Investigation of Danshen and related medicinal plants in China

In China, over 20 Salvia species have been used as Danshen in traditional folk medicine for the treatment of coronary heart diseases and strokes.

In order to gain a better understanding of the plants used in this formula, where the plants originate and how the plants are traditionally processed and handled.

A field investigation on traditional functions and folk therapeutic uses of these plants was conducted. Based upon interviewing and working with traditional healers, we present the information recorded in detail upon these medicinal plants including the local name, collecting location, growing environment, distribution and therapeutic effects. The current survey revealed 17 original plants used as folk medicine of Danshen in different regions of China. Additionally, HPLC coupled with DAD detection was applied to study the quality of different Danshen samples.

The results indicated that the official species of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2005) is the unique species of Danshen that meets all the requirements as described. However, a total of 18 Salvia spp. are collected, used and traded under this same name.

In different regions of China, many species in Salvia genus are collected, traded and used as the traditional medicinal plant, Danshen. Based upon this investigation including both the botanical authentication and the chemical characterization of all the collected species. We found that only S. miltiorrhiza meet the requirements set forth and ascribed as the formal Danshen in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2005).