Salvia miltiorrhiza, Dan Shen 丹参Dan Shen (TCM)
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Salvia Dan Shen at the Chengdu Medicine Market (Adam 2015)
Botanical name:
Salvia miltiorrhiza
Other species used include S. przewalskii, S. yunnanensis, S. digitaloides, S. trijuga, S. plectanthoides, S. bowleyan, S. pararniltiorrhiza
Parts used:
Root and rhizome
Temperature & Taste:
Cool, dry. Bitter
Classification:
K. Move the Blood
Salvia miltiorrhiza
Other species used include S. przewalskii, S. yunnanensis, S. digitaloides, S. trijuga, S. plectanthoides, S. bowleyan, S. pararniltiorrhiza
Parts used:
Root and rhizome
Temperature & Taste:
Cool, dry. Bitter
Classification:
K. Move the Blood
Uses:
1. Move the Blood, Clears Stasis, Eases Pain:
-sharp, fixed pain from Blood stagnation
-Masses of the abdomen from Blood Stagnation
-swelling of the Liver, Spleen or other abdominal organs
-pricking or stabbing pain of the chest or abdomen; Angina Pectoris
-Arthritic pain with Blood stagnation (used for Blood Heat or Blood stagnation)
2. Moves the Blood, Promotes Menstruation:
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea, Menstrual disorders
-various gynecological disorders related to Blood stagnation
3. Clears Blood Heat, Reduces Abscesses:
-auxiliary herb for Blood heat disorders
-Fever; irritability, subcutaneous Bleeding, Nosebleed or Spitting Blood during Fever (Heat enters the Blood)
-Early stages of Breast (and other) Abscess; Sores, Toxic Swellings; expels pus
-Red, hot, swollen painful joints
-red, sore, inflamed Eyes
4. Clears Heart Fire, Nourishes Heart Blood and Yin, Settles the Mind and Spirit:
-Insomnia, restlessness, fidgeting, irritability, Palpitations
-used in conditions where Heat enters the Nutritive/Blood level (during Fevers), with Blood Stagnation, or Heart Yin or Blood deficiency
-'reinforces Qi'. (Shen Nong Ben Cao)
DOSE:
Taken with wine to move the Blood
In Decoction: 6–15 grams;
Of the Powder: 1–4 grams
COMMENT:
1. This is one of the most important Blood medicines of TCM. It moves the Blood, clears Stasis, relieves Pain, clears Heat from the Blood. It also has a secondary effect of nourishing Blood, thereby being very good for all Blood disorders, being a regulator of the Blood. It also has a secondary effect nourishing the Blood and Yin of the Heart.
2. It has been regarded by some as roughly equal in effect to the famous Blood tonic and regulator Si Wu Tang (Four Substance Decoction) which contains Dang Gui, Paeonia Bai Shao, Ligusticum Chuan Xiong and Rehmannia Shu Di Huang. It clearly doesn't have the Blood Tonic effect of Si Wu Tang, as most writers describe its Blood tonic effect as weak, but its ability to regulate the Blood is strong.
3. It remains to be seen the similarities and differences between Salvia Dan Shen and Salvia behen used in the Western Tradition. That is also a red-rooted Sage variety whose root is used in medicine. It was most commonly used in tonics with its companion White Behen (Centaurea spp.), and is therefore probably more Blood tonic than Salvia Dan Shen which is a better Blood mover. However, older TCM texts often note Blood nourishing and sometimes even Qi tonic effects, again supporting the possibility of these two species being close in effect and use.
PREPARATION:
1. Dry Fried: the root is dry fried until scorched, making it slightly warm and moderating its actions, making it gently nourish and move the Blood, while reducing its Heat-clearing effect.
2. Charred Root: dry fry at a high temperature until blackened, then spray with cold water. Then dry thoroughly. This has the effect of both moving the Blood, but in addition, it stops Bleeding. It is regarded as similar in effect to Notoginseng San Qi.
3. Wine-Fried Dan Shen: it can be stir-fried with 10% its weight of wine until the alcohol is absorbed. Then dry thoroughly. This is better to move the Blood, clear Stasis and relieve Pain.
Taken with wine to move the Blood
In Decoction: 6–15 grams;
Of the Powder: 1–4 grams
COMMENT:
1. This is one of the most important Blood medicines of TCM. It moves the Blood, clears Stasis, relieves Pain, clears Heat from the Blood. It also has a secondary effect of nourishing Blood, thereby being very good for all Blood disorders, being a regulator of the Blood. It also has a secondary effect nourishing the Blood and Yin of the Heart.
