Introduction: Today we will learn about the differences in classification and properties between Ren Shen (Ginseng) and Dang Shen (Codonopsis).
In the herbal literature prior to Zhang Shifan’s “Benjing Fengyuan”, there were entries for Ren Shen but none for Dang Shen, or they were confused with each other.
For example, the “Bielu” states: “Ren Shen grows in the mountains of Shangdang and in Liaodong.”
Li Shizhen in “Bencao Gangmu” said: “Shangdang is now Luzhou. The locals consider Ren Shen to be harmful and no longer harvest it; what is used now is all Liaoshen (Liaodong Ginseng).” He also mentioned: “Now it is impossible to obtain it from Luzhou, and what is found elsewhere is even less reliable.”
This indicates that Li Shizhen had never seen the Ren Shen produced in Luzhou. It is evident that Luzhou does not produce Ren Shen, while Ren Shen is produced in Liaodong. This may be limited by historical conditions and a lack of knowledge in pharmacognosy.
Especially in modern times, due to the high price of Ren Shen, Dang Shen is often used as a substitute. However, the differences in their classification, origin, and functions are significant and worth clarifying.
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Ren Shen belongs to the Araliaceae family and is produced in the three northeastern provinces of China, with the highest yield in Jilin Province.
The wild variety is called “Yeshan Shen” (Wild Ginseng); the cultivated variety is called “Yuan Shen” (Garden Ginseng); if small wild ginseng is transplanted to fields, or small garden ginseng is transplanted to the mountains and grows, it is called “Yishan Shen” (Transplanted Ginseng).
Ren Shen has a sweet and slightly bitter taste, with a neutral nature when raw, such as raw sun-dried ginseng and white sugar ginseng, while the cooked varieties are slightly warm, such as red ginseng and Biezhi ginseng.
Ren Shen tonifies Qi and nourishes blood, calms the spirit, stabilizes prolapse, and enhances the body’s resistance to disease, treating various deficiencies, spleen and stomach weakness, excessive blood loss, and insufficient heart Qi.
Ji Yi Dong’s “Yao Zheng” states: “Ren Shen is primarily used to treat fullness and hardness in the heart area; it also treats loss of appetite, vomiting, excessive salivation, heart pain, abdominal pain, and sudden palpitations.”
This is based on the indications of Xiao Chai Hu Tang and Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang from the “Shang Han Lun”, which has its significance.
Regarding the pros and cons of using Ren Shen, Xu Lingtai elaborated extensively.
In his “Bencao Baizhong Lu”, he stated: “Ren Shen is powerful and potent; if used improperly, its harm is greater than that of other medicines. Nowadays, the use of ginseng by doctors saves few lives but causes many deaths. It is said that one in ten deaths is due to deficiency, while eight or nine are due to disease.
Ren Shen excels at tonifying deficiency but is less effective at attacking diseases.Doctors do not differentiate whether the disease has been resolved or not; for those with chronic illness or weak bodies, or wealthy individuals, they must use ginseng. This is both overly cautious and a way to evade responsibility. Patients also believe that using ginseng is the ultimate act of filial piety, not realizing that using ginseng before the disease is resolved not only fails to replenish the vital energy but also solidifies the root of the disease, rendering all medicines ineffective, leading to no hope of recovery. Hence, it is said that many deaths are caused by this.
Some say that in Zhang Zhongjing’s formulas for treating cold, there are many instances of using ginseng before the disease is resolved, such as in Xiao Chai Hu Tang and Xin Jia Tang; why is this? This is because it is a method of tonifying while purging.
Ancient practitioners meticulously examined the condition of the disease, knowing that diseases can be categorized into those that are combined and those that are separated. In combined cases, the evil and the righteous coexist, and the focus is on attacking and dispersing. In separated cases, the evil and the righteous are apart, with both deficiency and excess; the excess should be purged, and the deficiency should be tonified. In a formula, if both can be used without hindrance and can assist each other, then ginseng can be used to build the center and generate fluids, expelling evil qi, which is more appropriate.
