Sha Shen (Glehnia / Adenophora Root)

“Sha Shen” is two official articles and must not be written as one. Bei Sha Shen is the dried root of Glehnia littoralis. The pharmacopoeial name is Glehniae Radix: firm, stronger to nourish Yin and generate fluid. Nan Sha Shen is the dried root of Adenophora tetraphylla or A. stricta. The pharmacopoeial name is Adenophorae Radix: light and spongy, and also transforms phlegm and supplements Qi. Both are sweet, slightly cold and enter Lung-Stomach, close in action but different in source—write Bei or Nan. Tai Zi Shen gently supplements Qi and generates fluid; Ren Shen greatly supplements original Qi—neither is Sha Shen. Both oppose Li Lu.

According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Bei Sha Shen is sweet, slightly bitter and slightly cold, enters the Lung and Stomach, and acts to nourish Yin and clear the Lung, and benefit the Stomach to generate fluid. It is used for Lung-heat dry cough, taxation cough with bloody phlegm, Stomach-Yin insufficiency, fluid injury after febrile disease, and dry throat with thirst. Nan Sha Shen is sweet and slightly cold, enters the Lung and Stomach, and acts to nourish Yin and clear the Lung, benefit the Stomach to generate fluid, transform phlegm and supplement Qi. It is used for Lung-heat dry cough, Yin-deficiency taxation cough, dry cough with sticky phlegm, Stomach-Yin insufficiency with little appetite and vomiting, and dual Qi-Yin insufficiency with vexing heat and dry mouth. The northern root is firm and leans to nourish Yin and moisten dryness; the southern root is hollow and also transforms phlegm and supplements Qi. Neither suits wind-cold cough or Spleen-Stomach deficient cold.

Dry cough with little phlegm, febrile fluid injury and Stomach-Yin thirst more often use Bei Sha Shen; dual Qi-Yin injury and dry cough with sticky phlegm more often use Nan Sha Shen. Slices go in the pot; nourishing Yin benefits a slightly longer boil. Do not combine with Li Lu. Do not write only “Sha Shen” without north or south.