This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a medical condition.
Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) works through its active compounds, particularly tanshinones and danshensu, which improve coronary blood flow and reduce myocardial ischemia. These compounds inhibit platelet aggregation and possess antioxidant properties that protect cardiac tissue. Tanshinone IIA specifically promotes vasodilation and improves microcirculation. Evidence Level C supports these cardiovascular effects, which explains its traditional use for angina and coronary heart disease in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Can I take Danshen with warfarin or blood thinners?
Danshen should not be taken with warfarin or other anticoagulants due to significant drug interactions. Danshen has antiplatelet and antithrombotic properties that can increase bleeding risk when combined with blood-thinning medications. This interaction is clinically significant and may cause excessive bleeding or altered INR levels. Patients on anticoagulant therapy should avoid Danshen entirely. Always consult a healthcare provider before combining herbal supplements with prescription medications.
What is the recommended dosage for Danshen root?
The typical adult dosage for Danshen root is 9-15g as a decoction or 500mg of standardized extract taken twice daily. Standardized extracts typically contain defined amounts of tanshinones or salvianolic acids. Dosage may vary based on the specific condition being treated and the form used. Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners may adjust doses based on individual diagnosis. Consult a qualified practitioner for personalized dosing recommendations.
Is Danshen safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding?
Danshen is considered unsafe during pregnancy and should be avoided. The herb promotes blood circulation and has antiplatelet effects that may increase the risk of bleeding during pregnancy or affect fetal development. Traditional Chinese Medicine contraindicates its use in pregnancy due to its blood-moving properties. There is insufficient safety data for breastfeeding, so avoidance is recommended. Women who are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding should consult a healthcare provider before using any herbal supplements.
Should I stop taking Danshen before surgery?
Yes, Danshen should be discontinued at least 2 weeks before any scheduled surgery due to its significant antiplatelet effects. The herb can increase bleeding time and may cause excessive bleeding during or after surgical procedures. This precaution applies to both major surgeries and minor dental procedures. Always inform your surgeon and anesthesiologist about any herbal supplements you are taking. Failure to disclose herbal supplement use can result in serious surgical complications.
PubMed-compiled information sheet
This sheet was compiled from PubMed (NIH) abstracts using AI assistance. Every factual claim is cited to a real PubMed article (see the source list). It has not yet been human-reviewed — confirm with a healthcare provider before use.
Compiled from 30 PubMed articles · model: gemma4:31b
Summary
Salvia miltiorrhiza, known as Danshen, is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb widely used for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases [PMID: 33430756, 30923500].
Background
Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge) is a perennial plant of the Lamiaceae family native to China and Japan [PMID: 30923500, 32089238, 40720694]. The medicinal part is the dried root and rhizome [PMID: 28828985, 32089238].
Traditional uses
It has been used for hundreds of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, and skeletal diseases [PMID: 28828985, 30923500, 25109459]. It is also associated with promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis (Huoxue Huayu) [PMID: 24123144].
Active compounds
The primary bioactive constituents are divided into lipophilic tanshinones (e.g., tanshinone I, IIA, IIB, cryptotanshinone, and dihydrotanshinone) and hydrophilic phenolic acids (e.g., salvianolic acids A, B, and C, rosmarinic acid, and danshensu) [PMID: 28828985, 30923500, 31338034, 35600860]. Other components include polysaccharides, diterpenoid quinones, and triterpenes [PMID: 36937857, 37648044, 28766764].
Mechanism of action
Danshen exhibits anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory, and anti-thrombotic functions [PMID: 33430756]. It improves endothelial function, promotes vasodilation, inhibits platelet aggregation, and reduces the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells [PMID: 40469984, 31338034]. In cancer, it may induce apoptosis, autophagy, and cell cycle arrest by interfering with microRNAs and epigenetic enzymes [PMID: 36172186, 35600860].
Clinical evidence
Evidence BPrimary Hypertension
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial showed a significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the intervention group receiving intravenous Salvia miltiorrhiza [PMID: 40658027]
Clinical trials indicated that DanShen was an effective medicine for angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and stroke [PMID: 11603281]
Evidence CCardiovascular Diseases
Preparations in combination with Western medicine were reported to be more effective for treating angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and pulmonary heart diseases [PMID: 31338034]
Evidence ACancer
Tanshinones and phenolic acids have demonstrated potent anticancer activities both in vitro and in vivo [PMID: 24123144, 36386172]
Pregnancy & lactation
S. miltiorrhiza and its active compounds are suggested to potentially attenuate symptoms of placenta-mediated pregnancy complications (PMPCs) such as preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction through anticoagulation and endothelial protection [PMID: 36711034].
Evidence summary
Evidence is strongest for cardiovascular applications and anticancer potential, with a mix of systematic reviews, clinical trials, and extensive in vitro/in vivo research. One recent RCT supports its use in hypertension management.
