Dan Shen, also known as Chishen (赤参) or Shan Shen (山参), is a perennial herbaceous plant from the Lamiaceae family. Its dried root, characterized by a red skin and purple flesh, is one of the most commonly used herbs for invigorating blood and resolving stasis in clinical practice. The medicinal use of Dan Shen can be traced back to the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (神农本草经), where it is classified as a superior herb. Regarding its effects, the Fu Ren Ming Lue (妇人明理论) records: “With Dan Shen alone, one can achieve the effects of four herbs: it nourishes and generates blood, surpassing Dang Gui (当归) and Di Huang (地黄); it regulates and restrains blood, stronger than Shao Yao (芍药); it dispels stasis and generates new, more effective than Chuan Xiong (川芎). It can be used for various women’s ailments, whether during or after childbirth.” Thus, it is said that “one herb, Dan Shen, has the efficacy of four herbs.”
Dan Shen’s Main Functions
1. Effects on the Cardiovascular System
1. Strengthens the heart, enhances myocardial contractility, and improves cardiac function without increasing myocardial oxygen consumption.
2. Vascular effects: dilates coronary arteries, increases myocardial blood flow; dilates peripheral blood vessels, increases blood flow; decreases cerebral blood flow.
3. Antithrombotic: increases fibrinolytic activity; prolongs bleeding and coagulation times; inhibits platelet aggregation (increases cAMP levels in platelets, inhibiting TXA2 synthesis); improves blood rheological properties (reduces blood viscosity, shortens erythrocyte sedimentation time).
4. Improves microcirculation.
2. Promotes Tissue Repair and Regeneration
1. Promotes tissue repair and regeneration: Dan Shen preparations accelerate the clearance of necrotic myocardium; fibroblast differentiation and collagen fiber formation are more pronounced; granulation tissue formation is relatively mature. Local congestion is alleviated, blood circulation improves, and healing time is shortened.
2. Inhibits excessive proliferation: has an inhibitory effect on excessively proliferating fibroblasts.
3. Inhibitory Effects
Antibacterial: Dan Shen preparations contain tanshinone I and dihydrotanshinone I, which inhibit Staphylococcus, Escherichia coli, and Proteus in vitro.
4. Hepatoprotective: improves liver microcirculation.Applicable Populations
1. Irregular menstruation, irritability, and insomnia
The active components of Dan Shen can regulate female endocrine, alleviate dysmenorrhea, and help restore normal menstrual cycles in women with menstrual disorders. It effectively improves menopausal syndrome, alleviating night sweats and hot flashes, leading to better sleep and mood.
2. Liver and spleen enlargement, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases
Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are the number one killer of human health, with a significant “killing power.” The onset of these diseases is mainly due to ischemic damage to myocardial cells, and endothelial cells on the vascular wall are damaged due to aging or various factors, leading to narrowing and hardening of the vessel lumen, causing blood flow obstruction. Dan Shen can significantly reduce the area of aortic atherosclerotic plaques and lower serum total cholesterol and triglycerides to a certain extent. Dan Shen can inhibit the rise of blood lipids and enhance myocardial contractility, improving cardiac function.
