Dan Shen, the precious bright red root

Dan Shen reads “the precious bright red root”: 丹, the red of cinnabar, that of the root, and 参, the word that gathers the precious roots of the pharmacopoeia, from ginseng to figwort. Its other names all speak of this colour: the red root, the purple root. It is the root of a sage, Salvia miltiorrhiza, a perennial with blue-violet flowers and reddish-brown skin, which grows on slopes and at forest edges. Its reference growing region is Sichuan, in particular Zhongjiang county, which holds a geographical indication. Good root shows a purplish-red cut; it is not washed in water after lifting, or it would turn black.

Setting the Blood moving again, without Heat

In traditional Chinese medicine, Dan Shen is bitter and slightly cold. The bitter taste makes things descend and sets them in motion; its slight coolness sets it apart from most herbs that move the Blood, which are often warm and drying. It enters the Heart, which governs the vessels, and the Liver, which stores the Blood and regulates its circulation. Its primary and most famous action is to move the Blood and dispel stasis: it sets in motion Blood that has come to a halt and reopens obstructed pathways. With notoginseng root, it forms a pair that moves the Blood without letting it escape.

An almost complete Blood herb

A famous saying claims that “a powder of Dan Shen alone has the same effect as Si Wu Tang”, the base formula that nourishes and moves the Blood. Physicians have nuanced it: red sage mainly moves, and it is cool. But it also nourishes the Blood a little and, through the Heart, calms the Shen that Heat agitates. It is thus found in Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan, where it helps the tonic herbs nourish without causing stagnation. Modern research is notably interested in tanshinone IIA and salvianolic acid B.

Key benefits

Blood in motion & circulation

Bitter and descending, the root stimulates blood circulation according to Chinese tradition, without adding Heat.

Stasis dispersed & open pathways

It sets in motion Blood that has stopped and accumulated, and disperses stasis.

Calm mind & cooled Heart

Through the Heart, it cools and promotes a calm mind, while helping to form new Blood.