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 electrophoresis time).
4. Improves microcirculation.
Promotes tissue repair and regeneration
1. Promotes tissue repair and regeneration: Dan Shen preparations accelerate the clearance of necrotic myocardium; significant differentiation of fibroblasts and formation of collagen fibers; 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.
3Inhibitory Effects
Antibacterial: Dan Shen preparations contain cryptotanshinone and dihydrotanshinone, which inhibit Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Proteus vulgaris in vitro.
4Hepatoprotective
Improves hepatic microcirculation.
5Improves Sleep
Dan Shen has a calming and tranquilizing effect, can protect the nerves, and enhance sleep quality. It has a strong health-promoting effect on the body, alleviating nerve fatigue and making one feel more energetic during the day.
6Antimicrobial
The main nutritional component of Dan Shen, tanshinone, can inhibit bacteria and alleviate inflammation, improving conditions such as joint inflammation and skin redness.
7Gastroprotective
It has a good reparative effect on cells; in cases of damage to the gastrointestinal tract and liver, Dan Shen can increase hematopoietic cells, making it suitable for those who frequently consume tobacco and alcohol.
1. Improves Sleep
Dan Shen has a calming and tranquilizing effect, can protect the nerves, and enhance sleep quality. It has a strong health-promoting effect on the body, alleviating nerve fatigue and making one feel more energetic during the day.
8Skin Protection
Dan Shen can resist aging, reduce the formation of spots, restore skin elasticity in women, and bring a glow, allowing the skin to exhibit a naturally youthful radiance.
9Regulates Menstruation
It has the effect of invigorating blood and dispelling stasis, providing good regulation for irregular menstruation and dysmenorrhea, improving weak constitutions, and preventing premature menopause, helping women maintain beauty.
II. Applicable Population
1Irregular menstruation, anxiety, and insomnia
The active components of Dan Shen can regulate female endocrine, alleviate dysmenorrhea, and help restore normal menstrual cycles in women with menstrual irregularities.
Effectively improves menopausal syndrome, alleviating night sweats and hot flashes, improving sleep and mood.
2Liver 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 occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular 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.
How to Choose Dan Shen
Dan Shen is widely applicable in our daily lives, making it a common household remedy.
To achieve the best effects from Dan Shen, it is essential to purchase the most suitable and highest quality Dan Shen. When purchasing, it is important to select roots that are relatively thick and short, with the tops still retaining the stem base and root. Additionally, the surface of Dan Shen should be red or dark red, with a rough skin texture that may even show wrinkles. If the roots are older, the skin will be even more loose, and the color will appear purple-brown, with a scaly appearance that can gradually peel off.
Dan Shen has a bitter taste; generally, we choose thicker roots that are purple-red in color, as this indicates the best medicinal efficacy. After purchasing Dan Shen, it should be stored in a cool, dry place, and precautions should be taken against pests. Dan Shen is widely used in daily life, particularly effective for irregular menstruation and heart-related diseases, so it is essential to understand some knowledge about Dan Shen to better ensure bodily safety.
How to Consume Dan Shen
Dan Shen Green Tea
Ingredients: 30g Dan Shen, 20g Ze Xie (Alisma orientale), appropriate amount of green tea.
Method: Boil all ingredients in water, one dose per day.
Effect: Strengthens Yang.
Dan Shen Brown Sugar Water
Ingredients: 15g Dan Shen, 30g brown sugar.
Method: Take Dan Shen, add 200ml of water, boil for 20 minutes, strain, and add an appropriate amount of brown sugar to taste.
Effect: This formula has a calming effect for long-term insomnia patients, particularly suitable for patients with coronary heart disease.
San Qi Dan Shen
Ingredients: 100g San Qi (Panax notoginseng), 15g Dan Shen.
Method: Boil in water to extract a concentrated juice, add an appropriate amount of white sugar, and dry into granules.
