group in China. It is traditionally marketed to help control minor bleeding, bruising, swelling, and pain. It is NOT a regulated pharmaceutical drug approved by the FDA, MHRA, EMA, TGA, or Medsafe. Its complete formula is a closely guarded trade secret, and independent verification of what any given product actually contains is limited. (3) (1) (2)

Because Yunnan Baiyao is not a regulated pharmaceutical drug in most major markets, there is no official prescribing information, approved dose, or regulator-reviewed safety profile to rely on. If you are considering using it -- especially if you take blood-thinning medicines, are pregnant, or have any medical condition -- discuss it with your clinician first, since a real, documented safety concern (undeclared aconitine-type alkaloids in some products) and a plausible interaction with anticoagulant/antiplatelet medicines have been reported.

Mechanism of action: how Yunnan Baiyao (proprietary Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal blend) works

Yunnan Baiyao's proposed mechanism involves promoting haemostasis and increasing platelet aggregation, primarily attributed to notoginseng-derived saponins; the complete formula is not fully disclosed by the manufacturer, which limits definitive pharmacological characterisation. (2) (3)

What Yunnan Baiyao (proprietary Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal blend) is used for

Traditional use for minor bleeding, bruising, and swelling

Traditionally used in Chinese medicine to help control minor external bleeding, bruising, swelling, and associated pain (for example after minor cuts, surgery, or dental procedures). These are traditional-use claims, not FDA/MHRA/EMA/TGA/Medsafe-reviewed and approved medical indications, and robust independent clinical-trial evidence in the standard markets is limited. (3)

Before taking Yunnan Baiyao (proprietary Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal blend)

Do not take / not appropriate for

  • Avoid use if you have had an allergic or unusual reaction to Yunnan Baiyao or any Traditional Chinese Medicine product in the past. (all countries) (3)

Tell your clinician about

  • Any use of blood-thinning (anticoagulant or antiplatelet) medicines, such as warfarin, heparin, a factor Xa inhibitor, aspirin, or clopidogrel -- Yunnan Baiyao's intended blood-clotting effect may work against these medicines.
  • Any upcoming surgery or dental procedure, since a product intended to promote clotting could be clinically relevant to bleeding risk management around a procedure.
  • Pregnancy, plans for pregnancy, or breastfeeding, since safety in pregnancy has not been established by any of the standard regulators.
  • Any liver or kidney condition.
  • All other medicines and supplements you take, given the formula's ingredients are not fully disclosed by the manufacturer.
(3) (4)

How to take Yunnan Baiyao (proprietary Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal blend)

  • There is no regulator-approved dosing instruction for Yunnan Baiyao in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Australia, or New Zealand, because it is not an approved pharmaceutical drug in these markets.
  • Where a product is legally available (for example, as a Health Canada-licensed Natural Health Product), follow the manufacturer's product-label instructions and your clinician's or pharmacist's guidance exactly.
  • Do not rely on unverified online sources for dosing -- product formulations and labelled instructions can vary.
(1) (6)

Procedures and treatment changes

Tell the treating team before surgery, procedures, or any medicine change. Do not alter treatment without the responsible clinician. (3) (1) (2) (4) (5) (6)

Missed dose

Not applicable in the same way as for a prescribed pharmaceutical -- if you are using a Yunnan Baiyao product under a clinician's guidance, ask them how to proceed if you miss a planned dose.

Overdose

Seek urgent medical attention if a large amount has been taken, or if any concerning symptoms occur (such as an irregular heartbeat, numbness or tingling around the mouth, or breathing difficulty) -- these could suggest exposure to aconitine-type alkaloids, which have been found undisclosed in some Yunnan Baiyao products in the past. (2)

Side effects

Side effects and their urgency vary; report severe, persistent, or concerning symptoms.

Mild gastrointestinal upset has been reported in clinical monitoring studies.

What to notice: Mild gastrointestinal upset has been reported in clinical monitoring studies.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (3)

Mild skin reactions or itching have been reported.

What to notice: Mild skin reactions or itching have been reported.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (3)

Chest tightness has been reported uncommonly.

What to notice: Chest tightness has been reported uncommonly.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (3)

Serious warnings

Possible undisclosed aconitine-type alkaloid content — high caution

Symptoms: Numbness or tingling of the mouth/tongue/limbs, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, or breathing difficulty can indicate aconitine-type toxicity.

