Dan Dou Chi
StarGlycine max
Synonyms: Soja max, Phaseolus max, Phaseolus sordidus
Traditionally used for
- Sleep
- Mood & calm
- Energy & fatigue
Cautions & contraindications
- Bleeding disorders
- Liver conditions
☯ TCM Properties
Releases the Exterior (Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat); Eliminates irritability, harmonizes the Middle Jiao and relieves stuffy sensations in the chest
Traditional Chinese Uses
Dan Dou Chi (prepared soybean) is a mild herb made from fermented soybean that serves dual purposes depending on its preparation. When prepared with cooling herbs, it has a cooling nature and helps release Wind-Heat from the exterior while also alleviating restlessness and insomnia from unresolved heat. It can also be prepared differently to address Wind-Cold. It is a gentle, food-grade herb often combined with scallion in simple formulas for early-stage illness.
Western Herbalism Properties
Used In Formulas (2)
Relationships
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Gallery
Botanical Description
Glycine max is an annual legume reaching 30-90 cm tall, with trifoliate leaves bearing oval to elliptic leaflets 5-15 cm long. Stems are erect, branched, and covered in fine brown hairs. Small pinkish-white flowers are produced in axillary racemes. Pods are hairy, 3-5 cm long, containing 2-4 oval seeds (soybeans) that vary from yellow to black. In TCM, the preparation Dan Dou Chi uses the seed processed by fermentation.
Cultivated in fields and farmland throughout tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions; one of the world most widely grown legumes.
Glycine max is a domesticated crop species widely cultivated worldwide. Its wild ancestor Glycine soja is native to East Asia. The cultivated soybean has no conservation concerns, though habitat loss in native soybean regions may be relevant for wild relatives.
Active Constituents
Daidzein
Isoflavone aglyconeConcentration: assayed together with genistein as the Chinese Pharmacopoeia marker pair; total isoflavones reach about 5.10 mg/g in material fermented with Artemisia annua and mulberry leaf
One of the two aglycones the Pharmacopoeia assays and, with genistein, the constituent network pharmacology repeatedly picks out as the anti-influenza principle of this drug. Fermentation is what creates it: microbial beta-glucosidases strip the sugar from daidzin during the pre-fermentation phase, so aglycone content rises as the drug is made. Unfermented soybean is a poor source of the free aglycone.
Genistein
Isoflavone aglyconeConcentration: Pharmacopoeia assay marker together with daidzein; content rises through fermentation and, in one optimisation study, peaked around the second of the seven traditional fermentation cycles
The other Pharmacopoeia marker. In A549 lung epithelial models genistein and daidzein blocked NF-kappaB p65 nuclear translocation, suppressed TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-8 and PTGS2, and raised NQO1, GCLM and SOD2. It is also the constituent behind every endocrine question a patient will ask about this herb.
Glycitein and glycitin
Isoflavone aglycone and its 7-O-glucosideThe third soy isoflavone series, quantitatively minor but consistently present, and the least studied of the three for endocrine activity.
Daidzin and genistin
Isoflavone 7-O-glucosideThe glycosides carried in from the raw black soybean. They fall as fermentation proceeds and the corresponding aglycones rise; the ratio between them is therefore a direct read-out of how far a batch was fermented, and is one basis on which over-fermented material is rejected.
Soy-derived peptides (Dandouchi polypeptide)
Oligopeptide fraction released by microbial proteolysisFermentation proteases cut soy storage protein into peptides that are absent from the unfermented bean. An enzymatically prepared Dandouchi polypeptide reduced depressive behaviour and hippocampal inflammatory markers and promoted neurogenesis through a TRIM67/NF-kappaB mechanism in chronically stressed mice, which is the most concrete pharmacology behind the classical indication of eliminating irritability.
Free amino acids, principally glutamate and leucine
Free amino acidThese accumulate during pre-fermentation as proteases break down soy protein, and Bacillus involvement in glutamate and leucine transformation has been linked to the anti-inflammatory activity of the finished drug. They also account for the umami taste that distinguishes properly made Dan Dou Chi.
