Danshen (Red Sage Root)
丹参 · Dānshēn
Salvia miltiorrhiza
Family: Lamiaceae · Part used: Root · Origin: Zhongjiang, Sichuan, China
Nature
Cool
Flavor
Bitter
Meridian
Heart, Pericardium, Liver
Danshen — red as cinnabar — is the leading herb for heart and chest blood stasis in modern Chinese practice. 'One dan shen equals four substances', the saying goes, for it nourishes blood while moving it. Its tanshinones are among the most researched compounds in cardiovascular herbal medicine.
🌿 Functions & Actions
- •Invigorates blood and dispels stasis
- •Unblocks the channels and eases pain
- •Clears heart heat and calms restlessness
- •Reduces abscesses and swelling
📋 Traditional Indications
- •Chest and heart discomfort from stasis
- •Palpitations and insomnia
- •Menstrual pain from stasis
- •Joint and limb pain
- •Liver constraint with stagnation
📖 Usage & Dosage
9–15 g in decoction, simmered 30 minutes.
🍵 Classic Recipes
Danshen & Hawthorn Tea
Danshen 6 g + hawthorn 10 g, simmered 15 minutes — the everyday heart-circulation tea.
Danshen Chicken Soup
Danshen 10 g simmered with chicken and red dates for gentle blood invigoration.
🔬 Modern Research
Tanshinone IIA and salvianolic acid B have extensive research portfolios covering coronary circulation, myocardial protection, and fibrosis — one of China's most successful modern herbal research programs.
⚠️ Contraindications
Avoid in pregnancy and with anticoagulant therapy. Not with bleeding disorders.
