Sacred Lotus Chinese & Integrative Medicine

Relationship Graph

Sacred Lotus connections

Dan Shen (Salvia Root)

Herbs that Invigorate Blood and Remove Stagnation
Dan Shen 丹参

Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae Salvia Root

Channels HTPERLIV
Nature Slightly Cold Bitter
✓ CALE Exam ✓ National Exam
Dan Shen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae)
Specimen Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae

Materia Medica Data

Category
Herbs that Invigorate Blood and Remove Stagnation
Temperature
Slightly Cold
Nature & Flavour
Bitter, Slightly Cold
Channels Entered
HT, PER, LIV
Latin (pharmaceutical)
Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae
Chinese
丹参
Tone Marks
dān shēn
Translation
Cinnabar Root

Relationships

Appears in Formulas 6

Calm the Spirit (2)

Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan15gSheng Tie Luo Yin4.5g

Invigorate the Blood (2)

Dan Shen Yin30gHuo Luo Xiao Ling Dan15g

Clear Heat (1)

Qing Ying Tang6g

Treat Phlegm (1)

Ding Xian Wan60g

Cautionary Pairings1

Li Lu
Buy This Herb

Get free shipping from our partners at CHD

Chinese Herb Actions

  • Invigorates Blood and Dispels Stasis For gynecological disorders such as irregular menses, amenorrhea, and post-partum abdominal pain. It is also for chest, epigastric, and abdominal pain as well as traumatic injury. It disperses masses and accumulations.
  • Clears Heat and Soothes Irritability For restlessness, irritability, palpitations, and insomnia due to heat in the nutritive (Ying) level. Can also be used for Heart and Kidney Yin Deficiency patterns.
  • Cools Blood and Reduces Abscesses Has a potent action to reduce swelling in toxic sores and breast abscesses. It cools the blood to treat symptoms of febrile disorders or the presence of heat in the ying or xue levels with symptoms of delirium, high fever, unconsciousness, irritability, insomnia, purpura or subcutaneous bleeding.
  • Nourishes the Blood and Calms the Spirit Treats palpitations and insomnia due to heat in the ying and xue levels, heat in the heart and heart blood deficiency.

Chinese Herb Dosage

  • 6-15 grams in decoction (Bensky)
  • 5-10 Grams in decoction, maximum 30 Grams (Chen)

Chinese Herb Contraindications & Cautions

  • Do not use during pregnancy.
  • Do not use in cases with hypermenorrhea, hemoptysis or hematuria.
  • Do not use for Yin Xu patients.
  • Do not use when a pathogen is in the Qi level
  • Do not use during post-partum bleeding
  • Do not use for early menses or obstructed menses due to lack of blood
  • Do not use for restless fetus due to lack of blood unable to nourish.

Chinese Herb Toxicity & Overdose

  • Allergic reactions affecting the skin and respiratory system have been reported. Possible side effects include: dry mouth, dizziness, general weakness, numb and swollen feeling in the hands, shortness of breath, anxiety, tachycardia, nausea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal symptoms. These symptoms gradually disappear, usually without terminating treatment.

Herb-Drug Interactions

  • Dan Shen may interfere with Anti-Coagulating drugs.
  • Decreases warfarin clearance and increases its bioavailability.

This herb is incompatible with:

Sources & References

Compiled and edited by Thomas Dehli, Founder & Editor, Sacred Lotus

The information here is referenced from numerous sources — teachers, practitioners, class notes from Five Branches University, the books below, and the published research literature, with citations given as resolvable PubMed identifiers. Where sources disagree, I have flagged the discrepancies directly. If facts couldn't be verified, I have left them out. How we source our content.

Reference information for students and practitioners — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner. Terms of use.

Chinese Herbs Books & References

  • https://amzn.to/3WfB3DK

    Dan Bensky

  • https://amzn.to/3DR1VUh

    John K. Chen, Tina T. Chen

  • https://amzn.to/42aMz73

    Max Wichtl

  • https://amzn.to/3PuD4bt

    Him Che. Yeung

Browse all Chinese Medicine reference texts