Usage: 20g each time, dissolve in warm water for drinking. Alternatively, the two herbs can be ground into a fine powder, 10g each time, add sugar to taste, and brew as tea.
Effect: This formula invigorates blood and dispels stasis, lowers blood lipids, and increases coronary flow. It is used for angina pectoris in coronary heart disease.
How Much Dan Shen Powder to Take
If used for daily health maintenance, it is recommended to take 3-5g of Dan Shen powder each time, 1-2 times a day. If used for disease prevention and treatment, it is advisable to consult a doctor for detailed dosage, as excessive self-medication may lead to serious consequences.
Morning Consumption
In the morning, take 1-3g of Dan Shen powder on an empty stomach, with warm water. This can enhance immunity and anti-aging functions.
Evening Consumption
It is best to take Dan Shen powder in the evening before meals, as it helps improve sleep. If taken after meals, please limit the amount to no more than 3g, as excessive evening consumption may have a stimulating effect. It is advisable not to take Dan Shen powder right before bed, as it may cause thirst.
Contraindications for Dan Shen Consumption
1. Not suitable for pregnant women, as it has blood-activating effects that may harm the fetus or even cause miscarriage.
2. Should not be combined with Li Lu (Veratrum) or Western medications like propranolol; it should be taken with other medications under a doctor’s guidance.
3. Avoid consuming with milk, as high-calcium foods can affect the absorption of Dan Shen.
Discussion on the Medicinal Treatment of Dan Shen
(1) Dispelling Stasis and Activating Blood for Various Ailments, Suitable for Both Deficiency and Excess Conditions
① Treatment of Upper Body Diseases
For sudden deafness due to liver and kidney deficiency, with poor blood circulation leading to hearing loss, Dan Shen can be used in combination with Zhi Bai Di Huang Tang (Anemarrhena, Rehmannia, and others) plus Dan Shen, magnetite, cicada slough, and Chuan Niu Xi (Cyathula) for effective results; for liver heat affecting the ears, Dan Shen can be combined with magnetite, chrysanthemum, summer withered grass, raw Rehmannia, gentian, and Chuan Niu Xi to clear liver fire, dispel stasis, and open the orifices, yielding excellent clinical results; for hypertension, Dan Shen is often selected based on syndrome differentiation, showing remarkable effects.
Animal experiments have shown that Dan Shen can dilate peripheral blood vessels and lower blood pressure. For cough due to lung qi not dispersing and poor blood circulation, Dan Shen is often combined with apricot kernel, platycodon, and Chuan Bei Mu (Fritillaria) to invigorate blood, disperse lung qi, and stop cough.
② Treatment of Lower Body Diseases
Dan Shen opens blood vessels, invigorates blood circulation, and descends due to its bitter nature, making it particularly effective for lower body meridian stasis. For rheumatic pain in the lower joints, Dan Shen is often combined with Chuan Xu Duan (Dipsacus), Du Huo (Angelica pubescens), Chuan Niu Xi, and Sang Ji Sheng (Mulberry mistletoe); for rheumatic heat obstruction with red, swollen, and painful joints, Dan Shen can be combined with honeysuckle vine, Atractylodes, Chuan Niu Xi, Huang Bai (Phellodendron), Chi Shao (Red Peony), and Dan Shen; for lower limb phlebitis, Dan Shen is often combined with Angelica, Ji Xue Teng (Spatholobus), Xuan Shen (Scrophularia), raw licorice, honeysuckle, and cinnamon twig; for irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, or postpartum abdominal pain due to blood stasis, Dan Shen can be combined with Angelica, Xiang Fu (Cyperus), and Yi Mu Cao (Leonurus) or taken alone with white wine, all of which are effective; for impotence and premature ejaculation due to liver and kidney stagnation (stasis) heat, Dan Shen can be combined with raw Rehmannia, cooked Rehmannia, Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena), Chuan Niu Xi, Huang Bai, Lian Xu (Lotus stamen), Yang Qi Shi (Euphorbia), Shan Yao (Chinese yam), Yu Jin (Curcuma), Qiang Huo (Notopterygium), and Bai Shao (White Peony), known as Gu Jing Qi Yang Tang, showing significant efficacy.
