Salvianolic acid B 60%:

Application:

SALVIA ROOT (Salvia miltiorrhiza)

Latin: Salvia miltiorrhiza
Chinese: Dan shen 
English: Asian red sage

WHAT IT DOES: Salvia root is bitter in taste, and slightly cold in action.  It promotes blood circulation while reducing general of blood vessel inflammation. It has anti-arteriosclerotic properties.

RATING: Gold

SAFETY ISSUES: Should not be used while taking anticoagulant medications such as Wayfarin unless under the direction of a qualified health care practitioner.  Bleeding may result (Izzat et al., 1998).  Do not use internally in tincture form. In very rare cases Salvia may thin the blood too much and cause increased bruising, in which case the dosage should be lowered or stopped.

STARTING DOSAGE: 
• Crude herb: three to 15 grams per day 
• Concentrated 4:1 dried decoction: one to four grams per day.  

TCM doctors use salvia root to invigorate and move the blood.  In animal experiments it has been shown to increase coronary blood flow, lower blood pressure slightly, improve microcirculation, and mitigate injury and accelerate recovery from ischemic attack (stroke). It has anti-arteriosclerotic properties. Human experiments illustrate numerous circulation benefits, including dilation of the coronary arteries and increased capillary action.  Because it has a strong cooling action, salvia has a distinct advantage in certain medical conditions over warming herbs such as prickly ash bark.  It is especially useful in coronary artery disease, where there is almost always a combination of inflammation and blockage.  It is the most commonly used "moving blood" herb in our clinic.  A popular salvia-based formula in China called Tanshinone IIA is used frequently to treat various cardiovascular problems. Recent research is suggesting it contains compounds tha may have benefit in preventing or treating Alzheimers disease. Salvia root has been shown to inhibit fibrosis (formation of scar tissue) in animal wound-healing models (Liu M et al., 1998), while similar protective effects were found against chemically-induced liver fibrosis in rats.  In fact, histological examination showed that salvia could actually reverse the fibrosis (Wasser et al., 1998).  These studies demonstrate that salvia root shows promise in prevention and treatment of cirrhosis of the liver.