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Dang Shen (Codonopsis pilosula) is a common Chinese medicinal herb and a nourishing food ingredient. It can be used to make congee or cooked in soups with chicken and pork ribs. Additionally, it can be steeped in water, which is a method that many people are not familiar with. Today, I will introduce the correct way to prepare Dang Shen tea, as well as its benefits and effects. 
How to Steep Dang Shen
Dang Shen can be steeped alone or combined with other medicinal herbs. When steeping Dang Shen alone, the dosage is typically between 5 to 10 grams. Place it directly in a glass cup and pour in boiling water to steep. It is best to combine it with glucose and other nourishing herbs like Goji berries (Gou Qi Zi) and Astragalus (Huang Qi) for optimal effects. Using boiling water to steep will yield the best results.
Benefits and Effects of Dang Shen Tea
1. Enhances Disease Resistance
Drinking Dang Shen tea can improve the body’s resistance to diseases. This is because Dang Shen contains natural polysaccharides and various trace elements that, once absorbed by the body, can enhance central nervous system function and promote the production of antibodies, thereby boosting the immune system and increasing disease resistance.
2. Prevents Hypertension
Consuming Dang Shen tea can also help prevent hypertension. Dang Shen contains natural antihypertensive components, and the trace elements it contains can act on the cardiovascular system, promoting vasodilation and accelerating blood circulation, which helps maintain stable blood pressure and significantly reduces the risk of hypertension.
3. Tonifies Qi and Nourishes
Dang Shen is known for its ability to tonify Qi and nourish the body. It has a significant nourishing effect, especially when there is Qi and blood deficiency. Drinking Dang Shen tea can alleviate symptoms, particularly for diarrhea caused by insufficient middle Qi.
The above introduces the correct method for preparing Dang Shen tea, allowing everyone to understand how to make it effectively and its benefits. This will provide a more comprehensive understanding of Dang Shen tea, and in the future, when you need to maintain your health, consider trying Dang Shen tea. 
Dang Shen is sweet and slightly warm, tonifying the middle and benefiting Qi, quenching thirst and generating fluids. It is contraindicated for those with excess conditions.
It is the dried root of the perennial herb Dang Shen from the Campanulaceae family, either wild or cultivated. It is primarily produced in Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, and Northeast China. Harvested in autumn, the above-ground parts and soil are removed, and it is sun-dried until semi-dry, then repeatedly kneaded by hand or with a board 3-4 times before final drying.
Properties and Channels: Sweet in flavor, slightly warm in nature. It enters the Spleen and Lung channels.
Functions and Indications: Tonifies the middle and benefits Qi, generates fluids. Used for Qi deficiency, poor appetite, Spleen deficiency diarrhea, blood deficiency with pallor, blood in stool, and fluid damage with thirst, as well as dual deficiency of Qi and Yin.
Dosage and Administration: 9-30 grams.
Pharmacological Effects
1. Animal experiments have shown that it can resist fatigue, improve heat tolerance, and enhance tolerance to hypoxia caused by various factors, affecting both excitatory and inhibitory neural processes.
2. Dang Shen can significantly increase the number of macrophages, enlarge cell volume, and enhance phagocytic function. The activity of DNA, RNA, carbohydrates, ADP enzyme, ATP enzyme, acid enzyme, and succinate dehydrogenase within the cells is significantly enhanced, demonstrating immune-promoting effects.
3. Dang Shen can increase the number of red blood cells, raise hemoglobin levels, and decrease the total white blood cell count, with an increase in neutrophils and a decrease in lymphocytes.
4. Dang Shen can lower blood pressure due to peripheral vasodilation, increase cardiac output, and enhance blood flow to the brain, lower limbs, and internal organs.
Clinical Applications: This herb has a mild nature, is neither dry nor greasy, and is good at tonifying the Qi of the Spleen and Lung while nourishing blood and generating fluids. It is commonly used for Spleen and Lung Qi deficiency, blood deficiency, and fluid damage. In general tonifying formulas, Dang Shen is often used as a substitute for Ginseng.
Folk Prescription 1: Hyperlipidemia
Dang Shen and Yu Zhu (Polygonatum odoratum) each 12.5 grams. Crush and mix, form into 4 honey pills, take 2 pills each time, twice daily for 45 days as one course of treatment. (Liaoning Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine)
Folk Prescription 2: Hypotension (anemic, infectious, orthostatic, unknown causes)
Dang Shen and Huang Jing (Polygonatum sibiricum) each 30 grams, roasted licorice 10 grams, decoct in water, one dose daily. (Intermediate Medical Journal)
Another formula uses Dang Shen 15 grams, Huang Jing 12 grams, cinnamon 10 grams, 10 dates, and licorice 6 grams. Decoct in water, one dose daily, for 15 days as one course of treatment, 1-2 courses total. (Guangxi Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine)
Folk Prescription 3: Functional Uterine Bleeding
Use Dang Shen alone, daily dosage 30-60 grams, decoct in water, take twice daily during menstruation for 5 days. (Zhejiang Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine)
Folk Prescription 4: Proteinuria due to Nephritis
Dang Shen 15 grams, Huang Qi 12 grams, Fu Ling (Poria cocos) 9 grams, decoct in water, take twice daily.
Folk Prescription 5: Hypotension
Huang Jing and Dang Shen each 30 grams, roasted licorice 10 grams, decoct in water, one dose daily, can be taken continuously.
Folk Prescription 6: Chronic Rhinitis
White Hyacinth Bean 30 grams, Dang Shen 10 grams, decoct for 30 minutes, strain and add 100 grams of glutinous rice to make a thin porridge. Consume on an empty stomach in the morning and evening.
Folk Prescription 7: Prolapse of the Rectum
Dang Shen 30 grams, Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga foetida) 9 grams, licorice 6 grams, decoct in water.
Folk Prescription 8: Functional Uterine Bleeding
Dang Shen 30 grams, Dang Gui (Angelica sinensis) 15 grams, decoct in water.
Folk Prescription 9: Chronic Cough
Dang Shen 9 grams, Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra chinensis) 6 grams, walnut meat 30 grams, decoct in water.