Home > Herbs > Salvia Miltiorrhiza

red sage

Salvia miltiorrhiza · Accepted scientific name

Scientific literature: Very Extensive (1792 studies) · ★★★★★

Red sage, scientifically known as Salvia miltiorrhiza, is a perennial herb native to East Asia, valued extensively in traditional medicine. Renowned for its bioactive compounds, it is primarily utilized to improve circulation, support cardiovascular health, and reduce inflammation, offering a natural approach to promoting overall vitality and wellness.

Family
Lamiaceae
Native range
Asia-Temperate
Parts used
Root · Leaf
Common names
Chinese Salvia · Redroot Sage · 3 more
Scientific synonyms
Not available

Names

Common Names

Regional and Traditional Names

German:

  • Rotwurzel-Salbei
  • Rotwurzel-Salbei

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Salvia miltiorrhiza

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Lamiales, falling into the family Lamiaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement within the genus Salvia.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Lamiales WCVP
Family Lamiaceae WCVP
Genus Salvia WCVP

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several key regions in Asia. Within China, its presence is noted in the South-Central, North-Central, and Southeast territories. Moving beyond mainland China, the species is also found throughout Eastern Asia, specifically in Korea. Additionally, its range extends into the Indo-China region, where it is documented in Vietnam. Collectively, these locations highlight the diverse environmental settings where the plant thrives.

Region Area Source
China China South-Central WCVP
China China North-Central WCVP
China China Southeast WCVP
Eastern Asia Korea WCVP
Indo-China Vietnam WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, Salvia miltiorrhiza, possesses a complex underground structure consisting of a thick, fleshy rhizome that serves as a vital storage organ. From this central system, the plant develops extensive roots, which are primarily harvested for their medicinal properties. Among these, the hairy roots are characteristic of the species, adding to the intricate network of the subterranean anatomy. Above the ground, the plant is characterized by its lush, green leaves, which complete its morphological profile. Whether focusing on the primary root or the larger rhizome, each part plays a significant role in the plant's biological function and therapeutic value.
Plant Part Sources Consensus
root Journal of proteomics (and other 64 sources) ★★★★★
leaf Ecotoxicology and environmental safety (and other 14 sources) ★★★★★
rhizome Plant cell reports (and other 11 sources) ★★★★★
stem Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences (and other 11 sources) ★★★★★
flower Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
seed Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆

Chemicals

Salvia miltiorrhiza has 288 reported phytochemicals identified across 105 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Tanshinone IIA, Salvianolic acid B, Cryptotanshinone, Tanshinone, Tanshinone I.

Chemicals reported in Salvia miltiorrhiza
Chemical Supporting sources Consensus
Tanshinone IIA 56 supporting sources ★★★★★
Salvianolic acid B 53 supporting sources ★★★★★
Cryptotanshinone 52 supporting sources ★★★★★
Tanshinone 45 supporting sources ★★★★★
Tanshinone I 38 supporting sources ★★★★★
rosmarinic acid 31 supporting sources ★★★★★
Dihydrotanshinone I 18 supporting sources ★★★★★
Danshensu 15 supporting sources ★★★★★
Phenolic acid 13 supporting sources ★★★★★
Salvianolic acid A 12 supporting sources ★★★★★

Tanshinone IIA

  1. Redox biology
  2. Chinese journal of natural medicines
  3. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
  4. Plant cell reports
  5. Frontiers in immunology
View 51 additional sources
  1. Frontiers in pharmacology
  2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  3. Scientific reports
  4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  5. Biomaterials
  6. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
  7. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
  8. Biochemical pharmacology
  9. Frontiers in plant science
  10. Aging
  11. Journal of biomedical nanotechnology
  12. Botanical studies
  13. Current drug metabolism
  14. Cell death discovery
  15. Phytochemistry
  16. Antioxidants & redox signaling
  17. Pharmaceutical biology
  18. Journal of pharmacy & pharmaceutical sciences : a publication of the Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Societe canadienne des sciences pharmaceutiques
  19. Journal of periodontology
  20. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
  21. Microorganisms
  22. Mutation research
  23. Plant physiology
  24. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  25. Journal of natural products
  26. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  27. Heliyon
  28. Chemistry & biodiversity
  29. Journal of experimental botany
  30. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
  31. Pharmacological research
  32. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
  33. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity
  34. Journal of integrative plant biology
  35. Journal of chromatographic science
  36. Horticulture research
  37. Metabolites
  38. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
  39. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
  40. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
  41. Cancer letters
  42. Journal of bioscience and bioengineering
  43. Journal of chromatography. A
  44. Pharmacognosy magazine
  45. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
  46. Journal of photochemistry and photobiology. B, Biology
  47. Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology
  48. Biochemical genetics
  49. Molecular medicine reports
  50. Planta medica
  51. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Salvianolic acid B

