Dang Shen

Dang Shen is sweet and neutral. It primarily enters the Spleen meridian. It can be used as deputy in an exterior syndrome when the Qi is too weak to eliminate the exterior pathogenic factors. It can tonify the Spleen-Qi so as to strengthen the Lung-Qi and Defensive-Qi, and accelerate the speed of eliminating the exterior pathogenic factors. 

Dang Shen (Codonopsis radix) and Ren Shen (Ginseng radix)... 

Dang Sheng and Ren Shen tonify the Qi and strengthen the body s resistance. Ren Shen has a stronger function than Dang Shen. They can be used separately as assistants to tonify the Qi in the formula. The condition where excess heat consumes the Qi is manifested as tiredness, shortness of breath, constant sweating with constant high fever and a forceful pulse that is empty in the deep position. 

Dang Shen (Codonopsis radix), Shan Yao (Dioscoreae rhizoma), Jing Mi (non-glutinous rice) and Zhi Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae radix preparata)... 

Dang Shen is used in conditions where the Qi is too weak to pit its efforts against the pathogenic heat, the Stomach-heat syndrome lingers and recovery takes a long period of time. 

Shan Yao has a similar function to Dang Shen but is gentle. Since it has an astringent taste, it is also able to stabilize the Stomach-Yin and can treat thirst. 

Depression where Spleen fails to support the Heart and Lung use Dang Shen (Codonopsis radix), Bai He [Lilii bulbus), Mai Men Dong [Ophiopogonis radix) and Wu Wei Zi [Schisandrae fructus) to tonify and stabilize the Heart and Lung. 

Ren Shen, the chief, can strongly and directly tonify the Spleen-Qi. (In a chronic case, Dang Shen [Codonopsis radix) is frequently used instead of Ren Shen.)... 

Ren Shen, as chief, can directly tonify the Lung-Qi. It can be replaced by a large dosage of Dang Shen (Codonopsis radix), which tonifies the Spleen-Qi in order to tonify the Lung-Qi. 

Mai Men Dong, as deputy, is sweet and cold. Together with Ren Shen or Dang Shen, Mai Men Dong can generate the Qi and nourish the Yin of the Lung, and treats the deficiency. 

Dang Shen is sweet and neutral, and enters the Spleen and Lung meridians. It has no function in nourishing the Yin, but it can gently and sufficiently tonify the Spleen-Qi. As it is neutral in temperature, it has no side effect of injuring the Yin when it tonifies the Qi. It is used in the condition where the Yin and Qi are both injured and the Spleen and Stomach cannot bear very cold herbs in the process of tonifying the Yin. 

Ren Shen and Huang Qi are strong herbs to tonify the Spleen-Qi and promote digestion. They are used for severe cases of deficiency of Spleen-Qi, especially in chronic conditions. A large dosage of Dang Shen is often used as a substitute for Ren Shen. 

Dang Shen is sweet and neutral, and enters the Spleen and Lung meridians. It is an effective and gentle herb for treating Spleen-Qi deficiency in chronic conditions. 

Bai Zhu is warmer than Dang Shen but is bitter. The strong point of this herb is that it can either tonify the Qi or dry dampness. It can also treat the cause and manifestations of phlegm. It is often selected to treat damp-phlegm syndrome. 

Dang Shen and Bai Zhu are able to tonify the Qi and strengthen the function of the Spleen. They are often used as assistants in a formula that treats Liver-Qi stagnation with Spleen-Qi deficiency. Another reason to use herbs which tonify the Spleen is that, as in a chronic condition of Liver-Qi stagnation, the Liver is almost always overacting on the Spleen. It is wise therefore to tonify the Spleen before it is badly weakened. 

Dang Shen (Codonopsis radix), Fluang Qi (Astragali radix), Dang Gui (Angelicae sinensis radix) and Bai Shao Yao (Paeoniae radix lactiflora)... 

Dang Shen and Huang Qi can effectively tonify the Qi and strengthen the muscles Dang Gui and Bai Shao Yao can tonify the blood. They are often selected in the condition of Wei syndrome when the muscles are thin and weak. They are also selected in the formula to treat chronic Bi syndrome in the condition of deficiency of Qi and blood. They are also often used in elderly people or people with a weak constitution. 

For bodily weakness, add Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae Dang Shen) and Radix Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui) to boost the qi and nourish the blood. 

For chronic biliary tract infection, add Cortex Radicis Lycii (Di Gu Pi), Radix Et Rhizoma Oryzae Glutinosae (Nuo Dao Gen), Herba Dendrobii (Shi Hu), Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae (Dang Shen), and raw Concha Ostreae (ShengMu Li) to clear heat, enrich yin, and support the righteous. 

For concomitant qi vacuity, add Radix Panacis Ginseng (Ren Shen) or Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae (Dang Shen). 

For pain in the area of the liver with reduced appetite and fatigue, subtract Ginger and Mint and add Rhizoma Cyperi Rotundi Xiang Fu), Fructus Citri Sacrodactylis (Fo Shou), Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (Dan Shen), and Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae Dang Shen). 

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