Fermentation volatiles: 2-furanmethanol, furfural, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, isovaleric acid, benzaldehyde and acetic acid
Pyrazine, furan, aldehyde and short-chain acid volatilesThese define the characteristic aroma and are used analytically to judge fermentation state; headspace GC-MS distinguishes over-fermented batches by pungent and unpleasant odour notes. They are quality indicators rather than therapeutic constituents.
Biogenic amines: tyramine, histamine, beta-phenylethylamine, cadaverine and spermine
Biogenic amine (microbial decarboxylation products)Concentration: total biogenic amines around 47.7 mg/kg in the hot centre of a traditional pile fermentation and about 94.9 mg/kg in naturally fermented douchi overall, falling to roughly 10 to 38 mg/kg under controlled starter fermentation
Not a therapeutic fraction but a contamination class inherent to any bacterial soy fermentation. Bacillus abundance correlates strongly with tyramine and histamine, and high pile temperatures drive amine accumulation. The measured levels are far below the FDA benchmark of 1000 mg/kg, but they are the reason the MAOI question below has to be answered rather than ignored.
Polysaccharides
HeteropolysaccharideExtractable from fermented black soybean and reported with antioxidant and glucose-lowering activity in vitro. Content peaks partway through the traditional multi-cycle fermentation rather than at the end.
⚠ Drug Interactions
Levothyroxine and other oral thyroid hormone preparations
Soy protein and soy flour are long-established inhibitors of levothyroxine absorption and appear as such in the product labelling. The mechanism is binding in the gut lumen rather than any effect on thyroid function itself, so the effect depends on timing rather than on total soy intake. Dan Dou Chi is a whole soybean product taken in gram quantities, so it falls squarely inside this caution.
Clinical note: Separate the decoction from the levothyroxine dose by at least four hours. If a patient starts a Dan Dou Chi-containing formula long-term, recheck TSH rather than assuming stability.
Warfarin and other vitamin K antagonists
Bacillus is one of the dominant genera in Semen Sojae Praeparatum fermentation alongside Aspergillus and Rhizopus arrhizus, and Bacillus strains isolated from fermented Glycine max are documented producers of menaquinone-7. MK-7 is a long-half-life vitamin K2 that directly antagonises warfarin; this is the well-known reason natto is contraindicated in warfarin patients. What is missing is a measurement: MK-7 has not been quantified in Dan Dou Chi, and the Pharmacopoeia method is a mould-led (yellow-coat) fermentation rather than a Bacillus natto fermentation, so the MK-7 load is probably much lower than natto. The direction of the risk is nonetheless clear.
Clinical note: Check the INR within one to two weeks of starting or stopping a Dan Dou Chi-containing formula in an anticoagulated patient. Do not assume that because it is not natto it carries no vitamin K2.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (phenelzine, tranylcypromine, moclobemide, linezolid)
Fermented soy is a classical tyramine-containing food and Dan Dou Chi is a fermented soy product in which Bacillus, the genus most strongly correlated with tyramine, is prominent. The quantities, though, are small: total biogenic amines of all kinds measure roughly 48 to 95 mg/kg in traditionally fermented douchi, so a 15 g dose delivers on the order of 1 mg of all amines combined, well under the 6 mg tyramine threshold usually taken as the trigger for an MAOI pressor reaction. Poorly controlled or hot-centre pile fermentation raises amine content, so a badly made batch is the residual concern.
Clinical note: No routine restriction at pharmacopoeial doses. Advise well-sourced material and avoid large or repeated food-scale intake of douchi in patients on an irreversible MAOI.
Tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors and other endocrine therapy for hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer
Genistein and daidzein are selective oestrogen receptor modulators at the receptor level, which is the origin of the concern. The clinical and epidemiological evidence has not borne it out: a 2025 review of post-diagnosis isoflavone intake and breast cancer outcomes found no evidence of harm, and some in vitro work reports genistein enhancing rather than opposing tamoxifen sensitivity. Dan Dou Chi at 6 to 12 g delivers only a modest isoflavone dose compared with a soy-rich diet or an isoflavone supplement.
Clinical note: Not a reason to withhold Dan Dou Chi from a patient on endocrine therapy. Concentrated isoflavone supplements are a separate question from a fermented-soy herb at decoction dose; be explicit with the patient about that distinction.
