Move blood
Dan Shen
丹参
Salvia root
Salvia miltiorrhiza
Moves blood and cools, with a special relationship to the heart in texts.
Not for self-dosing. This page is not a formula, not a strength, and not a substitute for a licensed herbalist or physician.
Category
Cool · Bitter
Meridians entered
Traditional uses
Red sage root. Used for chest patterns, restlessness, and blood stasis with heat. Modern research interest in the heart does not make a root a cardiac drug. It interacts with real medicines.
Common pairings
- Suan Zao Ren 酸枣仁
One moves and cools, one nourishes and calms. A heart-spirit study pair.
- Hong Hua 红花
Two blood movers. Dan Shen is cooler.
Cautions
Not for self-dosing. Do not combine on your own with blood thinners, or before surgery. Care in pregnancy. Not a substitute for chest-pain care.
Points with a similar aim
Sea of Blood
Inner thigh point in the “blood” teaching set.
Lesser Sea
Inner elbow point on the Heart channel.
Use caution
Penetrating the Interior
Forearm luo point taught for spirit and speech patterns.
Use caution
Yin Cleft
Wrist cleft point, taught for acute heart-channel patterns.
Use caution
Jueyin Shu
Pericardium transport point on the upper back.
Use caution
Heart Shu
Heart transport point between the shoulder blades.
Use caution
Diaphragm Shu
Mid-back point called the influential point of blood.
Use caution
Marsh at the Crook
Middle of the elbow crease. Artery nearby, so keep it light.
Use caution