In 1833 a Russian botanist named Alexander Von Burge gave a famous Chinese medicinal herb, Dan Shen the Latin name Salvia miltiorrhiza which literally means “to be saved”. Dan Shen was first noted in the oldest surviving Chinese herbal text written in 206 BCE. Traditionally Dan Shen was used to invigorate the blood, a function analogous to reducing blood coagulation and clotting. Its modern day applications include: prevention of atherosclerosis, prevention of and rehabilitation after certain types of strokes and lowering cholesterol and triglycerides. I use Dan Shen frequently in my practice. I have found that in addition to substantial changes in lab tests, Dan Shen effectively allievates subjective symptoms such as chest distress and costal (liver, gallbladder) pain. No wonder a modern day scientist named a traditional Chinese herb “to be saved”.
Please note: Dan Shen should not be combined with other herbs or drugs that thin the blood unless specifically prescribed by a medical professional. For best results patients should only take Dan Shen under the supervision of trained health care provider.
