Drug & supplement interaction

Panax Notoginseng + Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate

Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate brand name: Anacin w/ Codeine.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate falls into 3 drug categories that Panax Notoginseng can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, taking Panax notoginseng might reduce the levels and clinical effects of CYP1A2 substrates.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions3
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Panax Notoginseng and Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate

These two interact in 3 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 3 Interactions?

Panax Notoginseng interacts with whole categories of medication. Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with Panax Notoginseng in 3 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES

1 of 3

Why this applies to Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate

Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES — the group Panax Notoginseng interacts with.

Theoretically, taking Panax notoginseng might reduce the levels and clinical effects of CYP1A2 substrates.
Animal research shows that administering Panax notoginseng intravenously for 7 days before intraperitoneal injection of caffeine can decrease maximal blood levels of caffeine by 37%. This interaction was attributed to the ability of Panax notoginseng to increase the activity of CYP1A2.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

This combination pill has three ingredients, but the interaction we're talking about really affects the caffeine piece. Panax notoginseng may speed up an enzyme called CYP1A2, which is the same enzyme that clears caffeine out of your body. If caffeine is cleared faster, you may notice less of its usual pick-me-up, so the headache relief or alertness boost from the caffeine portion could feel weaker.

I'll be honest: this is based on animal research only, not human studies, so it's more of a theoretical concern than a proven problem. The aspirin and codeine parts aren't affected by this particular pathway, and the bigger thing I'd watch with notoginseng is added bleeding risk alongside aspirin. Please run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Liu R, Qin M, Hang P, Liu Y, Zhang Z, Liu G. Effects of Panax notoginseng saponins on the activities of CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 in rats in vivo. Phytother Res. 2012 Aug;26(8):1113-8.
Moderate

ASPIRIN

2 of 3
Theoretically, taking Panax notoginseng concomitantly with aspirin may increase the risk of adverse effects from both products.
Animal research shows that taking Panax notoginseng extract with aspirin increases blood levels of salicylic acid by approximately 50% and blood levels of Panax notoginseng by 75% to 196%. This effect may be due to increased absorption of both products.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the thing to know about this combination: your medicine contains aspirin, and aspirin already thins the blood a bit and can irritate the stomach. Panax notoginseng is traditionally used to affect bleeding and clotting too, so stacking the two may add up. There's also early animal research hinting that the herb can raise aspirin levels in the blood by roughly half, which could mean more aspirin-type effects than you bargained for.

In real life that could show up as easier bruising, longer bleeding from small cuts, an upset or burning stomach, or dark stools. Keep in mind this is theoretical, based mostly on lab and animal work, not solid human studies, so don't panic. Just check with your pharmacist or doctor before pairing them, especially if you bleed easily or take other blood thinners.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Tian Z, Pang H, Du S, Lu Y, Zhang L, Wu H, Guo S, Wang M, Zhang Q. Effect of Panax notoginseng saponins on the pharmacokinetics of aspirin in rats. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2017 Jan 1;1040:136-143. PubMed
  2. Tian Z, Pang H, Zhang Q, et al. Effect of aspirin on the pharmacokinetics and absorption of panax notoginsengsaponins. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2018 Jan 2;1074-75.
Moderate

CAFFEINE

3 of 3

Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate also falls under CAFFEINE.

Theoretically, taking Panax notoginseng may decrease the levels and clinical effects of caffeine.
Animal research shows that administering Panax notoginseng intravenously for 7 days before intraperitoneal injection of caffeine can decrease maximal blood levels of caffeine by 37%. This interaction is attributed to the ability of Panax notoginseng to increase the activity of cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) enzymes.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

This combination pill has three parts, but the interaction on file only touches the caffeine piece. Panax notoginseng may speed up an enzyme called CYP1A2, which is the main pathway your body uses to clear caffeine. In theory, that could lower caffeine levels and blunt the little energy or pain-boosting lift the caffeine adds to this product. The aspirin and codeine portions aren't part of this particular interaction.

Honestly, this is based on animal research only, so it's more of a theoretical concern than something I'd lose sleep over. You likely wouldn't notice much beyond feeling a bit less alert. Still, if you take this medicine regularly and want to add tienchi ginseng, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Liu R, Qin M, Hang P, Liu Y, Zhang Z, Liu G. Effects of Panax notoginseng saponins on the activities of CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 in rats in vivo. Phytother Res. 2012 Aug;26(8):1113-8.

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Panax Notoginseng Also Interacts With Other Medications

Panax Notoginseng has 206 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 206 No known interaction 2,624 (incl. Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Panax Notoginseng

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Panax Notoginseng. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate

This page covers Panax Notoginseng only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate page lists 398 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major) and Danshen (major).

By severity: 17 major · 334 moderate · 47 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate page

“Anacin with Codeine combines aspirin, caffeine, and codeine, and each of the three picks up its own supplement problems, so this is a list worth real caution. Just over half of the 398 ingredients here, 202 of them, can add to aspirin's blood-thinning action and raise bleeding risk.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Panax Notoginseng as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 55 real supplement products containing Panax Notoginseng, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Panax Notoginseng. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate too, on top of Panax Notoginseng — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Panax Notoginseng and Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Panax Notoginseng
Top half

#471 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate
Top half

#1,392 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Panax Notoginseng

What is Panax Notoginseng?

Panax Notoginseng
  • Bleeding and bruising
  • Heart and circulation health
  • High blood pressure
  • Chest pain (angina)
  • Inflammation and swelling

Panax notoginseng (sanqi or tienchi ginseng) is a traditional Chinese herb most often used to help with bleeding, bruising, and circulation. Human evidence for these uses is limited and mostly early, so it should not replace proven treatments. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Panax Notoginseng monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Panax Notoginseng

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Panax Notoginseng — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
206Moderate
0Minor
2,623No known interaction
206 Moderate 2,623 No interaction
Moderate

206 interactions

Showing 60 of 206 moderate interactions — see all 206 on the Panax Notoginseng page.

No interaction 2,623 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Panax Notoginseng against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,623 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Panax Notoginseng list.

See the full Panax Notoginseng interactions page
See every supplement checked against Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Panax Notoginseng monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Panax Notoginseng and Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Panax Notoginseng with Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 3 interactions listed for Panax Notoginseng and Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate?
Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate belongs to more than one drug category, and Panax Notoginseng interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Panax Notoginseng and Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Aspirin, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate and Panax Notoginseng?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.