If the evil qi is still strong and has not separated, it is necessary to treat it specifically, and there is no method of using ginseng. Moreover, when used, it is also included in dispersing medicines, and there is no evidence of it being used in conjunction with cooked Rehmannia or Fructus Lycii in formulas.
Only by understanding this can one avoid using ginseng to harm others.
This insight is enlightening and worth referencing.
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The author has classified over 30 formulas from the “Shang Han Za Bing Lun” that contain Ren Shen:
One category is the formulas that build the center and strengthen the spleen, such as Li Zhong Tang and Wu Zhu Yu Tang, generally combined with Bai Zhu (White Atractylodes), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), or Wu Yu (Evodia);
The second category is the formulas that support the righteous and dispel evil, such as Bai Hu Jia Ren Shen Tang and Xiao Chai Hu Tang, generally combined with heat-clearing Shi Gao (Gypsum) or harmonizing Chai Hu (Bupleurum) or Qinjiao (Scutellaria) and Lian (Lotus);
The third category is the formulas that tonify the heart and lungs, such as Fu Mai Tang and Mai Men Dong Tang, generally combined with Mai Men Dong (Ophiopogon) or Sheng Di (Raw Rehmannia);
The fourth category is the formulas that invigorate heart Yang, such as Fu Zi Tang and Si Ni Jia Ren Shen Tang, generally combined with Fu Zi (Aconite) or Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig);
The fifth category includes others, such as the warming Jing Tang for benefiting Qi and regulating menstruation, the Qi-tonifying and calming Shen Tang with Chai Hu, Long Gu (Dragon Bone), and Mu Li (Oyster Shell), and the Qi-tonifying pain-relieving Jiu Tong Wan, all of which aim to utilize the function of tonifying Qi and supporting the righteous to achieve therapeutic goals.
This classification, though quite rudimentary, is beneficial for exploring the ancient practices regarding the compatibility and application of ginseng.
Since Ren Shen is recognized as a good tonic, it is often used as a supplement beyond clinical applications.
The author believes that anyone who is elderly, weak, or has a weakened body after illness, such as having a normal diet but being unable to endure labor, with a thin and clean tongue, pale quality, and weak pulse, can generally take it.
However, the dosage can start at 1.5 grams (daily amount) and should be gradually increased.
The author has previously given Biezhi Shen (Biezhi Ginseng) 4.5 grams daily to patients with acute leukemia during the intervals of reduced white blood cells in conjunction with chemotherapy, which had a significant effect on raising white blood cell counts, creating favorable conditions for continued chemotherapy.
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In addition, there is Tai Zi Shen (Prince Ginseng). In the past, small ginseng was selected out and called “Tai Zi Shen”, which was also slightly cheaper.
Recently, the Tai Zi Shen sold in pharmacies is actually the root of the Dianthus family, which is often used as a substitute for ginseng, having only the function of generating fluids, while its Qi-tonifying power is weak.
Western Ginseng, also belonging to the Araliaceae family, is described in Wu Yiluo’s “Bencao Congxin” as having a sweet and slightly bitter taste, cool nature, tonifying the lungs, lowering fire, generating fluids, and alleviating fatigue, which is suitable for those who are deficient but have heat.
In modern clinical practice, ginseng in formulas like Bai Hu Jia Ren Shen Tang or Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang is often replaced with Western Ginseng, which seems to align better with heat-related diseases.
For example, a colleague named Wu suffered from hemolytic anemia and initially used Biezhi Shen, but the heat in the blood could not be controlled, leading to dryness of the lips and tongue and confusion.
The author prescribed Di Huang Tang with 3 grams of Biezhi Shen and 6 grams of Western Ginseng, and after two doses, the blood stopped and the mind cleared, demonstrating that Western Ginseng’s cool nature can neutralize the warmth of Biezhi Shen, achieving a harmonious effect.
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In recent years, both domestic and international pharmacological researchers have made new progress in the study of the components and pharmacology of ginseng.