③ Treatment of Deficiency Syndromes, Chronic Illness with Qi Deficiency, Poor Blood Circulation, and Long-term Stasis
Dan Shen dispels stasis and generates new blood, acting without damaging the body. It has been said that “Dan Shen alone has the same effect as Si Wu Tang”. The Compendium of Materia Medica states it “nourishes blood.” It is used to treat deficiency syndrome dizziness, based on the concept of Qi Ju Di Huang Tang (Lycium, Chrysanthemum, and others) creating the Yi Shen Ding Zhuang Tang (adding Dan Shen, magnetite, Chuan Xiong, and Tian Ma) for effective results in dizziness, lumbar and spinal soreness, pale tongue, and thin, weak pulse in cases of kidney deficiency with stasis; for blood deficiency with palpitations and insomnia, Dan Shen is often combined with (roasted) jujube seed, Angelica, raw Rehmannia, and Schisandra for treatment, showing efficacy in long-term insomnia patients where other medications have failed, with Dan Shen alone (50g) taken daily showing results, which aligns with the concept of “nourishing the spirit and stabilizing the will” as stated in the Great Ming Materia Medica; for Qi and blood deficiency, kidney qi deficiency, and stasis leading to deficiency syndrome, Dan Shen is often combined with (roasted) Huang Qi (Astragalus), Angelica, He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum), and Ba Jiao (Morinda) for effective results.
④ Treatment of Excess Syndromes
Regardless of the six excesses or seven emotions, prolonged damage to the body can ultimately lead to Qi and blood stagnation, resulting in Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndromes. Dan Shen invigorates blood and dispels stasis, showing effective results in clinical treatment of excess syndromes. For liver and stomach Qi pain, Dan Shen is often combined with sandalwood, cardamom, and turmeric for effective results, as this indicates Qi stagnation and poor blood circulation, thus invigorating Qi and blood, complementing each other; for treating allergic purpura, Dan Shen can be combined with madder root, Ji Xue Teng, Zicao (Lithospermum), red dates for effective results, as Dan Shen can “break old blood and generate new blood,” allowing the blood that has deviated from its path to return.
Reports indicate that animal experiments have shown Dan Shen to inhibit platelet aggregation, reduce platelet factor III activity, and prolong plasma prothrombin time, further confirming its efficacy; for manic conditions characterized by excessive heat, stasis, and phlegm, large doses of Dan Shen can be effective based on syndrome differentiation.
Animal experiments have proven that Dan Shen inhibits cyclic adenosine monophosphate phosphodiesterase activity, exerting an inhibitory effect on the cerebral cortex; for edema and amenorrhea, Dan Shen is often combined with Wu Ling San (Polyporus) and other herbs for effective results.
(2) Nourishing the Heart, Calming the Spirit, Eliminating Deficiency Heat, Stopping Palpitations, and Activating Blood Stasis
Dan Shen is bitter and cold in nature, enters the blood and returns to the heart, can clear heart fire, eliminate blood heat, calm the spirit, and stabilize palpitations. Therefore, when used appropriately in clinical practice, the effects are rapid. For palpitations and anxiety due to insufficient heart Qi, Qi deficiency, and blood stasis, it can also be treated with Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang (adding Dan Shen, (roasted) licorice, and Mai Dong) for effective results; for chest Yang deficiency, use Gua Lou Xie Bai Tang or Kuan Xin Tong Bi Tang (Dan Shen, Gua Lou, Xie Bai,降香,桂枝,鹿衔草,山楂,川芎,麦冬,田三七,赤芍); for Qi and Yin deficiency, use Sheng Mai San, Yi Mai Tong Bi Tang (Dan Shen, Tai Zi Shen, Mai Dong, Wu Wei Zi, Gua Lou, (roasted) licorice, (roasted) jujube seed,降香,山楂,鹿衔草); for chest obstruction, chest pain, insomnia, anxiety, and arrhythmia, use (roasted) licorice soup to create Dan Shen An Xin Tang (Dan Shen, American ginseng, bitter cucumber, Xuan Shen, (roasted) jujube seed, Mai Dong, (roasted) licorice, 桂枝,山楂,鹿衔草), all of which have shown good clinical results; for those who have not responded to other medications, a differentiated prescription can lead to rapid improvement in ECG and other examinations.
