Efficacy of Yunnan Baiyao

Regulatory Classification

  • United States (FDA): Yunnan Baiyao products are classified as dietary supplements or new drugs. They are not generally recognized as safe and effective for the prevention, mitigation, or treatment of conditions such as wounds, pain, and hemorrhage.
  • European Union (EMA): The European Medicines Agency has not assessed the safety or efficacy of Yunnan Baiyao as a hemostatic agent.
  • Australia (ARTG): Yunnan Baiyao is not listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, meaning its quality, safety, or efficacy has not been established by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration.

Scientific Studies and Findings

  • Oral Administration: Laboratory tests have shown that oral administration of Yunnan Baiyao produces negligible results.
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis: In vitro studies have suggested a theoretical benefit in treating rheumatoid arthritis, although high-quality evidence is lacking.
  • Heavy Metals: Some studies have found heavy metal levels in Yunnan Baiyao below oral tolerance levels, but the significance of this finding is unclear.
  • Topical Administration: Topical use of Yunnan Baiyao has shown some efficacy, possibly due to ultrastructural changes in platelets and the release of platelet constituents. The exact effect on the coagulation system is not fully understood, but it may involve the expression of glycoproteins on platelets.

Specific Studies

  1. Hemangiosarcoma: An in vitro study found that Yunnan Baiyao causes dose and time-dependent hemangiosarcoma cell death through the initiation of caspase-mediated cell apoptosis in a canine cancer cell line. However, this did not suggest usefulness in patients.
  2. Bleeding Time and Clotting Parameters: Another study found no significant difference from placebo regarding buccal mucosal bleeding time, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and clotting parameters in canines.

Conclusion

As of 2019, there is no high-quality evidence supporting the use of Yunnan Baiyao for rheumatoid arthritis or hemangiosarcoma available in publicly reported scientific literature. Despite its historical and anecdotal reputation as a miracle remedy, modern scientific evaluation has not confirmed its efficacy for these conditions.