This is a type of herb widely grown in mountainous regions, known as the “red ginseng,” extremely beneficial for the blood. However, many Vietnamese people are still unaware of or do not use this herb.

Dan Shen is a herb currently cultivated extensively in our country’s mountainous areas. It is considered a “miracle tonic” for blood enrichment and is therefore called the “essential medicine for blood-related diseases.”

According to Dr. Huỳnh Tấn Vũ (Specialist Level II) from the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City (Branch 3), Dan Shen is also known as blood ginseng, red ginseng, or blood root. It is called Dan Shen because the plant’s root resembles ginseng and has a red color, hence the nickname “red ginseng.” In traditional medicine, Dan Shen has a bitter taste, is slightly cold in nature, and enters the heart and liver meridians. It is used to treat blood disorders and is beneficial for cardiovascular and brain health.

Dan Shen is especially good for women, particularly those who suffer from vaginal bleeding, irregular menstruation, or jaundice. It is also effective in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular circulation disorders. Additionally, it helps protect blood vessels, reduce microcirculation disorders, and dilate arteries, veins, and capillaries.

The Dan Shen plant is considered a precious medicinal herb, particularly effective in treating blood-related issues.

Research has shown that Dan Shen extract benefits the cardiovascular system by inhibiting platelet aggregation, increasing blood flow, and improving diastolic function (left ventricular relaxation) in patients with hypertension. Dan Shen also helps reduce blood clot formation and dissolve thrombi, thereby promoting good blood circulation and preventing strokes.

Furthermore, this herb is effective in treating palpitations, chest pain, insomnia, jaundice, and also has the effect of calming the fetus during pregnancy. Although widely cultivated in Vietnam and highly effective, many Vietnamese people are still unaware of this plant, resulting in limited use for disease treatment and health enhancement.

Dr. Phùng Tuấn Giang, Chairman of the Institute for Traditional Medicine Development, also stated that modern medical research has found that the Dan Shen herb contains many compounds that are extremely beneficial for health, particularly for the heart and blood. Dan Shen can be used alone or combined with other medicinal herbs to support the treatment of conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and gynecological disorders, with a dosage of 6 to 12 grams decocted and consumed as a liquid or in powdered form.

In modern medicine, Dan Shen can be used in full extract or partial extract form, either alone or combined with active ingredients from other herbs to create therapeutic products of high efficacy with natural origins. However, Dr. Giang also warns that specific formulations must be evaluated for safety and effectiveness to determine suitable indications and dosages.

The root is the most medicinally valuable part of the Dan Shen plant.

Below are some common remedies using Dan Shen for reference:

• Treat irregular menstruation: Clean, dry, and grind Dan Shen into powder. Take 8g daily divided into 2–3 doses.

• Treat menstrual pain or absence of menstruation: 10g Dan Shen, 6g cyperus, 10g angelica, 5g white peony root, 5g ligusticum wallichii, 10g rehmannia; boil in 600ml water until 200ml remains. Divide into 3 doses per day.

• Treat arterial blockages in limbs: 20g Dan Shen and astragalus each; 16g angelica tail; 12g each of red peony root, cinnamon twig, white atractylodes, turmeric, frankincense, myrrh, safflower, peach kernel, sappan wood. Decoction once a day.

• Treat neurasthenia, headaches, insomnia: 16g each of Dan Shen, white peony root, jujube, roasted cassia seeds, ophiopogon, achyranthes, Radix Scrophulariae; 8g each of gardenia seeds and sour jujube seeds. Decoction once a day.

• Treat acute arthritis with cardiac involvement: 20g each of Dan Shen and honeysuckle; 16g each of codonopsis, astragalus, white atractylodes; 12g each of angelica, longan aril, forsythia, scutellaria, phellodendron; 8g each of jujube seed, poria; 6g each of costus root and polygala. Decoction once a day.

• Treat chest pain or heart pain: 32g Dan Shen, 20g each of ligusticum, agarwood, curcuma, 16g safflower, 12g each of red peony root, processed cyperus, shallot, trichosanthes, 10g angelica tail. Decoction once a day.

• Treat heart failure: 16g Dan Shen, 20g codonopsis, 16g each of white atractylodes, coix seed, ligusticum, achyranthes, alisma, epimedium, pine bark. Decoction once a day.

• Treat palpitations, dizziness, headaches, blurred vision, tinnitus: 12g each of Dan Shen, glehnia root, ophiopogon, prepared rehmannia, longan aril, codonopsis; 8g each of jujube seed, polygala, arborvitae seed; 6g schisandra. Decoction once a day.

Although Dan Shen is a precious medicine beneficial for health, experts recommend consulting a qualified practitioner before use to ensure optimal effectiveness and safety.