Upon careful consideration of its therapeutic principles, whether it is chest Yang deficiency or Qi and Yin deficiency, both can lead to poor blood circulation, stasis, and blockage, thus following the principle of “no flow leads to pain,” using Dan Shen in stasis-dispelling prescriptions can enhance its efficacy. The Compendium of Materia Medica states it “invigorates blood, opens the heart and collaterals, … removes stubborn diseases and stagnant Qi,” while the Southern Yunnan Materia Medica states: “nourishes the heart, calms the spirit, treats forgetfulness, anxiety, palpitations, and insomnia,” indicating that Dan Shen is a significant herb for treating various blood stasis syndromes caused by issues in the chest.
(3) Dispelling Stasis, Generating New Blood, and Unblocking All Meridians, Showing Remarkable Efficacy in Critical and Chronic Diseases
Dan Shen invigorates blood, dispels stasis, opens the collaterals, and harmonizes Qi and blood. Therefore, when used appropriately in treating critical and chronic diseases, its efficacy is greatly enhanced. For stroke, based on the principles of Wang Qingren’s Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang, a Dan Shen injection solution (main ingredients include Astragalus, Dan Shen, Chuan Xiong, etc.) is created; for stroke, brain tumors, and cerebral edema associated with water and stasis in the brain, a Dan Shen oral solution (main ingredients include Dan Shen, peach kernel, musk, and white grass root) is created; for stroke precursors and prevention of stroke onset, a Qing Nao Tong Luo Pian (main ingredients include Dan Shen, peach kernel) is created, with excellent results in animal experiments and clinical treatments, and no toxic side effects have been found so far; for patients in a coma with heat closure, An Gong Niu Huang Wan can be used with Dan Shen decoction for oral administration or nasal feeding; for cold closure, Su He Xiang Wan can be used with Dan Shen decoction for oral administration or nasal feeding; regardless of cold or heat closure, Dan Shen injection is often mixed with glucose for intravenous drip; for collapse syndrome, Dan Shen can be added to Shen Fu Tang for decoction or Dan Shen injection can be mixed with glucose for intravenous drip; for coma due to phlegm and dampness obstruction, Dan Shen injection can be combined with Pu Jin Dan injection (main ingredients include Acorus, Dan Shen) for intramuscular injection, 2-4ml daily, and Dan Shen injection can be mixed with 4-20ml in 500ml of glucose for intravenous drip, often alleviating symptoms or turning critical situations into safety.
Practical evidence shows that Dan Shen plays a major role in treating cardiovascular and neurological diseases, particularly in critical conditions, mainly through its ability to invigorate blood circulation and open collaterals, dispelling stasis and generating new blood; for hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes, Dan Shen is often combined to invigorate blood and dispel stasis, achieving effective results. What is the rationale behind this?
Pharmacological studies have shown that Dan Shen can inhibit coagulation function and enhance fibrinolytic activity. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, “blood should flow, not stop” and “dispelling stasis stops bleeding,” Dan Shen improves microcirculation and increases capillary networks, leading to decreased vascular pressure at bleeding sites, which can explain its hemostatic effects; thus, invigorating blood and dispelling stasis has a unique mechanism and therapeutic effect for hemorrhagic strokes, which is a clever application of medicinal principles; for treating epilepsy, Dan Shen is often combined with Acorus, Yuan Zhi, Bai Fu Ling, and Nanjing; for liver and kidney Yin deficiency with Yang excess, phlegm and stasis deeply hidden in blood vessels, Dan Shen is combined with Long Chi, Chuan Niu Xi, magnetite, Nu Zhen Zi, Dan Pi, and antelope horn powder.
