Nan Sha Shen - 南沙參 , Bei Sha Shen - 北沙參 - Radix Adenophorae/ Glehniae

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Radix Adenophorae/Glehniae
Common English:	Adenophora (Nan) Coastal Glehnia Root Four Leaf Lady-Bell Root Glehnia Root (Bei) Upright Lady-Bell Root

Properties Glehniae ( Bei Sha Shen)

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Sweet Slightly Bitter	Slightly Cold (Cool)	Lung Stomach	9-30g

Properties Adenophorae ( Nan Sha Shen)

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Sweet (Slightly Bitter)	Cool	Lung Stomach	9-15g

Actions And Indications: Glehniae ( Bei Sha Shen)

Actions	Indications/Syndromes
*Nourishes Lung Yin* and clears Lung Heat**	Dry, non-productive cough due to Heat injuring the Lung Yin with dry mouth and thirst
*Nourishes Stomach Yin* and generates fluids**	Pathogenic Heat due to Warm febrile disease injuring the Stomach Yin with parched mouth, thirst and irritability
Tonifies Liver and Kidney Yin	Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiencies with Dryness or Qi and Blood Stagnation causing hypochondriac pain, acid reflux, dry mouth and throat and a red tongue

Actions And Indications: Adenophorae (Nan Sha Shen )

Actions

Indications/Syndromes

Dispels Phlegm, Moistens the Lungs, Nourishes Yin, Stops coughing

Dry, non-productive cough due to Lung Yin Deficiency

Chronic consumptive cough with Blood in the sputum or hoarseness

Nourishes the Stomach, generates fluids and clears Heat

Used in the aftermath of a febrile disease or when Yin Deficiency causes dry mouth or throat with accompanying constipation

Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Contraindicated for those with cough due to Wind-Cold.
Contraindicated for those with Spleen Deficiency Cold.
Contraindicated for those with Cold-Damp.
Contraindicated for Lung and Stomach Deficiency Cold (Secondary source)

INCOMPATIBILITIES

Bei Sha Shen antagonizes Rx. Aristolochiae Guang Fang Ji.
Bei Sha Shen is incompatible with Rz. et Rx. Veratri Nigri Li Lu.
Nan Sha Shen is also incompatible with Rz. et Rx. Veratri Nigri Li Lu.

HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Major Combinations: Glehniae (Bei Sha Shen)

Tub. Ophiopogonis Mai Men Dong Rx. Trichosanthis Tian Hua Fen	Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Chuan Bei Mu Rz. Anemarrhenae Zhi Mu Carapax Trionycis *Bie Jia*	Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata Sheng Di Huang Tub. Ophiopogonis Mai Men Dong
Chronic, dry, non-productive cough with marked reduction of fluids due to Lung Yin Deficiency. Thirst and Dryness due to Stomach Yin Deficiency.	Hemoptysis due to Yin Deficiency and Heat from consumption.	Dry, parched throat and thirst after a warm pathogen disease injuring Stomach Yin.
Tub. Ophiopogonis Mai Men Dong	Tub. Ophiopogonis Mai Men Dong Rx. Trichosanthis Tian Hua Fen Rz. Polygoni Odorati Yu Zhu Fol. Mori Sang Ye	Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao Rz. Anemarrhenae Zhi Mu Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii Zhe Bei Mu Cx. Mori Sang Bai Pi Rx. Peucedani Qian Hu Cx. Lycii Di Gu Pi Fr. Trichosanthis Gua Lou Rx. Asparagi Tian Men Dong
Dry cough with little Phlegm and a parched throat due to Lung Dryness or Heat injuring the Lung Yin. Dry throat, constipation, thirst and a red tongue with little coat due to pathogenic Warmth or Heat injuring the Stomach Yin or long-term Yin Deficiency.	Dry cough.	Dry cough with Fire.
Tub. Ophiopogonis Mai Men Dong Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Chuan Bei Mu Rz. Anemarrhenae Zhi Mu Carapax Trionycis Bie Jia Cx. Lycii Di Gu Pi	Colla Corii Asini E Jiao Rz. Bletillae Bai Ji Rz. Imperatae Bai Mao Gen	Fol. Mori Sang Ye Sm. Sojae Preparatum Dan Dou Chi Sm. Armeniacae Xing Ren Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii Zhe Bei Mu
Dry cough with scanty, yellow, difficult-to-expectorate sputum.	Dry cough with Blood or Blood-streaked sputum.	Wind-Heat with aversion to Cold.
Cx. Mori Sang Bai Pi Cx. Lycii Di Gu Pi Rx. Peucedani Qian Hu Fr. Trichosanthis Gua Lou	Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Chuan Bei Mu Rz. Anemarrhenae Zhi Mu Carapax Trionycis Bie Jia Cx. Lycii Di Gu Pi	Tub. Ophiopogonis Mai Men Dong Rz. Polygoni Odorati Yu Zhu Hb. Dendrobii Shi Hu
Lung Heat with coughing and yellow sputum.	Lung Yin Deficiency with Dryness and Rising Deficient Fire.	Chronic Stomach Yin Deficiency.
Fr. Setariae Germinatus Gu Ya Fr. Hordei Germinatus Mai Ya End. Corneum Gigeriae Galli Ji Nei Jin	Rz. Dioscoreae Shan Yao Sm. Lablab Bai Bian Dou Rx. Pseudostellariae Tai Zi Shen Rx. Panacis Quinquifolii Xi Yang Shen	Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata Sheng Di Huang Tub. Ophiopogonis Mai Men Dong Fr. Lycii Gou Qi Zi Fr. Toosendan Chuan Lian Zi
Chronic Stomach Yin Deficiency with poor appetite or Food Stagnation.	Chronic Stomach Yin Deficiency with Spleen Qi Deficiency.	Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency.