  1. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety
  2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  3. Frontiers in plant science
  4. PloS one
  5. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
View 48 additional sources
  1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
  3. Plant biotechnology journal
  4. Histology and histopathology
  5. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
  6. Food chemistry
  7. Acta pharmacologica Sinica
  8. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
  9. Journal of hazardous materials
  10. Acta cirurgica brasileira
  11. European journal of pharmacology
  12. Scientific reports
  13. Bio-medical materials and engineering
  14. Journal of plant research
  15. Pharmaceutical biology
  16. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
  17. Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England)
  18. Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research
  19. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
  20. Gene
  21. Plant physiology
  22. International journal of molecular sciences
  23. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  24. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition
  25. Chinese medicine
  26. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity
  27. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
  28. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
  29. Metabolic engineering
  30. Heliyon
  31. International immunopharmacology
  32. Journal of separation science
  33. Chemistry & biodiversity
  34. Environmental toxicology and pharmacology
  35. Journal of chromatography. A
  36. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  37. Metabolites
  38. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)
  39. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
  40. Journal of natural products
  41. BioFactors (Oxford, England)
  42. Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology
  43. PeerJ
  44. Protoplasma
  45. Nature communications
  46. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
  47. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology
  48. ACS applied materials & interfaces

Cryptotanshinone

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Redox biology
  3. Journal of natural products
  4. Plant physiology
  5. Plant cell reports
View 47 additional sources
  1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  2. Frontiers in pharmacology
  3. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
  4. Journal of environmental management
  5. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
  6. Archives of pharmacal research
  7. Scientific reports
  8. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  9. Talanta
  10. Frontiers in plant science
  11. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
  12. Fitoterapia
  13. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
  14. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP
  15. Phytochemistry
  16. Antioxidants & redox signaling
  17. Genes
  18. Pharmaceutical biology
  19. Journal of pharmacy & pharmaceutical sciences : a publication of the Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Societe canadienne des sciences pharmaceutiques
  20. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
  21. Microorganisms
  22. Mutation research
  23. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
  24. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
  25. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  26. Journal of biomedicine & biotechnology
  27. Planta medica
  28. Chemistry & biodiversity
  29. Journal of experimental botany
  30. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  31. Frontiers in microbiology
  32. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)
  33. Gene
  34. Metabolites
  35. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
  36. Current drug metabolism
  37. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
  38. Journal of bioscience and bioengineering
  39. Journal of chromatography. A
  40. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
  41. Journal of chromatographic science
  42. Acta pharmacologica Sinica
  43. Experimental and therapeutic medicine
  44. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
  45. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
  46. International journal of molecular sciences
  47. Biochemical genetics

Tanshinone

  1. Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology
  2. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety
  3. PloS one
  4. Chinese journal of biotechnology
  5. Plant cell reports
View 40 additional sources
  1. Frontiers in plant science
  2. Journal of experimental botany
  3. The Journal of biological chemistry
  4. The New phytologist
  5. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  6. Archives of pharmacal research
  7. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
  8. Plant molecular biology
  9. Scientific reports
  10. Journal of photochemistry and photobiology. B, Biology
  11. Genes & genomics
  12. Journal of advanced research
  13. International journal of molecular sciences
  14. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
  15. Plant signaling & behavior
  16. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  17. Pharmaceutical biology
  18. Microorganisms
  19. Journal of applied microbiology
  20. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
  21. Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B
  22. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  23. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  24. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
  25. Horticulture research
  26. Chinese herbal medicines
  27. Plant & cell physiology
  28. Journal of integrative plant biology
  29. Frontiers in pharmacology
  30. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
  31. Acta pharmacologica Sinica
  32. Planta
  33. British journal of pharmacology
  34. Phytochemistry
  35. PeerJ
  36. Microbiology spectrum
  37. Physiologia plantarum
  38. Plant physiology
  39. Protoplasma
  40. Cardiovascular toxicology