In summary, many strange diseases are due to stasis, and chronic diseases often involve phlegm; this is key to treating difficult and miscellaneous diseases. As stated in the Compendium of Materia Medica, “Dan Shen… can remove all diseases caused by stasis.”
(4) Clearing Liver and Gallbladder, Unblocking Stagnation, and Treating Accumulations
Accumulations and masses are often caused by damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder, with the liver failing to disperse, leading to Qi stagnation or spleen deficiency causing damp obstruction, resulting in dysfunction of the liver, spleen, and kidney, ultimately leading to Qi stagnation, blood stasis, and water retention, forming accumulations. Dan Shen enters the liver meridian and blood division, effectively moving Qi stagnation in the blood, dispelling stasis and promoting water flow, thus reducing swelling, making it commonly used. For hepatitis B with liver and kidney Yin deficiency, Yi Guan Jian can be modified to include Dan Shen; for jaundice at various stages, Dan Shen is often included based on syndrome differentiation; for abdominal distension due to dampness and stasis, Dan Shen is often combined with Chai Hu, Angelica, turtle shell, oyster, chicken inner gold, big belly peel, cloud poria, San Leng, and E Zhu for effective results; for gallstones, Dan Shen can be combined with Da Huang (Rhubarb), chicken inner gold, Jin Qian Cao (Lysimachia), Chai Hu, and Zhi Shi (Bitter Orange), which are reliable for improving liver function, softening the liver and spleen, shrinking masses, dispelling stasis, and expelling stones.
Pharmacological studies of Dan Shen indicate that it can lower SGPT, protect damaged liver cells, promote liver cell regeneration, and have anti-fibrotic effects. This aligns with the statement in the Classic of Herbal Medicine that Dan Shen dispels “cold and heat accumulations, breaking accumulations and masses,” which is consistent with later experiences that Dan Shen can retract the liver and spleen.
(5) Dispelling Stasis, Promoting Fluid Movement, and Treating Edema
Dan Shen opens blood vessels, promotes fluid pathways, and dispels edema, thus treating edema due to water retention and blood stasis. Animal experiments have shown that Dan Shen can improve kidney function, reduce azotemia, and increase urine output. Edema (Yin water) in the lower limbs and generalized swelling, along with fatigue and lumbar soreness, are often due to kidney deficiency and blood stasis (such as chronic glomerulonephritis, chronic pyelonephritis, nephrotic syndrome, etc.). The Yi Shen Hua Yu Li Shui Tang (Wu Ling San plus Dan Shen, Huang Qi, Sang Ji Sheng, Yi Mu Cao, Chuan Niu Xi, Shan Zha, Bai Mao Gen, Tong Cao) is often used; for lower limb edema, fatigue, abdominal distension, dark tongue, and irregular pulse, which are caused by heart Yang deficiency and water dampness with blood stasis, Zhen Wu Tang combined with Dan Shen, peach kernel, Huang Qi, Bai Mao Gen is often used; for kidney Yang deficiency, Jin Gui Shen Qi Tang plus Dan Shen, Bai Mao Gen, Du Zhong is often used; for Qi stagnation and water retention, Chai Hu Shu Gan San combined with Wu Ling San plus Dan Shen is often used; for Yang water facial swelling (acute glomerulonephritis, etc.) due to wind evil obstructing the lungs and poor Qi movement in the three burners, the Yao Bi Jia Zhu Tang plus Dan Shen, Yun Fu Ling, Che Qian Zi, and Lian Qiao is often used; for lung Qi deficiency and cold leading to poor fluid movement, Ling Gan Wu Wei Jiang Xin Tang plus Dan Shen is often used, all of which can enhance efficacy.
