Editor’s Note
Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) is a blood-activating and stasis-resolving herb derived from the dried roots and rhizomes of the Lamiaceae plant. It has functions such as promoting blood circulation, removing stasis, regulating menstruation, alleviating pain, clearing the heart, calming the mind, cooling the blood, and resolving abscesses. Danshen is commonly used in various herbal combinations, so let’s explore them together!
Common Herbal Combinations with Danshen01Dan Pi (Moutan Cortex) and Danshen
【Function】These two herbs complement each other, cooling the blood and clearing heat, promoting blood circulation, reducing swelling, and regulating menstruation to alleviate pain. They are primarily used for conditions such as rashes due to heat entering the blood level, vomiting, nosebleeds, and blood in the stool; blood heat and stasis causing amenorrhea and irregular menstruation; and persistent low fever due to heat entering the yin level.
【Analysis】Dan Pi, also known as Moutan Cortex, is slightly cold and enters the heart, liver, and kidney meridians. It has the ability to clear heat and cool the blood, as well as activate blood and resolve stasis. It is used to treat rashes due to heat entering the nutrient and blood levels, vomiting, nosebleeds, hematuria, and conditions like amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, or trauma with blood stasis and swelling. It is used raw to clear heat and cool the blood, stir-fried with wine to activate blood and resolve stasis, and charred to stop bleeding. Danshen also clears heat, cools the blood, and activates blood circulation, while nourishing the blood and calming the spirit. Therefore, when used together, they enhance the ability to clear heat, cool the blood, and resolve stasis. For example, the famous gynecologist Qian Bo-xuan used this combination in his formula for amenorrhea, combining it with Dang Shen (Codonopsis), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes), Fu Ling (Poria), Mai Dong (Ophiopogon), Tao Ren (Peach Kernel), Ji Xue Teng (Spatholobus), Deng Xin (Juncus), Xiang Fu (Cyperus), and Yuan Hu (Corydalis) (from “Gynecological Cases by Qian Bo-xuan”).
【Dosage】Mu Dan Pi 6~10g, Danshen 10~15g.
02Danshen and Gegen (Pueraria)
【Function】These two herbs work together to cool the blood, resolve stasis, generate fluids, and quench thirst. They are primarily used to treat blood stasis in diabetes, thirst, and dark red tongue; or coronary heart disease, hypertension, chest tightness, and stabbing pain in the heart area.
【Analysis】These two herbs complement each other, focusing on activating blood and resolving stasis, and generating fluids. The famous physician Zhu Shenyu included this combination in his formula for lowering blood sugar (which includes Sheng Huang Qi (Astragalus), Cang Zhu (Atractylodes), Xuan Shen (Scrophularia), Di Huang (Rehmannia), Danshen, and Gegen). Zhu Shenyu noted: “Diabetic patients often have stasis, leading to increased blood viscosity and poor circulation. This combination can generate fluids and quench thirst, as well as promote blood circulation, allowing for smoother flow of qi and blood, thus enhancing the efficacy of blood sugar reduction.” Based on this, he also created the Gegen Hong Tang, combining these herbs with Hong Hua (Carthamus), Qiang Huo (Notopterygium), Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum), Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum), Chi Shao (Paeonia), Yu Jin (Curcuma), and Chang Pu (Acorus) to treat angina pectoris in coronary heart disease (from “Clinical Practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine by Zhu Shenyu”).
【Dosage】Danshen 15~30g, Gegen 10~15g.
03Danshen and Qian Cao (Rubia)
【Function】These two herbs work together to clear heat, cool the blood, disperse stasis, and resolve cancer. They can both promote and inhibit. They are used to treat chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, liver and spleen enlargement, and dysmenorrhea (endometriosis).
【Analysis】Qian Cao is slightly cold and enters the liver meridian, with the ability to cool the blood and stop bleeding, as well as activate blood and resolve stasis. It is used for various bleeding disorders due to blood heat, and for dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, stomach pain, and stasis-related swelling and pain. It is used raw to activate blood and resolve stasis, and charred for stronger hemostatic effects. When combined with Danshen, they enhance each other’s effects. The famous physician Zhu Shenyu often used this combination to activate blood and resolve stasis in treating chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and endometriosis (from “Clinical Practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine by Zhu Shenyu”).
