Red sage root (Danshen)
Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. (Fam. Lamiaceae)
Pharmaceutical Name: Radix Salviae
militiorrhizae
Botanical Name: Salvia
miltiorrhiza Bge. (Fam.
Lamiaceae)
Common Name: Salvia root, Red sage root,
Red-rooted
sage.
Source of Earliest Record: Shennong
Bencao Jing.
Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical
Preparations: The roots are dug in autumn, and then cleaned, soaked, cut
into slices and dried in the sun. They can also be fried with wine.
Properties & Taste: Bitter and
slightly cold.
Meridians: Heart, pericardium and liver.
Functions: 1. To invigorate blood and
move stagnation; 2. To cool blood and reduce carbuncles; 3. To clear heat in
the heart and soothe irritability
Indications & Combinations:
1. Internal blood stagnation manifested as
irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, abdominal pain or postpartum abdominal
pain. Red sage root (Danshen) is used with Motherwort (Yimucao), Peach seed
(Taoren), Safflower (Honghua) and Chinese angelica root (Danggui).
2. Qi and blood stagnation manifested as
cardiac pain, abdominal pain or epigastric pain. Red sage root (Danshen) is
used with Amomum fruit (Sharen) and Sandalwood (Tanxiang) in the formula
Danshen Yin.
3. Carbuncles, furuncles and swellings. Red
sage root (Danshen) is used with Honeysuckle flower (Jinyinhua), Forsythia
fruit (Lianqiao) and Frankincense (Ruxiang) in the formula Xiaoru Tang.
4. Blood stagnation manifested as general
pain or joint pain. Red sage root (Danshen) is used with Chinese angelica
root (Danggui), Chuanxiong rhizome (Chuanxiong) and Safflower (Honghua).
5. Febrile disease with pathogenic wind
invading the nutritive level manifested as high fever, irritability, dull
maculopapule and a red or deep red tongue proper with scanty coating. Red
sage root (Danshen) is used with Fresh rehmannia root (Shengdihuang),
Scrophularia (Xuanshen) and Bamboo leaf (Zhuye).
6. Deficiency of nutritive blood with
internal heat manifested as palpitations, irritability and insomnia. Red
sage root (Danshen) is used with Wild jujube seed (Suanzaoren) and Multiflower
knotweed (Yejiaoteng).
Dosage: 5-15 g, decocted in water for
an oral dose. If this herb is stir-baked with wine, it has a stronger effect for promoting Blood circulation and eliminating Blood
Stasis.
Cautions & Contraindications: Blood
invigoration is enhanced by frying with wine. Do not combine with the herb
Black false bellebore (Lilu).
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