Triptolide and Tripterygium wilfordii preparations
In a mouse model of triptolide-induced liver injury, Semen Sojae Praeparatum extract improved serum liver markers and histology, reduced intrahepatic bile acid accumulation by enhancing hepatic bile acid transport, and reversed triptolide effects on Keap1, p62 and Nrf2 nuclear translocation. This is the same logic as the classical pairing of Dan Dou Chi with Zhi Zi (Gardeniae Fructus) to blunt the latter's harshness. Animal evidence only.
Clinical note: Not a contraindication. Mentioned so that a benefit is not mistaken for a hazard when the two appear in one prescription.
Hepatotoxic drugs (isoniazid, methotrexate, high-dose paracetamol) - with mycotoxin-contaminated material
Dan Dou Chi is made by deliberate mould fermentation, and mould fermentation of soybean carries a mycotoxin risk that a non-fermented herb does not. A 2025 multi-omics study measuring the drug directly found aflatoxin B1 at 13.65 micrograms/kg and ochratoxin A at 41.01 nanograms/kg even in the better of two fermentation regimes, with the Artemisia annua and mulberry leaf co-ferment reducing but not eliminating both. Aflatoxin B1 is a Group 1 human hepatocarcinogen and the levels reported exceed common regulatory limits for foodstuffs.
Clinical note: Source Dan Dou Chi from suppliers who test for aflatoxins, as you would for Chen Pi or Yi Yi Ren. Avoid visibly mouldy, off-smelling or unbranded market material, especially for long courses and especially in patients with existing liver disease or on hepatotoxic drugs.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6–12 g | Daily | — | — | 淡豆豉 Sojae Semen Praeparatum — the fermented preparation of Glycine max, not the raw bean. Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020: 6～12g. Corrected from 9-15 g, which exceeded the ChP range at both ends. |
Dui Yao — Herb Pairs
The classical two-herb combinations this herb appears in, each with an action neither herb has alone.
Both gently release the exterior; together they induce a mild sweat for the very early stage of a wind-cold invasion without harsh diaphoresis.
Core pair of a classical formula — Cong Chi Tang, Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang (Ge Hong)
Clearing heat through the three burners is combined with gently dispersing and lifting, releasing constrained heat in the chest and relieving irritability.
Restlessness, irritability and chest oppression with insomnia after a febrile illness.
Core pair of a classical formula — Zhi Zi Chi Tang, Shang Han Lun (Zhang Zhongjing)
Evidence Tier
Moderate evidence · 4 studiesRecorded studies by study design, strongest design at the top. This is a study-design tier only, not a GRADE rating: it does not weigh risk of bias, consistency or precision.
Systematic review / meta-analysis
0
Randomized controlled trial
0
Other clinical trial
0
Observational / case report
0
In vitro / animal
4
1 verified · 3 unverified
Show 4 studies
- The effect of fermentation times of Semen Sojae Praeparatum on active ingredients and pharmacological activity
- Network pharmacology-guided optimization of Semen Sojae Praeparatum fermentation for enhanced anti-influenza efficacy
- Semen Sojae Praeparatum ameliorates triptolide-induced liver injury by regulating bile acid homeostasis and the Keap1/Nrf2/p62 axis
- Dandouchi Polypeptide Alleviates Depressive-like Behavior and Promotes Hippocampal Neurogenesis by Activating the TRIM67/NF-κB Pathway in CUMS-Induced Mice
Other / unclassified
0
Verified: design read from PubMed for a DOI that resolves to the cited paper Unverified: taken from the study's recorded description
Clinical Studies
The effect of fermentation times of Semen Sojae Praeparatum on active ingredients and pharmacological activity
Samples from each stage of the traditional seven-cycle fermentation were assayed for 22 amino acids, six isoflavones and polysaccharides and tested in a mouse fever model. Flavonoid, amino acid and polysaccharide content peaked at the second fermentation, and antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activity was likewise best after two cycles, suggesting that excessive fermentation degrades rather than improves the drug. The dominant organisms were Aspergillus, Rhizopus arrhizus and Bacillus, with Bacillus driving the transformation of genistin, glutamate and leucine.