2. It has been regarded by some as roughly equal in effect to the famous Blood tonic and regulator Si Wu Tang (Four Substance Decoction) which contains Dang Gui, Paeonia Bai Shao, Ligusticum Chuan Xiong and Rehmannia Shu Di Huang. It clearly doesn't have the Blood Tonic effect of Si Wu Tang, as most writers describe its Blood tonic effect as weak, but its ability to regulate the Blood is strong.
3. It remains to be seen the similarities and differences between Salvia Dan Shen and Salvia behen used in the Western Tradition. That is also a red-rooted Sage variety whose root is used in medicine. It was most commonly used in tonics with its companion White Behen (Centaurea spp.), and is therefore probably more Blood tonic than Salvia Dan Shen which is a better Blood mover. However, older TCM texts often note Blood nourishing and sometimes even Qi tonic effects, again supporting the possibility of these two species being close in effect and use.
PREPARATION:
1. Dry Fried: the root is dry fried until scorched, making it slightly warm and moderating its actions, making it gently nourish and move the Blood, while reducing its Heat-clearing effect.
2. Charred Root: dry fry at a high temperature until blackened, then spray with cold water. Then dry thoroughly. This has the effect of both moving the Blood, but in addition, it stops Bleeding. It is regarded as similar in effect to Notoginseng San Qi.
3. Wine-Fried Dan Shen: it can be stir-fried with 10% its weight of wine until the alcohol is absorbed. Then dry thoroughly. This is better to move the Blood, clear Stasis and relieve Pain.
Main Combinations:
1. To move the Blood, ease pain after Trauma, as well as for Amenorrhea or irregular menstruation, Salvia Dan Shen with Dang Gui
2. 'Menstrual difficulties, whether early or late, too much or too little, or in pregnancy to quiet irritation in the last weeks, or to correct the discharges after delivery. It is also good for all forms of backache and pains in the bones and joints', take 6 grams of Salvia Dan Shen powder with warm wine. (Chinese Materia Medica, Stuauoft)
3. Irregular menstruation, Uterine Bleeding, Infertility, Salvia Dan Shen with Dang Gui, Motherwort (Yi Mu Cao)
4. Postpartum abdominal pain, Salvia Dan Shen with Motherwort (Yi Mu Cao)
5. Qi and Blood stagnation with Chest or Abdominal pain, Salvia Dan Shen with Sandalwood and Amomum Sha Ren (Greater Cardamon) (as in Dan Shen Yin from Yi Xue Jin Zhen [Medicine Acupuncture Needle]).
6. Chest Pain, Angina Pectoris:
i. Salvia Dan Shen with Aloeswood, Saffron
ii. Salvia Dan Shen with Sandalwood, Borneo Camphor (Bing Pian)
iii. Salvia Dan Shen with Mistletoe (Sang Ji Sheng), Dang Gui, Jujubes (Chinese Dates, Da Zao) (The Formulas of Dr. John H.F. Shen)
7. Palpitations, Insomnia, excess Dreaming from Heart Blood and/or Yin deficiency:
i. Salvia Dan Shen with Zizyphus Semen Suan Zao Ren and Platycladi Bai Zi Ren.
ii. Salvia Dan Shen with Schisandra Wu Wei Zi, Calamus (Shi Chang Pu), Mother of Pearl (Zhen Zhu Mu) (as in An Shen Bu Xin Wan of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia)
iii. Salvia Dan Shen with Zizyphus Semen Suan Zao Ren and, Anemarrhena Zhi Mu, Polygonum He Shou Wu, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi (as in An Shen Jiao Nang of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia)
8. Irritability, Insomnia from Heat entering the Nutritive/Blood level Salvia Dan Shen with Scrophularia Xuan Shen, Forsythia Lian Qiao.
9. Early stages of Breast Abscess:
i. Salvia Dan Shen with Dandelion (Pu Gong Ying), Burdock seed (Niu Bang Zi)
ii. Salvia Dan Shen with Lonicera Jin Yin Hua, Forsythia Lian Qiao
10. Trauma, Salvia Dan Shen with Frankincense and Myrrh
Major Formulas:
Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan
Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan
Dan Shen Yin
Cautions:
1. Not used during Pregnancy
2. Some people may experience dry mouth, dizziness, headache
DRUG INTERACTIONS:
1. Incompatible with Veratrum root
Main Preparations used:
1. Not used during Pregnancy
2. Some people may experience dry mouth, dizziness, headache
DRUG INTERACTIONS:
1. Incompatible with Veratrum root
Main Preparations used: