补阴，泻肺火
甘苦微寒。味淡体轻，专补肺气，清肺养肝，兼益脾肾（脾为肺母，肾为肺子）。久嗽
肺痿，金受火克者宜之，寒客肺中作嗽者勿服（人参补五脏之阳，沙参补五脏之阴，肺热者
用之，以代人参）。
似人参而体轻松，白实者良，生沙地者长大，生黄土者瘦小。畏防己。反黎芦（北地
真者难得。郑奠一曰∶能疗胸痹、心腹痛、邪热结，去皮肤游风、疥癣、恶疮、疝气、崩带）
。
补心，生血，去瘀
气平而降（《本经》∶微寒。宏景曰∶性应热）。味苦色赤，入心与包络。破宿血，生新
血（瘀去然后新生），安生胎（养血），堕死胎（去瘀），调经脉（风寒湿热，袭伤营血，则
经水不调。先期属热，后期属寒。又有血虚、血瘀、气滞、痰阻之不同。大抵妇人之病，首
重调经，经调则百病散），除烦热，功兼四物（一味丹参散，功同四物汤），为女科要药。
治冷热劳，骨节痛，风痹不随（手足缓散，不随人用。经曰∶足受血而能步、掌受血
而能握），肠鸣腹痛，崩带症瘕（音“征加”。症者有块可征，瘕者假也，移动聚散无常，皆
血病），血虚血瘀之候。又治目赤、疝痛、疮疥、肿毒，排脓生肌（郑奠一曰∶丹参养神定
志，通利血脉，实有神验）。畏咸水，忌醋。反藜芦。
补阴，泻肺火
味甘、苦，性微寒。气味淡而质地轻，专门补益肺气，清泄肺热并滋养肝木，同时兼益脾肾（脾为肺之母，肾为肺之子）。适用于久咳不愈及肺痿（肺部组织萎缩病变），以及因金受火克（肺金被心火克制）所致者；若因寒邪客于肺中引起的咳嗽则不宜服用（人参补五脏之阳气，沙参补五脏之阴气，肺热者使用沙参，以替代人参）。
外形似人参但质地轻松，白色且坚实者为佳，生长在沙地中的植株较大，生长在黄土中的植株瘦小。畏忌防己。反藜芦（北方地区真正的正品难得一见。郑奠一认为：能治疗胸痹、心腹疼痛、邪热结聚，去除皮肤游风、疥癣、恶疮、疝气、崩漏带下）。
补心，生血，去瘀
气平而降（《神农本草经》记载：性微寒。陶宏景说：性应属热）。味苦色赤，入心经与心包络。破除陈旧瘀血，生成新鲜血液（瘀血去除后新血自生），安固活胎（通过养血实现），堕除死胎（通过祛除瘀血实现），调理月经（风寒湿热侵袭损伤营血，则导致月经不调。经期提前属热证，推后属寒证。又有血虚、血瘀、气滞、痰阻等不同情况。大抵妇女疾病，首要在于调经，经脉调和则百病消散），清除烦热，功效兼具四物汤（单用丹参散，功效等同于四物汤），是妇科重要药物。
治疗冷热劳损，骨节疼痛，风痹导致的肢体瘫痪（手足松弛无力，不能随意运动。经文说：足部得到血液滋养才能行走，手掌得到血液滋养才能握持），肠鸣腹痛，崩漏带下及症瘕（音“征加”。症指有块状物可验证，瘕指假象，移动聚散无常，皆属于血病），以及血虚血瘀的证候。又治疗目赤肿痛、疝痛、疮疥、肿毒，排脓生肌（郑奠一认为：丹参能养神定志，通利血脉，确实有神奇疗效）。畏忌咸水，忌食醋。反藜芦。
Nourish Yin, Clear Lung Fire
Sweet and bitter in taste, slightly cold in nature. With a light flavor and light body, it specifically tonifies Lung Qi, clears Lung heat, nourishes the Liver, and simultaneously benefits the Spleen and Kidney (the Spleen is the Mother of the Lung, and the Kidney is the Child of the Lung). It is suitable for chronic cough and Fei Wei (Lung Atrophy), and cases where Metal is overcome by Fire; however, it should not be taken for coughs caused by Cold pathogens lodging in the Lung (Renshen [Ginseng Root] tonifies the Yang of the Five Zang organs, while Shashen [Adenophorae Radix] tonifies the Yin of the Five Zang organs; for Lung Heat, Shashen is used to replace Renshen).
It resembles Renshen but has a lighter texture; those that are white and solid are superior. Plants growing in sandy soil grow large, while those growing in yellow loess soil are small and thin. It is incompatible with Fangji [Stephaniae Tetrandrae Rhizoma]. It is contrary to Lilu [Veratri Nigri Rhizoma] (True authentic specimens from the North are hard to come by. Zheng Dianyi stated: It can treat Xiong Bi [Chest Bi], heart and abdominal pain, accumulation of pathogenic heat, and eliminate skin wandering wind, scabies, malignant sores, hernia, metrorrhagia, and leukorrhea).
Tonify Heart, Generate Blood, Remove Stasis
Its Qi is neutral and descending (The *Shennong Bencao Jing* records: slightly cold. Tao Hongjing said: its nature should be hot). Bitter in taste and red in color, it enters the Heart and Pericardium channels. It breaks old blood and generates new blood (after stasis is removed, new blood arises), calms the fetus (by nourishing blood), expels dead fetuses (by removing stasis), regulates menstruation (Wind-Cold-Damp-Heat invading and damaging Ying-Blood leads to irregular menstruation. Early onset belongs to Heat, late onset belongs to Cold. There are also differences such as Blood Deficiency, Blood Stasis, Qi Stagnation, and Phlegm Obstruction. Generally, women's diseases prioritize regulating menstruation; once the menses are regulated, myriad diseases dissipate), eliminates vexation and heat, and its efficacy combines that of Siwu Tang (Dan Shen San [Salvia Miltiorrhiza Powder] alone has effects equivalent to Siwu Tang [Four Substances Decoction]), making it an essential herb for gynecology.
It treats Cold-Heat Lao (Consumption), bone and joint pain, Feng Bi [Wind Bi Syndrome] causing paralysis (limbs are loose and scattered, unable to follow human will. The classics state: when the feet receive blood, they can walk; when the palms receive blood, they can grasp), borborygmus and abdominal pain, metrorrhagia, leukorrhea, and Zheng Jia (pronounced "zheng jia". Zheng refers to masses that can be verified/seen, Jia refers to false formations that move and gather/scatter unpredictably; all belong to Blood diseases), and conditions of Blood Deficiency and Blood Stasis. It also treats red eyes, hernia pain, sores and scabies, swelling and toxicity, discharges pus and generates flesh (Zheng Dianyi stated: Dan Shen nourishes the Spirit and stabilizes the Will, unblocks and promotes the flow of vessels and collaterals, truly possessing miraculous efficacy). It is incompatible with salty water, and vinegar is contraindicated. It is contrary to Lilu [Veratri Nigri Rhizoma].