Traditional Uses of Danshen
Danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae) has been used for treating chronic renal failure and to prevent and treat heart conditions and strokes in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The Danshen root is used with kudzu root for the treatment of coronary heart disease. Danshen is also used for treating diabetes in TCM. Some people also use danshen for menstrual disorders, chronic liver disease, rapid heartbeat, tight chest, acne, psoriasis and eczema.

Danshen Benefits
Anti-oxidative activities
Research found that oral intake of danshen improved the glutathione and malondialdehyde levels in the eyes and aorta in diabetic rats. In addition, danshen didn't alter the hyperglycemic status of the diabetic animals. Thus, that oral administration of danshen can effectively prevent the occurrence of oxidative stress in the eye and aorta of the diabetic rats, help prevent or relieve the diabetic complications. 

Lipid Profiles and Osteoporosis
Zhang ZP from Guangdong Medical College found that danshen root compounds increased HDL-cholesterol and partially prevent the occurrence of osteoporosis in mice suffered from hyperlipemia-induced osteoporosis. 

Breast Cancer
Danshen was found to strongly inhibit the proliferation of both breast cancer cells MCF-7 vec cells and MCF-7 HER2 cells. MCF-7 HER2 cells is related to the overexpression of HER2. HER2 is a receptor tyrosine kinase, and is involved in signal transduction pathways leading to tumor cell proliferation. And, MCF-7 HER2 cells were more resistant to the Danshen-induced inhibition of Akt phosphorylation and p27 up-regulation. 

High Blood Pressure
Blood Pressure Animal studies have suggested that danshen may have benefits of blood pressure lowering; anti-fibrinolytic activities and inhibitory effect of platelet aggregation. However, its side effects can be serious, especially if the users are overdosed. It interacts with warfarin, danshen should be avoided in patients taking blood thinning or blood pressure lowering agents. 

Inhibition of Ca(2+) influx in the vascular smooth muscle cells was found to contribute the vasorelaxant effects of danshen aqueous extract, danshensu and dihydrotanshinone and salvianolic acid B.Kim DD and co-workers at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School found that oral tanshinone (50 microg/100 g body wt) reduced mean arterial pressure in hypertensive hamsters. They also identified eNOS stimulation is one mechanism by which tanshinone induces vasodilation and reduces blood pressure. 

Ulcer
Danshen decoction was found to accelerate the healing of ulcer induced by acetic acid, increased the content of mucus and inhibited the formation of gastric ulcer in a study of mice.