Major Combinations: Adenophorae (Nan Sha Shen)

Tub. Ophiopogonis Mai Men Dong Fol. Mori Sang Ye	Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Chuan Bei Mu Rz. Anemarrhenae Zhi Mu	Hb. Dendrobii Shi Hu Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata Sheng Di Huang
Chronic, dry, non-productive cough with marked reduction of fluids due to Lung Yin Deficiency. Thirst and Dryness due to Stomach Yin Deficiency.	Dry cough with sputum that is difficult to expectorate due to Lung Yin Deficiency.	Thirst, dry throat and mouth, constipation, and/or low-grade fever due to Stomach Yin Deficiency in the aftermath of warm febrile disease where the fluids have been injured.
Rz. Polygonati Odorati Yu Zhu Tub. Ophiopogonis Mai Men Dong	Fol. Armeniacae Xing Ren	Fol. Mori Sang Ye Sm. Sojae Preparatum Dan Dou Chi Sm. Armeniacae Xing Ren Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii Zhe Bei Mu
Itching, especially when aggravated by Dryness and Cold as during the winter. Symptoms of Lung Yin Deficiency Dry cough, thirst and other symptoms associated with injured Fluids due to Lung and Stomach Yin Deficiency. Qi Level or Yang Ming Stage pathogenic diseases with profuse sweating - particularly if purging was used previously.	Cooked with eggs, a large dose of Nan Sha Shen with Xing Ren treats toothache due to Yin Deficient Fire. Cooked with pork, they can treat lactation insufficiency.	Initial stage of an exterior Warm febrile disease with Dryness, with acute dry cough and yellow sputum.
Tub. Ophiopogonis Mai Men Dong Rx. Trichosanthis Tian Hua Fen Rz. Polygoni Odorati Yu Zhu Fol. Mori Sang Ye	Rx. Asparagi Tian Men Dong Rz. Anemarrhenae Zhi Mu Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii Zhe Bei Mu Cx. Lycii Di Gu Pi Fol. Callicarpae Zi Zhu	Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii Zhe Bei Mu Cx. Mori Sang Bai Pi Cx. Lycii Di Gu Pi Fr. Trichosanthis Gua Lou Cx. Phellodendri Huang Qin
Dry Heat damaging the Lung and Stomach Yin with dry cough, thirst, dry throat and scanty sputum.	Dryness and Heat turning into Fire causing a dry cough with Blood-streaked sputum.	Dry cough with difficult-to-expectorate sputum. Lung Heat with cough and yellow Phlegm.
Rx. Asparagi Tian Men Dong Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata Sheng Di Huang Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Chuan Bei Mu Rx. Stemonae Bai Bu Colla Corii Asini E Jiao	Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata Sheng Di Huang Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Chuan Bei Mu Rx. Scrophulariae Xuan Shen Carapax Trionycis Bie Jia Rx. Gentianae Macrophyllae Qin Jiao Cx. Lycii Di Gu Pi Rx. Stellariae Yin Chai Hu Rx. Stemonae Bai Bu Rz. Bletillae Bai Ji	Rx. Ophiopogonis Mai Men Dong Rz. Polygoni Odorati Yu Zhu Hb. Dendrobii Shi Hu Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata Sheng Di Huang Rx. Trichosanthis Tian Hua Fen Rx. Paeoniae Alba Bai Shao
Chronic dry cough with no sputum due to Lung Yin Deficiency.	Tuberculosis or other chronic respiratory disorders due to Yin Deficiency.	Stomach Yin Deficiency.
Fr. Hordei Germinatus Mai Ya Fr. Chaenomelis Mu Gua End. Corneum Gigeriae Galli Ji Nei Jin
Stomach Yin Deficiency with poor appetite.