Network pharmacology-guided optimization of Semen Sojae Praeparatum fermentation for enhanced anti-influenza efficacy
Network pharmacology identified genistein and daidzein as the anti-influenza constituents of Semen Sojae Praeparatum, targeting TNF, AKT1, EGFR, SRC and MMP9. In A549 cells under LPS and hydrogen peroxide challenge both compounds inhibited NF-kappaB p65 nuclear translocation, suppressed TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-8 and PTGS2, upregulated NQO1, GCLM and SOD2 and reduced ROS and MDA. Fermentation was then optimised to a 20:1 water-to-material ratio at 30 degrees C under open conditions, giving nine batches exceeding Pharmacopoeia limits for genistein plus daidzein. No live virus and no human subjects were involved.
Semen Sojae Praeparatum ameliorates triptolide-induced liver injury by regulating bile acid homeostasis and the Keap1/Nrf2/p62 axis
In mice given triptolide, Semen Sojae Praeparatum extract, characterised by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS as isoflavone-dominant, improved serum liver biochemistry, liver index and histology. Metabolomic and proteomic analysis identified Keap1 as the core protein; the extract reduced intrahepatic bile acid accumulation by enhancing hepatic bile acid transport rather than suppressing synthesis, and reversed triptolide-induced changes in Keap1, p62 and Nrf2 nuclear translocation.
Dandouchi Polypeptide Alleviates Depressive-like Behavior and Promotes Hippocampal Neurogenesis by Activating the TRIM67/NF-κB Pathway in CUMS-Induced Mice
An enzymatically extracted polypeptide fraction of Semen Sojae Praeparatum reduced depressive behaviour and hippocampal pro-inflammatory markers in chronic unpredictable mild stress mice and promoted neurogenesis. AAV-shRNA knockdown of TRIM67 abolished the antidepressant effect, establishing the TRIM67/NF-kappaB pathway as the mechanism. Rodent data only.
Historical Texts
Ming Yi Bie Lu
Southern and Northern DynastiesShang Han Lun
Han dynastyChinese Pharmacopoeia (Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo Yaodian) processing monograph
ModernReferences
- Cheng Y; Wang B; Ma Q; Sun M; Wang X; Wang R; Chen H; Chen L; Liu Y; Wang F; Zheng C; Hu Y. Functional differentiation of Sojae semen Praeparatum: A multi-omics analysis of the effects of Artemisia annua and Mori folium on composition, microorganisms, and functional characteristics . Food Research International (2025) [DOI]
- Wang B; He T; Cheng Y; Chen H; Hu Y; Liu Y; Wang F; Chen L. Targeted enhancement strategies for Sojae Semen Praeparatum: Impact of Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus subtilis on microbial communities, flavor substances, and functional components . Food Chemistry: X (2025) [DOI]
- Yang J; Wang W; Song L; Yuan L; Yang J; Wang Y; Chai X. Characterization of chemical properties and components conversion during the fermentation of Semen Sojae Praeparatum . Food Chemistry: X (2025) [DOI]
- Xie J; Wang Y; Zhong R; Yuan Z; Du J; Huang J. Quality evaluation of Sojae Semen Praeparatum by HPLC combined with HS-GC-MS . Heliyon (2023) [DOI]
- Tang H; Du Q; Liu Y; Zhu JH; Duan CS; Wu GF; Zhong RM; Jiang LW. Thermally-driven bacterial mechanism of biogenic amines enrichment in central pile-fermentation zones of Liuyang Douchi . Food Chemistry: X (2025) [DOI]
- Madhusoodanan K; Mooventhan H; Mohanan M; Vaithilingam M; Chandrasekaran SD. Production of menaquinone – 7 by Bacillus cereus KMV07: a strain isolated from fermented Glycine max . Journal of Food Science and Technology (2024) [DOI]
- Messina M; Nechuta S. A Review of the Clinical and Epidemiologic Evidence Relevant to the Impact of Postdiagnosis Isoflavone Intake on Breast Cancer Outcomes . Current Nutrition Reports (2025) [DOI]
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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