WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

This medicinal is the dried root of Radix Codonopsis pilosula(Frach.) Nannf, C, Pilosula Nannf. Var.modesta (Nannf) L.T. Shen or C. tangshen Oliv.(Fam. Araliaceae). It is harvested in autumn. After being washed clean and dried by sunlight, it is sliced into thick segments and used in its unprocessed form.

[ Medicinal Properties ]: Sweet, neutral; relate to spleen and lung meridians.

[ Medicinal Efficacies ]: Invigorate the middle energizer and replenish qi; invigorate spleen and lung; nourish blood and promote fluid production.

[ Clinical Applications ]:1. Insufficiency of middle qi       For lassitude, anorexia, loose stool due to insufficiency of middle qi, it is usually used in combination with Baizhu and Fuling.

2. Lung qi deficiency syndrome      For cough, dyspnea, low and weak voice due to deficiency of lung qi, it is used in combination with Huangqi and Gejie.

3. Syndrome of both qi and blood deficiency       If deficient qi or blood fails to transform into each other, there appears syndrome of both qi and blood deficiency, manifested as pallor or sallow complexion, lack of strength, vertigo and palpations. In this case, it is used in combination with Huangqi and Danggui.

4. Syndrome of both qi and fluid consumption    In a mild case, it should be combined with Maidong and Wuweizi.

 Furthermore, for deficiency syndrome with excess pathogens, such as qi deficiency with external contraction, heat accumulation of interior excess with deficiency of qi and blood, Dangshen is usually used in combination with exterior-expelling medicinals, purgatives, which may reinforce the healthy and eliminate the pathogenic so as to eliminate the pathogenic without damaging the healthy.

[ Usage and Dosage ]: 9-30g.

[ Precautions ]: It is recorded in pharmacopoeia that Dangshen should not be used in combination with Lilu.

[ Medicinal Comparison ]: Similarities: Renshen and Dangshen have the functions of tonifying spleen qi , lung qi, replenishing qi to promote fluid and blood production as well strengthening the healthy to eliminate the pathogenic, and are used to treat spleen qi deficiency syndrome, lung qi deficiency syndrome, thirst due to fluid consumption, xiaoke (similar to diabetes), deficiency syndrome of both qi and blood and qi deficiency syndrome with excessive pathogens.

Differences:Dangshen, sweet and neutral, is moderate in function. When used to treat mild or chronic cases in ancient prescriptions, it is often used in larger dosage as a substitute for Renshen. Since Dangshen does not have the same function of replenishing qi to save collapse as Renshen, it cannot be substitute for Renshen in treating collapse. In addition, Renshen is more effective for replenishing qi to invigorate yang, inducing tranquilization and improving intelligence while Dangshen is more effecctivie for nourishing blood.

党参为桔梗科植物党参Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.)Nannf.、素花党参C. Pilosula Nannf. Var.modesta(Nannf.)L.T.Shen或川党参C.tangshen Oliv.的根。主产于山西、陕西、甘肃。秋季采挖洗净，晒干，切厚片，生用。