The main components include ginsenosides, glucose, rhamnose, etc. The components of the stem and leaves are basically the same as those of the root. The ginseng leaf also contains the same saponins, and clinical trials have shown that its emetic effect is not significant, and it can also be used medicinally.
Pharmacological experiments indicate that it can regulate the excitation and inhibition activities of the cerebral cortex; it can provide a defensive effect against various harmful stimuli; and although it does not produce adrenal cortex hormone-like effects on the pituitary-adrenal cortex system, it has a certain influence.
Reports indicate that ginseng can enhance tissue respiration, promote glycolysis, increase energy metabolism, and promote protein synthesis, thereby enhancing immune function.
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Dang Shen was first recorded in Zhang Shifan’s “Benjing Fengyuan” in 1705, followed by Zhao Xueming’s “Bencao Gangmu Shiyi” and Wu Yiluo’s “Bencao Congxin”, thus establishing itself as an independent item.
Botanically classified, it belongs to the Campanulaceae family, with a long cylindrical root, a diameter of 1-1.7 cm, a slightly larger root tuber at the top, and a skin color ranging from milky yellow to light gray-brown, with many longitudinal and transverse wrinkles, resembling the beak-like root of ginseng, with many straight lines and root hairs, making it easily distinguishable.
This product is produced in Shanxi and Gansu provinces, and has the functions of clearing lung fire, strengthening the spleen, and generating fluids. The “Ben Cao Feng Yuan” states: “Shangdang Ren Shen, although it does not have the strong warming and tonifying effects, has a gentle and clear tonifying power, and is not as cold as Sha Shen, which specializes in draining lung qi.”
Zhang’s evaluation of its efficacy is quite fair.
In modern times, Zhang Shanlei’s “Bencao Zhengyi” states: “Dang Shen has the power to tonify the spleen and nourish the stomach, moisten the lungs and generate fluids, and strengthen the middle Qi, which is not far from Ren Shen… but its strength is relatively weak and cannot be sustained.
For those with deficiency after illness, taking two to three qian (a traditional weight unit) can only temporarily invigorate the spirit for one day, which is indeed in line with the principles of moderation. However, it can support the central region and moisten the four corners… Therefore, all the formulas from ancient to modern times that use Ren Shen can be replaced with Lu Dang Shen.
It can be seen that the substitution of Dang Shen for Ren Shen has a long history, but there are significant functional differences between the two, and careful differentiation in application is necessary.
Regarding the components and pharmacological studies of Dang Shen.
Reports indicate that its root contains saponins and trace alkaloids, sucrose, glucose, and mucilage.
Animal experiments have shown a slight increase in red blood cells and hemoglobin, an increase in blood sugar, and a decrease in white blood cells.
The author has clinically used 60 grams of Dang Shen daily to treat chronic granulocytic leukemia, resulting in a decrease in white blood cells and achieving remission, which seems to align with animal experiments.
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In summary, the classification, origin, functions, components, and pharmacological research results of Ren Shen and Dang Shen indicate significant differences, with each having its unique effects.
In recent years, Dang Shen has been used as a substitute for Ren Shen in clinical practice, such as in Si Jun Zi Tang and Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang for treating spleen and stomach deficiency syndrome. The author believes that this is not solely dependent on the power of Dang Shen, but rather relies on the assistance of Huang Qi (Astragalus), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes), or Dang Gui (Angelica) in the formula.
In cases of collapse or critical blood loss, relying solely on Dang Shen is insufficient.
However, Dang Shen is effective for conditions such as recovering from heat illness, spleen and stomach deficiency, or insufficient lung qi with unresolved phlegm, as it promotes phlegm expulsion, increases glycogen, and does not cause stagnation, thus having a better effect.
Note:Please follow medical advice for specific treatment and medication!This article is excerpted from “Pan Chenglian – A Collection of One Hundred Chinese Medicine Clinicians Over a Century”, published by the China Traditional Chinese Medicine Publishing House in January 2001.This public account is used solely for academic exchange; if there is any infringement, please contact for deletion, and please indicate the source when reprinting.