Codonopsis

Codonopsis pilosula

Also: Dang shen, Poor man's ginseng, Bonnet bellflower

Neutral temperatureMoisteningTonifying

A gentle, sweet tonic for a worn-out body and a weak appetite.

A twining vine with pale green bell flowers veined in purple, grown for a long, sweet, creamy root. Codonopsis is a mild tonic in the ginseng line, gentle enough for daily use, that rebuilds energy, appetite, and digestion in people worn down by illness or long strain.

Energetics: Neutral, moistening, toning
Taste: Sweet
Family: Campanulaceae (bellflower family)
Parts used: Root

Medicinal uses 4

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Traditional useLab and mechanism studiesClinical studies

Exhaustion & burnoutTLC
Rebuilds energy and stamina in people run down by illness, overwork, or age, without ginseng's stimulation.
Sluggish liver & digestionTLC
Wakes a weak appetite and steadies a tired digestion that runs to loose stools.
Frequent colds & low immunityTLC
Steadies immune balance; its polysaccharides protected immune cells from stress hormones in animal studies.
Depletion & mineral needsTLC
Chinese medicine uses it to build blood after illness, blood loss, or childbirth.

Preparations

Root decoction, soups and congee, tincture, and daily tonic blends.

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Cautions

Gentle and suited to long use.
Chinese medicine sets tonics aside during an acute infection; take it up again in recovery.

Medication interactions

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Pregnancy & breastfeeding

PregnancyAsk your practitioner

Codonopsis is gentler than ginseng and appears in some Chinese pregnancy formulas under specialist care, but Western pregnancy data are lacking and high doses may act on the uterus. Use it only with your practitioner's guidance.

BreastfeedingAsk your practitioner

Nursing data are limited; use it only with your practitioner's guidance.

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Folklore

Dang shen means the ginseng of Shangdang, an old prefecture in Shanxi province famous for the root. Chinese doctors have long turned to it as a cheaper, gentler stand-in for ginseng, which earned it the name poor man's ginseng. Codonopsis is Greek for bell-like, after its flowers.

How to grow

A hardy perennial vine for part shade and rich, moist, well-drained soil, climbing six feet or more on a trellis or through shrubs. Dig the roots in autumn after two or three years.

In the wild

Forest edges, thickets, and mountain slopes of northern China, Korea, and the Russian Far East.

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