Codonopsis

Scientific name: Codonopsis pilosula

Common names: Codonopsis , Dang Shen, tangshen, Bastard Ginseng, bonnet bellflowers 

Ayurvedic names:

Chinese names: Dang shen

Bangladesh names:

Arabic names:    الكردهان (alkardahaan)

Rain Forest names:

Family: Fabaceae?

Approximate number of species known:

Common parts used: Root

Collection:

Annual/Perennial: Perennial

Height: 8 to 10 feet

Actions: Used as a substitute for Panax ginseng in herbal tonics

Known Constituents: friedelin, taraxerol, alpha-spinasterol, alpha-spinasterol-beta-d-glucopyranoside, n-butyl-alpha-d-fructofuranoside and n-butyl-beta-d-fructopyranoside

Constituents Explained:

Description: 

A Chinese herb that is used as a stimulant, less strong than ginseng.  It has been used in cases of anemia due to its believed effect on enhancing red blood cell numbers.  It has been taken by nursing mothers to help enhance breast milk production.

Traditional Use:

Clinical Studies:

The effects of Codonopsis pilosula oral liquor (CPOL) on tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) in the plasma of 25 patients of coronary heart disease with blood stasis were studied.

It has been shown that those patients had a significant decrease in t-PA activity compared to healthy subjects. After 4 weeks of CPOL therapy, platelet aggregation significantly decreased, there was no significant difference in t-PA and PAI. 

From the results shown above, it suggested that one of the effects of CPOL in influencing blood coagulation was its inhibition on platelet aggregation, but not through the elevating of fibrinolytic activity.

References:

Xu X, Wang SR, Lin Q. “Clinical And Experimental Study On Codonopsis Pilosula Oral Liquor In Treating Coronary Heart Disease With Blood Stasis.” 1995 July http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7580058