Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza): Warfarin Interaction
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Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza): half-life, strengths and approval status

Status · Approval status · Half-life notes

What is danshen?

Danshen is the dried root of Salvia miltiorrhiza, used in mainland China for heart and blood vessel conditions. Its best-documented issue in people is an interaction with the blood thinner warfarin.

Also known as: Salvia miltiorrhiza, red sage, Chinese red sage root.

Amounts studied

We did not find trials of danshen as a supplement to draw an amount from, so we do not list one.

Approval status and how it is used

It is sold in the US as a dietary supplement. Under the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, and the maker, not FDA, is responsible for safety and labeling.

How it affects clotting: a 2001 review describes several ways danshen affects blood clotting, including blocking platelets, and in rats it raised warfarin levels and its effect. Three published cases describe serious over-anticoagulation and bleeding in people on long-term warfarin who also took danshen, and the author concluded danshen should be avoided with warfarin (Chan 2001).

A 2019 Chinese study of patients on warfarin who also took compound Danshen dripping pills, a Chinese product, found no significant change in warfarin dose or INR in most patients and no bleeding (Lv 2019). That product is a different preparation, so it does not settle the question for danshen supplements.

Danshen half-life and time to peak

  • Half-lifeNot listed
  • Time to peak (Tmax)Not listed

We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for danshen that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. Plant extracts are mixtures of many compounds, so no single figure would describe them.

How to track danshen in Dose Track

  1. Add danshen as a custom compound. Start typing its name and Dose Track fills in the details from its research library for you to check, and it sits next to everything else you take.
  2. Log each dose when you take it so your history shows exactly what you took and when.
  3. Set reminders on your own schedule, whether that is daily, weekly or every few days.
  4. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the half-life of danshen?+
We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for danshen that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. Plant extracts are mixtures of many compounds, so no single figure would describe them.
Can danshen be taken with warfarin?+
A review of three published cases of serious bleeding and over-anticoagulation concluded it should be avoided with warfarin. Talk to your prescriber before combining them.
Can I track danshen in Dose Track?+
Yes. Danshen is in Dose Track's research library, so when you add it as a custom compound its details are filled in for you to check. You can then log each dose next to your other compounds, set reminders on your own schedule, and see your history next to your lab results. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

Sources

  1. Chan TY. Interaction between warfarin and danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza). Ann Pharmacother. 2001;35(4):501-504.
  2. Lv C, et al. The effect of compound Danshen dripping pills on the dose and concentration of warfarin in patients with various genetic polymorphisms. Clin Ther. 2019;41(6):1097-1109.
  3. FDA. Questions and answers on dietary supplements.

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