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 33430756 (2021) — Salvia miltiorrhiza in Anti-diabetic Angiopathy. · Current molecular pharmacology
2.PMID: 11603281 (2000) — Salvia miltiorrhiza and ischemic diseases. · Acta pharmacologica Sinica
3.PMID: 28828985 (2017) — Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge): A Prospective Healing Sage for Cardiovascular Diseases. · Current pharmaceutical design
4.PMID: 30923500 (2019) — Tanshinones, Critical Pharmacological Components in Salvia miltiorrhiza. · Frontiers in pharmacology
5.PMID: 25109459 (2014) — Salvia miltiorrhiza: an ancient Chinese herbal medicine as a source for anti-osteoporotic drugs. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
6.
Government sources
No direct government monograph is available for this herb. The content below is AI-generated and has not been verified against an authoritative government source. Use the search links to check official sources before relying on this information.
PMID: 40750518 (2025) — Salvia miltiorrhiza components and gut microbiota interactions in Helicobacter pylori infection. · Journal of integrative medicine
7.PMID: 40658027 (2025) — Effects of Dan Shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) on blood pressure management in hypertensive patients: a randomized controlled trial. · Blood pressure
8.PMID: 24123144 (2014) — The anticancer properties of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen): a systematic review. · Medicinal research reviews
9.PMID: 36711034 (2023) — Effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza active compounds on placenta-mediated pregnancy complications. · Frontiers in cell and developmental biology
10.PMID: 35358599 (2022) — MAPKK2/4/5/7-MAPK3-JAZs modulate phenolic acid biosynthesis in Salvia miltiorrhiza. · Phytochemistry
11.PMID: 37030588 (2023) — The tanshinones from the plant of Salvia miltiorrhiza. · Phytochemistry
12.PMID: 32089238 (2020) — Pharmacological properties of tanshinones, the natural products from Salvia miltiorrhiza. · Advances in pharmacology (San Diego, Calif.)
13.PMID: 40720694 (2025) — Biosynthesis and regulatory mechanism of tanshinones and phenolic acids in Salvia miltiorrhiza. · The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
14.PMID: 33597880 (2020) — Tanshinone IIA: A Review of its Anticancer Effects. · Frontiers in pharmacology
15.PMID: 37648044 (2023) — Salviamilthone A-O, diterpenoid quinones from Salvia miltiorrhiza. · Phytochemistry
16.PMID: 36937857 (2023) — Recent developments in Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharides: Isolation, purification, structural characteristics and biological activities. · Frontiers in pharmacology
17.PMID: 40469984 (2025) — Anti-atherosclerotic effects and molecular targets of salvianolic acids from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. · Frontiers in pharmacology
18.PMID: 36172186 (2022) — Salvia miltiorrhiza in cancer: Potential role in regulating MicroRNAs and epigenetic enzymes. · Frontiers in pharmacology
19.PMID: 35126100 (2021) — Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. (Danshen) for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Clinical Evidence and Network Pharmacology-Based Strategy for Developing Supplementary Medical Application. · Frontiers in pharmacology
20.PMID: 36386172 (2022) — Salvianolic acid B from Salvia miltiorrhiza bunge: A potential antitumor agent. · Frontiers in pharmacology
21.PMID: 34833133 (2021) — Salvia miltiorrhiza Protects Endothelial Dysfunction against Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress. · Life (Basel, Switzerland)
22.PMID: 31338034 (2019) — Salvia miltiorrhiza in Treating Cardiovascular Diseases: A Review on Its Pharmacological and Clinical Applications. · Frontiers in pharmacology
23.PMID: 28766764 (2017) — Bioactive Triterpenes from the Root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. · Phytotherapy research : PTR
24.PMID: 32933217 (2020) — Overview of Salvia miltiorrhiza as a Potential Therapeutic Agent for Various Diseases: An Update on Efficacy and Mechanisms of Action. · Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
25.PMID: 37842784 (2024) — Metabolomic and antioxidant analyses of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge and Salvia prattii Hemsl. seeds. · Natural product research
26.PMID: 30609767 (2019) — Biosynthesis, Chemistry, and Pharmacology of Polyphenols from Chinese Salvia Species: A Review. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
27.PMID: 36869860 (2024) — Salvia miltiorrhiza augments endothelial cell function for ischemic hindlimb recovery. · Biological chemistry
28.PMID: 35600860 (2022) — Salvia miltiorrhiza in Breast Cancer Treatment: A Review of Its Phytochemistry, Derivatives, Nanoparticles, and Potential Mechanisms. · Frontiers in pharmacology
29.PMID: 38542838 (2024) — Research Progress on Regulation of Immune Response by Tanshinones and Salvianolic Acids of Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge). · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)