Tanshinone I

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Redox biology
  3. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
  4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  5. Frontiers in pharmacology
View 33 additional sources
  1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
  2. Journal of environmental management
  3. Scientific reports
  4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  5. Talanta
  6. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
  7. Botanical studies
  8. Phytochemistry
  9. Antioxidants & redox signaling
  10. Pharmaceutical biology
  11. Journal of pharmacy & pharmaceutical sciences : a publication of the Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Societe canadienne des sciences pharmaceutiques
  12. Frontiers in plant science
  13. Microorganisms
  14. Mutation research
  15. Plant physiology
  16. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
  17. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  18. Journal of natural products
  19. Chemistry & biodiversity
  20. Planta medica
  21. Journal of integrative plant biology
  22. Journal of chromatographic science
  23. Environmental toxicology and pharmacology
  24. Horticulture research
  25. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
  26. Current drug metabolism
  27. Journal of bioscience and bioengineering
  28. Journal of chromatography. A
  29. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
  30. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
  31. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
  32. Biochemical genetics
  33. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology

rosmarinic acid

  1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
  2. Journal of proteomics
  3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  4. Planta
  5. PloS one
View 26 additional sources
  1. Phytochemistry
  2. Frontiers in plant science
  3. Plant biotechnology journal
  4. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
  5. Food chemistry
  6. Journal of AOAC International
  7. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
  8. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  9. Journal of plant research
  10. International journal of molecular sciences
  11. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
  12. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
  13. Gene
  14. Plant physiology
  15. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
  16. Journal of separation science
  17. Metabolites
  18. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)
  19. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  20. Functional & integrative genomics
  21. PeerJ
  22. Protoplasma
  23. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
  24. Nature communications
  25. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
  26. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology

Dihydrotanshinone I

  1. Journal of natural products
  2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  3. Journal of integrative medicine
  4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  5. Fitoterapia
View 13 additional sources
  1. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
  2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
  3. ACS nano
  4. Phytochemistry
  5. Journal of pharmacy & pharmaceutical sciences : a publication of the Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Societe canadienne des sciences pharmaceutiques
  6. Mutation research
  7. Frontiers in microbiology
  8. Environmental toxicology and pharmacology
  9. Journal of chromatography. A
  10. Journal of chromatographic science
  11. Experimental and therapeutic medicine
  12. Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals
  13. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Danshensu

  1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  2. Medicinal research reviews
  3. Journal of environmental management
  4. Plant biotechnology journal
  5. Journal of AOAC International
View 10 additional sources
  1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  2. Pharmaceutical biology
  3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
  4. Gene
  5. Journal of separation science
  6. Environmental toxicology and pharmacology
  7. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
  8. Acta pharmacologica Sinica
  9. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
  10. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

Phenolic acid

  1. Metabolic engineering
  2. International journal of molecular sciences
  3. International journal of biological macromolecules
  4. Food chemistry
  5. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
View 8 additional sources
  1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
  2. Horticulture research
  3. Chinese herbal medicines
  4. Scientific reports
  5. Frontiers in plant science
  6. Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology
  7. Physiologia plantarum
  8. Theranostics

Salvianolic acid A

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
  3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  4. Fitoterapia
  5. Pharmaceutical biology
View 7 additional sources
  1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
  2. PloS one
  3. BMC pharmacology & toxicology
  4. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity
  5. Journal of separation science
  6. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
  7. Nature communications

Activities

Salvia miltiorrhiza has 182 reported activities identified across 105 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Anticoagulant, Antifibrotic.

Most Reported Activities

Activity Sources Consensus
Antioxidant Dr. Duke (and other 15 sources) ★★★★★
Antibacterial Dr. Duke (and other 7 sources) ★★★★☆
Anticancer Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆
Anticoagulant Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Antifibrotic Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Cardioprotective Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Analgesic Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Antithrombotic Food science & nutrition (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Hepatoprotective Journal of agricultural and food chemistry (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Neuroprotective BioFactors (Oxford, England) (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆

Medicinal Uses

Salvia miltiorrhiza has 180 reported medicinal uses identified across 105 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cardiovascular diseases, cancer, oxidative stress, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular diseases.

Most Reported Uses

Use Sources Consensus
cardiovascular diseases Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology (and other 38 sources) ★★★★★
cancer Bioorganic chemistry (and other 10 sources) ★★★★★
oxidative stress Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin (and other 10 sources) ★★★★★
cardiovascular disease Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 9 sources) ★★★★☆
cerebrovascular diseases Journal of natural products (and other 9 sources) ★★★★☆
atherosclerosis Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 8 sources) ★★★★☆
hypertension Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 8 sources) ★★★★☆
myocardial infarction Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 7 sources) ★★★★☆
breast cancer Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆
inflammation Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆

Preparations

Preparations Sources Consensus
hairy roots Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica (and other 7 sources) ★★★★☆
dried root International journal of molecular sciences (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆
extracts Archives of pharmacal research (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆
hairy root cultures Applied biosciences (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
roots Journal of natural products (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Salvia miltiorrhiza injection Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
hairy root Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
root Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Danshen BioMedicine (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
Salvia miltiorrhiza extract Phytotherapy research : PTR (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