Action: This is a real, documented finding -- in 2013 Hong Kong Department of Health laboratory testing found undeclared aconitum alkaloids in several Yunnan Baiyao products, leading to a recall; the manufacturer later acknowledged the ingredient. Seek prompt medical attention for any of these symptoms and tell the treating clinician that Yunnan Baiyao was used. (2)

Possible interaction with blood-thinning (anticoagulant/antiplatelet) medicines — high caution

Symptoms: Unexpectedly reduced effectiveness of a prescribed blood thinner, or unusual clotting symptoms, could reflect this interaction; conversely, discuss any unusual bleeding or bruising with your clinician too.

Action: Because Yunnan Baiyao is intended to promote blood clotting, it may work against anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicines such as warfarin, heparin, factor Xa inhibitors, aspirin, or clopidogrel. This is a plausible, mechanism-based caution documented in independent clinical literature, rather than a precisely quantified interaction. Discuss any use of Yunnan Baiyao with the clinician managing your blood-thinning medicine before starting or continuing it. (4) (3)

Signs of a serious allergic reaction — emergency

Symptoms: Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; difficulty breathing; widespread rash or hives.

Action: Seek emergency medical help immediately. (3)

Interactions

  • Anticoagulant medicines (e.g. warfarin, heparin, factor Xa inhibitors) and antiplatelet medicines (e.g. aspirin, clopidogrel) -- Yunnan Baiyao's intended clot-promoting effect may reduce their effectiveness; discuss with the clinician managing these medicines before use. (4)
  • Because the complete Yunnan Baiyao formula is not fully disclosed by the manufacturer, other unrecognised interactions cannot be ruled out -- tell your clinician and pharmacist about all other medicines and supplements you take. (3)

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney/liver function, age

Pregnancy

Safety in human pregnancy has not been established by any of the standard regulators. Animal (rat) studies found developmental toxicity signals only at high doses, without clear evidence of harm at typical doses, but this has not been confirmed in human studies -- discuss with your clinician before use in pregnancy. (3) (1) (2) (4) (5) (6)

Breastfeeding

There is no established human safety data for breastfeeding -- discuss with your clinician before use while breastfeeding. (3) (1) (2) (4) (5) (6)

Children

There is no regulator-approved paediatric dosing or safety profile in the standard markets -- use in children should only be considered with specific clinician guidance. (3) (1) (2) (4) (5) (6)

Elderly

No specific regulator-reviewed guidance exists for older adults; general cautions (especially around anticoagulant interactions, which are more common in this age group) apply. (3) (1) (2) (4) (5) (6)

Hepatic_impairment

No regulator-reviewed guidance exists for liver impairment -- tell your clinician about any liver problems. (3) (1) (2) (4) (5) (6)

Renal_impairment

No regulator-reviewed guidance exists for kidney impairment -- tell your clinician about any kidney problems. (3) (1) (2) (4) (5) (6)

Monitoring

Before starting

  • Discuss any anticoagulant/antiplatelet medicine use with your clinician
  • Discuss any planned surgery or dental procedure
  • Confirm the product's legal status and licensing in your country before purchase or use

During treatment

  • Watch for any signs suggesting aconitine-type toxicity (numbness/tingling, irregular heartbeat, breathing difficulty) and seek prompt medical care if these occur.
  • Monitor for reduced effectiveness of any blood-thinning medicine you take, in consultation with your clinician.
(2) (4)

Storage

Follow the specific product packaging instructions, which vary by manufacturer and form (capsule, powder, plaster, aerosol, tincture). Keep out of reach and sight of children, and store away from heat and moisture unless the label states otherwise.

Professional information

Clinician-facing context only, drawn from a peer-reviewed pharmacology/safety review and cross-checked regulatory records; Yunnan Baiyao is not an approved pharmaceutical drug in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Australia, or New Zealand, so no regulator-approved full prescribing information exists for these markets. Verify current regulatory status in your jurisdiction before advising a patient.

Canada (Natural Health Product licence only)

Indication: Traditional use for minor bleeding, bruising, and swelling

Dose summary: Follows the manufacturer's Health Canada-licensed product label (NPN 80081962 capsules; NPN 80081935 powder); this is a natural-health-product labelling standard, not a pharmaceutical dosing regimen supported by regulator-reviewed clinical-trial evidence.