【Dosage】Danshen 15~30g, Qian Cao 10g.
04Danshen and Sheng Shan Zha (Hawthorn)
【Function】These two herbs work together to activate blood, resolve stasis, and dissolve fat accumulation. They are used to treat hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and angina pectoris caused by phlegm and stasis.
【Analysis】Shan Zha is slightly warm and enters the spleen, stomach, and liver meridians, with the ability to aid digestion and activate blood circulation. Modern pharmacological studies show that it can increase enzyme secretion in the stomach, promote digestion, and its contained lipase can aid in the digestion of fatty foods. It can also dilate blood vessels, increase coronary blood flow, lower blood pressure, and long-term use can reduce cholesterol levels, as well as having a positive effect on heart function and uterine contraction. Therefore, these two herbs complement each other, enhancing both blood activation and fat dissolution. The famous physician Zhu Shenyu, who is well-versed in both traditional and modern medicine, has unique clinical formulations that combine disease differentiation with syndrome differentiation. This combination not only utilizes the traditional Chinese medicine approach to activate blood and resolve stasis but also takes advantage of their ability to dilate blood vessels and dissolve fat, resulting in significant clinical efficacy.
【Dosage】Danshen 15~30g, Sheng Shan Zha 10~15g.
05Danshen, Dang Gui (Angelica), and Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum)
【Function】These three herbs work together to nourish blood, activate blood circulation, regulate qi, and alleviate pain, combining both tonifying and purging effects. They are used to treat various diseases caused by blood stasis, such as coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with pulmonary interstitial fibrosis, and chronic pneumonia.
【Analysis】These three herbs complement each other, enhancing their effects. Danshen is renowned for its ability to activate blood circulation, while Dang Gui and Chuan Xiong enhance blood nourishment and circulation. This combination is suitable for conditions caused by stasis leading to deficiency or deficiency leading to stasis. The famous physician Zhu Shenyu has achieved notable results in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with pulmonary fibrosis and angina pectoris using this combination (from “Clinical Practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine by Zhu Shenyu”).
【Dosage】Danshen 15~30g, Dang Gui 10g, Chuan Xiong 10g.
06Danshen, Dang Gui, and Wang Bu Liu Xing (Vaccaria)
【Function】These three herbs work together to nourish blood, activate blood circulation, disperse stasis, and combine tonifying and purging effects. They are primarily used to treat amenorrhea, delayed menstruation in women, and urinary difficulties caused by prostate enlargement in men.
【Analysis】Wang Bu Liu Xing is bitter and neutral, entering the liver and stomach meridians, with the ability to activate blood circulation, regulate menstruation, and reduce swelling. It is mainly used for treating blood stasis-related amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, and delayed menstruation; as well as insufficient lactation and breast abscesses postpartum. When combined with Danshen and Dang Gui, they enhance each other’s effects, focusing on activating blood circulation and resolving stasis. The famous physician Zhu Shenyu has effectively used this combination not only for women’s menstrual disorders but also for treating urinary difficulties due to prostate enlargement in men (from “Clinical Practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine by Zhu Shenyu”).
【Dosage】Danshen 15~30g, Dang Gui 10g, Wang Bu Liu Xing 10g.
Comprehensive Guide to Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbal Combinations
“Comprehensive Guide to Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbal Combinations”Click the cover to enter the Yueyi Family TCM Academy to purchase booksScan to read for free
This book focuses on herbal combinations in clinical practice, compiling the experiences of numerous renowned physicians from ancient to modern times. It is based on the experiences of the “Four Great Physicians of Beijing” and collects 552 herbal combinations used by various physicians throughout history, categorized into seventeen types. This resource not only provides reliable theoretical foundations for herbal formulation and application but also offers rich experiences to enhance efficacy, making it an essential read for TCM practitioners, with significant practical value and social benefits.
❖This article is for knowledge sharing only and does not constitute a recommendation or promotion of any medication or treatment. It cannot replace professional medical advice. For any medical needs, please consult and contact a legitimate medical institution.
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