Notes: Glehniae (Bei Sha Shen )

Compared with Adenophora, Glehnia is thinner and more pliable.
Its common use is as a Yin tonic for the Lungs.
Its action resembles that of American Ginseng Xi Yang Shen.
Northern Sha Shen refers to Glehnia.
When a prescription simply says Sha Shen, herbal pharmacies usually dispense Bei Sha Shen.
Bei Sha Shen, Nan Sha Shen and Rx. Adenophorae Recens Xian Sha Shen are all sweet and cold; they clear Heat, nourish the Yin, generate fluids and enter the Lungs and Stomach. Bei Sha Shen is heavier and firmer and enriches the Yin more strongly, particularly that of the Stomach. It is chosen when warm febrile disease has damaged the fluids or caused Stomach Yin Deficiency. Nan Sha Shen is lighter, less dense and slightly bitter, and expels Phlegm better. It still nourishes Yin and cools Heat, particularly in the Lungs, and is used for Lung Yin Deficiency, especially when Phlegm is present. Xian Sha Shen is very juicy and particularly good at clearing Heat and generating fluids. Bei Sha Shen and Nan Sha Shen are frequently combined.
Dry-fried Sha Shen, Chao Sha Shen, is less cold, so it nourishes Yin without harming digestion. When dry-fried with rice, Mi Chao She Shen is less cloying and actively harmonizes the Stomach while it nourishes Lung and Stomach fluids.
Prepared Sha Shen, Zhi Sha Shen, moistens the Lungs and nourishes the Stomach more effectively. It also harmonizes the Spleen and Stomach and stops coughs and expels Phlegm better.

Notes: Adenophorae (Nan Sha Shen )

Compared with Glehnia, Adenophora is more brittle.
Its common use is as a Yin tonic for the Lung. It is milder but resolves Phlegm better.
It resembles American Ginseng Xi Yang Shen.
As a Yin tonic, it is less potent than Glehnia.
It stops coughs more effectively.
Fluids are not generated by this herb.
It is frequently used for coughs in children.
Southern Sha Shen refers to this herb.
When a prescription simply says Sha Shen, herbal pharmacies usually dispense Bei Sha Shen.
Bei Sha Shen and Nan Sha Shen are both sweet and cold; they clear Heat, nourish the Yin, generate fluids and enter the Lungs and Stomach. Bei Sha Shen is heavier and firmer and enriches the Yin more strongly, particularly that of the Stomach. It is chosen when warm febrile disease has damaged the fluids or caused Stomach Yin Deficiency. Nan Sha Shen is lighter, less dense and slightly bitter, and expels Phlegm better. It still nourishes Yin and cools Heat, particularly in the Lungs, and is used for Lung Yin Deficiency, especially when Phlegm is present. Bei Sha Shen and Nan Sha Shen are frequently combined.
Sha Shen and Rx. Polygonati Odorati Yu Zhu both enter the Lungs and Stomach, nourish Yin and generate fluids. Yu Zhu acts more slowly and harmoniously and needs a higher dosage, whereas Sha Shen is more cooling.
Sha Shen and Bul. Lilii Bai He both nourish Yin, clear the Lungs, moisten Dryness and stop coughing, and both are used for dry coughs. Sha Shen is better at augmenting the Stomach, generating fluids and stopping thirst, while also clearing the lungs and expelling Phlegm. Bai He moistens the Lungs, stops hemoptysis, clears the Heart and quiets the Spirit.
Dry-fried Sha Shen, Chao Sha Shen, is less cold, so it nourishes Yin without harming digestion. When dry-fried with rice, Mi Chao She Shen is less cloying and actively harmonizes the Stomach while it nourishes Lung and Stomach fluids.
Prepared Sha Shen, Zhi Sha Shen, moistens the Lungs and nourishes the Stomach more effectively. It also harmonizes the Spleen and Stomach and stops coughs and expels Phlegm better.
Fresh Adenophorae Xian Sha Shen clears Heat and generates fluids, and is particularly good for Lung Heat with cough, vomiting of yellow Phlegm, or thirst accompanying warm febrile disease.

Notes

Compared with Nan Sha Shen, Bei Sha Shen is stronger at nourishing Yin and clearing Lung Heat.
Dosage: Bei Sha Shen: 9-15g (Secondary source)