Renal context: Not established in any source reviewed for this dossier. (6)

Mechanism of action

Hepatic guidance

No regulator-reviewed hepatic dosing guidance exists.

Overdose note

No formal overdose management guidance has been issued by a medicines regulator; the main documented toxicological concern is undisclosed aconitine-type alkaloid content in some products (Hong Kong DoH, 2013), which can cause cardiac and neurological toxicity in overdose -- manage supportively with cardiac monitoring if aconitine toxicity is suspected, per standard poisons-information guidance for aconite-type alkaloids. (2) (3)

Frequently asked questions

Is Yunnan Baiyao an FDA-approved medicine?

No. Yunnan Baiyao is not an approved pharmaceutical drug in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Australia, or New Zealand. In Canada, two specific Yunnan Baiyao products are licensed as Natural Health Products, which is a different and less rigorous category than drug approval. (1) (5) (6)

Is it true that some Yunnan Baiyao products have contained undisclosed toxic ingredients?

Yes -- this is a real, documented finding. In 2013, Hong Kong Department of Health laboratory testing found undeclared aconitum (aconite-type) alkaloids in several Yunnan Baiyao products, and the products were recalled. The manufacturer later acknowledged the presence of this ingredient (Cao-wu) and updated its official product information in China in 2014. (2)

Can I take Yunnan Baiyao if I am on a blood thinner?

This needs specific discussion with your clinician. Yunnan Baiyao is intended to promote blood clotting, so it may work against anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicines such as warfarin, aspirin, or clopidogrel. This caution is based on documented mechanism and independent clinical/veterinary literature, not a precisely measured human interaction study. (4)

What is the mechanism of action of Yunnan Baiyao (proprietary Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal blend)?

Yunnan Baiyao's proposed mechanism involves promoting haemostasis and increasing platelet aggregation, primarily attributed to notoginseng-derived saponins; the complete formula is not fully disclosed by the manufacturer, which limits definitive pharmacological characterisation. (2) (3)

What is the generic name of Yunnan Baiyao?

The generic name is Yunnan Baiyao (proprietary Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal blend). (3) (1)

What class of drug is Yunnan Baiyao (proprietary Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal blend)?

Yunnan Baiyao is classed as: Not a regulated pharmaceutical drug -- a proprietary Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal formula, primarily based on notoginseng (Panax notoginseng) along with other, only partially disclosed, herbal ingredients. (3) (1)

References

  1. Yunnan Baiyao -- US regulatory statusCross-source check: FDA regulatory history (Herbmax 2002 dietary-supplement application), FDA warning-letter reporting, and a peer-reviewed TCM pharmacology review · United States · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 1
  2. Recall of proprietary Chinese medicines with undeclared aconitum alkaloidsHong Kong Department of Health / Government Laboratory; Hong Kong Consumer Council consumer alert · Hong Kong (cited as documented international regulatory safety evidence, not one of the 6 standard markets) · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 2
  3. Research Advances in Pharmacology, Safety, and Clinical Applications of Yunnan Baiyao, a Traditional Chinese Medicine FormulaPeer-reviewed pharmacology/safety review (PMC, PubMed Central) · International (general/China) · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 3
  4. Yunnan Baiyao and anticoagulant/antiplatelet interaction cautionVeterinary clinical literature (multiple independent veterinary-medicine sources cross-checked) · International (veterinary clinical guidance, cited as documented caution basis) · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 4
  5. Yunnan Baiyao -- UK/EU/Australia/New Zealand regulatory status checkCross-source check: UK MHRA Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) scheme guidance, TGA complementary-medicines (ARTG) framework, and Medsafe unapproved-medicines guidance · United Kingdom, European Union, Australia, New Zealand · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 5
  6. Yunnan Baiyao Capsules and Powder -- Health Canada Natural Health Product licencesHealth Canada Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) -- Natural Product Number (NPN) licensing · Canada · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 6

Brand names by country

Single-ingredient Yunnan Baiyao (proprietary Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal blend) names are shown separately by country. Product availability, strengths, and supply rules can change; combination products are not included here.

Priority countries

Canada

  • Yunnan Baiyao Capsules (6)Health Canada NHP licensed · not applicable -- traditional herbal capsule · Yunnan Baiyao Group (imported/distributed)
  • Yunnan Baiyao Powder (6)Health Canada NHP licensed · not applicable -- traditional herbal powder · Yunnan Baiyao Group (imported/distributed)
View brands in additional countries.