Clinically, as long as syndrome differentiation is accurate and Dan Shen is used appropriately, it can often help eliminate abnormalities in urine tests. The movement of body fluids relies on the regulation of lung Qi, the transformation of spleen Qi, and the evaporation of kidney Qi. If external evils invade or organ functions are disordered or Qi is deficient, the three burners may fail to function properly, leading to water retention.
Water and blood share the same source; as stated in the Treatise on Blood Syndromes: “Water and blood rely on each other… and are interdependent.” Therefore, water retention and blood stasis influence each other, and whether it is Yin water or Yang water, the principles are the same, with differences in severity and urgency, known as “if blood is not flowing, it becomes water… if water is obstructed, blood cannot flow.”
(6) Cooling Blood, Detoxifying, and Reducing Swelling
Dan Shen also has the functions of reducing swelling and pain, cooling blood, detoxifying, and promoting pus discharge and tissue regeneration. For example, Dan Shen combined with Lian Qiao, Tian Hua Fen, Dandelion, and Gua Lou can treat breast abscesses; combined with honeysuckle, Lian Qiao, frankincense, and myrrh to treat abscesses and skin infections; for acute abdominal pain (acute appendicitis, etc.), Da Huang Mu Dan Tang combined with Dan Shen and Hong Teng is very effective; for chronic appendicitis, Dan Shen is often combined with Chai Hu, Yun Fu Ling, Hong Teng, Huang Lian, Mu Xiang, Yan Hu Suo, Xiang Fu, Dandelion, and Shen Qu; due to Dan Shen’s cooling and detoxifying properties, the Green Bean and Licorice Detoxifying Soup (green beans, licorice, Lian Qiao, Shi Hu, Dan Shen, Da Huang, Bai Mao Gen) is often used in clinical treatment of various poisoning emergencies with good results. For damp-heat toxic itching and discharge (such as condyloma acuminatum, cervical erosion, etc.), Dan Shen is often combined with Huang Bai, Ku Shen, raw licorice, Bai Zhu, Cang Zhu, Huai Shan, Tu Fu Ling, Di Fu Zi, wild chrysanthemum, and other herbs for internal use and external washing, showing significant efficacy; for damp-heat toxic dysentery, Dan Shen is often combined with Bai Tou Weng Tang; for high fever and delirium, An Gong Niu Huang Wan can be used with Dan Shen decoction for oral administration, which can enhance efficacy and shorten the treatment duration; for damp-heat scabies, Dan Shen, Ku Shen, and She Chuang Zi can be boiled in water for washing the affected areas.
The Great Ming Materia Medica states: Dan Shen treats “malignant sores, abscesses, goiter, and tumors, promotes pus discharge, stops pain, and regenerates tissue.” Modern pharmacological studies have shown that Dan Shen has a strong inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Proteus vulgaris, and a certain inhibitory effect on typhoid and dysentery bacteria.
In summary, there is no distinction between expensive and cheap medicines; what matters is their appropriate application. Dan Shen is cold in nature and bitter in taste, with the efficacy of invigorating blood and dispelling stasis. It opens collaterals, dispels obstruction, generates new blood, reaches all organs and tissues, calms the spirit, alleviates anxiety, detoxifies, cools the blood, reduces swelling, stops pain, and promotes pus discharge and tissue regeneration for abscesses and dysentery. If syndrome differentiation and treatment selection are accurate and flexible, the clever use of Dan Shen often yields effective results. However, it should be noted that those with spleen deficiency and diarrhea, as well as pregnant women, should use it with caution. Additionally, the dosage of Dan Shen varies greatly between ancient and modern practices; based on our experience, the common dosage for adults is between 10-30g, with some individuals using up to 60g, starting with a smaller dose and gradually increasing.
