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When it comes to Dan Shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza), everyone is familiar with it. It has always been one of the best members of the ‘Four Treasure Powders’ for health maintenance among middle-aged and elderly friends—Dan Shen, American Ginseng, San Qi (Notoginseng), and Shi Hu (Dendrobium), specifically used to treat and improve cardiovascular-related diseases.
Dan Shen is one of the earliest and most widely used Chinese herbs in our country, first recorded in the Han Dynasty’s “Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic” and classified as a superior medicine.Dan Shen, also known as Zi Dan Shen (Purple Salvia), Chi Shen (Red Salvia), and Xue Gen (Blood Root), is a perennial herb of the Lamiaceae family, with its medicinal part being the root, which is red on the outside and white on the inside, turning purplish-red when dried, with a cross-section resembling chrysanthemum petals. It grows in mountainous river valleys, mainly produced in Sichuan, Shandong, and Anhui provinces.Li Shizhen’s “Compendium of Materia Medica” lists Dan Shen as one of the five types of Chinese medicine that nourish the five organs: ‘Five Ginsengs of Five Colors Nourish the Five Organs… Dan Shen enters the heart and is called Chi Shen.’“Bencao Huiyan” records: ‘It is good for treating blood disorders, removing stagnation and generating new blood, and regulating menstruation and smoothening the pulse.’
Dan Shenhas a bitter and slightly cold natureand is associated with the Heart, Pericardium, and Liver meridians (the areas of action). It has the effects of activating blood circulation and removing stasis, relieving pain, clearing the heart and calming the spirit, and nourishing the blood and calming the mind. It is suitable for symptoms such as chest pain, abdominal pain, heat-induced pain, irritability and insomnia, menstrual irregularities, dysmenorrhea, postpartum abdominal pain due to stasis, and sores and swellings.Chen Xiuyuan in “Reading the Materia Medica” states: ‘Now it is said that a single herb Dan Shen has the effects of the Four Substance Decoction.’ This refers to the saying that ‘a single herb Dan Shen has the same effects as the Four Substance Decoction’ (Dang Gui, Shu Di Huang, Bai Shao, Chuan Xiong): tonifying Qi and blood, activating blood circulation and removing stasis, and is often used to treat women’s menstrual irregularities, uterine fibroids, and ovarian cysts.
The root of Dan Shen is used medicinally, with a red outer skin, and the red enters the heart, which governs the blood vessels, thus Dan Shen acts on the blood aspect. It has the power to activate blood circulation and regulate menstruation, by removing stagnant blood in the body, thereby achieving the purpose of cleaning vascular waste, maintaining smooth Qi and blood flow, and promoting renewal, which is often referred to as ‘supplementing by unblocking.’ It is commonly used to treat coronary heart disease and angina pectoris.Dan Shen opens the heart, has a slightly cold nature, and can clear the heart and relieve depression, calm the spirit, and improve sleep quality.From a modern medical perspective, the pharmacological effects of Dan Shen can also be summarized as follows: it can increase coronary blood flow, has a significant protective effect on myocardial injury; improves microcirculation, lowers blood pressure and lipids, and protects myocardial cells; improves abnormal blood rheology, inhibits coagulation, resists platelet aggregation and thrombus formation, stabilizes red blood cell membranes; protects against liver damage; and has immune-regulating and anti-tumor effects.
Finally, here are a few recommended health recipes using Dan Shen:1. Hawthorn Tea:10 grams of hawthorn and 10 grams of Dan Shen, boiled in water for about 30 minutes, can be consumed. It has the daily health benefits of activating blood circulation and reducing fat, suitable for cardiovascular diseases and hyperlipidemia.2. Dan Shen Decoction:15 grams of Dan Shen, 5 grams each of sandalwood and cardamom. First, decoct Dan Shen in water, then add sandalwood and cardamom, boil and drink. Sugar can be added to taste. It can activate blood circulation and remove stasis, relieve pain, used for blood stasis and Qi stagnation, abdominal pain. It improves mild cases of coronary heart disease and angina pectoris.3. Four Treasure Powder:Dan Shen, San Qi, American Ginseng, and Shi Hu, ground into powder in a ratio of 2:2:2:1, taken daily in 5-10 grams mixed with water for 1-2 months to see results. It mainly serves to clear blood vessels, purify blood, protect the heart, and regulate cardiovascular diseases.In summary, Dan Shen has many effects, and one should remember its ability to activate blood circulation and remove stasis, as well as its protective role for the cardiovascular system. However, pregnant women, those with severe Qi and blood deficiency, and those currently bleeding should avoid using it and consult a professional physician for guidance before use.END
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