Pharmacological effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen)
Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge has more than 2000-year history of mature application. And it is also one of important commodities in the international medicine market. In China it is better known as Dan Shen, which was initially documented and classified as top grade herbs in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Divine Farmer`s Materia Medica), one of the classics and oldest works on Chinese Herbalism. This herb has a few different names,like Chinese sage, Radix Salviae miltiorrhiza, red sage, danshen, and Tan Shen. Medicinally it mainly means the dried root and rhizome of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge.
Danshen contains lipid-soluble and water-soluble phytochemical constituents. Lipid-soluble consituents include tanshinone â… , tanshinone â…¡ A, tanshinone â…¡ B, tanshinone â…¢, cryptotanshinone, hydroxytanshinone â…¡A, methyl tanshinonate, przewaquinone A, Prze-watanshinquinone B, Miltirone, tanshinol I, tanshinol â…¡, Salviol, Tanshialdehyde, and more. Water-soluble ingredients include tanshinol, sal-vianic acid A, B, C, protocatechuic acid, protocatechualdehyde, and so on.
Salvia Miltiorrhiza possible health benefits includes acute ischaemic stroke, high blood pressure (hypertension), cancer, cholesterol, depression, diabetes, glaucoma, sleeping problem, fertility, arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, fibroids, and so on. And it can be consumed also in forms like decoction, extract, capsule, essential oil, tincture, tea, and compound Danshen Dropping Pill(DDP)in China.
Pharmacological effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza(Danshen):
1. Expanding coronary artery, reducing myocardial ischemia;
2. Prevention and treatment of cardiac infarction, cerebral infarction;
3. Stimulating microcirculation and promoting blood flow;
4. Dilating blood vessels and anti-hypertension;
5. Anti-Atherosclerosis, anti-inflammation, inhibiting the platelet aggregation effect, activating the fibrinolysis, and resisting the thrombosis;
6. Regulation of blood lipids;
7. Regeneration of liver cell; resisting of hepatic cirrhosis;
8. Healing of bone facture and the skin wound;
9. Prevention of the ulcer;
10. Neuroprotection;
11. Strengthening renal function and treating the renal ischemic disease;
12. Anti inflammation and allergies;
13. Anti-oxidation effects
Popular salvia miltiorrhiza formulas
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that salvia miltiorrhiza root is bitter and slightly cold in properties. It covers two meridians, including heart and liver. Its basic functions are to remove blood stasis to relieve pain, increase blood circulation to stimulate the menstrual flow, clear away the heart-fire to relieve restlessness. Main medicinal uses and indications are irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, abdominal mass, stabbing pain in chest and abdomen, pyretic arthralgia pain, sore and ulcer, vexation, insomnia, hepatosplenomegaly, and angina. Recommended dosage is from 9 to 15 grams.