Botanical Index No. 349

Dong Quai

angelica sinensis

Medicinal Actions

Alterative, Analgesic, Antiallergic, Antiaggregant, Antianemic, Antiarrhythmic, Antiasthmatic, Antiatherosclerotic, Antiseptic, Antiinflammatory, Antiproliferative, Antiserotonin, Antispasmodic, Circulostimulant, CNS-Depressant, CNS-Stimulant, Depurative, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Estrogenic, Female Tonic, Hemopoietic, Hepatoprotective, Hepatotonic, Hypertensive, Hypocholesterolemic, Hypotensive, Immunodepressant, Immunostimulant, Laxative, Leukocytogenic, Myorelaxant, Myostimulant, Phagocytotic, Radioprotective, Sedative, Tonic, Uterocontractant, Uterorelaxant

Primary Conditions Treated

Aphrodisiac Bitter Deobstruent Immunomodulator Tranquilizer Vasodilator Allergy Alopecia Alveolosis Amenorrhea Anemia Angina Aortitis Arrhythmia Asthma Atherosclerosis Atopic Dermatosis Bleeding Boil Bronchosis Bruise Buerger’s Disease Cancer Carbuncle Cardiopathy Childbirth Cirrhosis Constipation Cramp Dysmenorrhea Endometriosis Enterosis Fibrillation Fibrocystic Breast Disease Fibrosis Frigidity Headache Hepatosis Herpes High Blood Pressure High Cholesterol Hot Flash Immunodepression Infertility Inflammation Insomnia Low Blood Pressure Lumbago Menopause Metrorrhagia Myalgia Nephrosis Nervousness Neuralgia Ophthalmia Pain Palpitation Parturition PMS Pregnancy Pulmonosis Purpura Rheumatism Sciatica Shingle Sore Stomachache Stress Stroke Swelling Tenesmus Thrombocytopenia Thrombosis Tinnitus Trauma Ulcer Uterosis Vaginosis Vasculosis Water Retention Wound

General Dosage

4.5–12 g; 3–15 g root; 3–4 g root/day; 1–3 tsp root/day; 1–3 tbsp fresh root; 2–4 g dry root; 3–15 g dry root/day; 2–6 g dry root/day or 4–12 ml fluid extract; 3 g dry root:15 ml alcohol/15 ml water; 4–8 ml flower extract; 3 capsules 3 ×/day.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 2b. Psoralens can be phototoxic and carcinogenic. The aqueous extract inhibits experimentally induced IgE titers, suggesting immunosuppressive potential. “Its use cannot be recommended”. Pregnant and nursing women, or patients with diarrhea, should not take except under a doctor’s instruction. AHP notes that it is Americans and Canadians, not Chinese, who warn against use in pregnancy. Contraindicated in those with bleeding tendencies or heavy menstrual periods, during first trimester of pregnancy, for abortion-prone women, and in acute viral infections. “Canadian regulations do not allow dong-quai as a non-medicinal ingredient for oral use products”.

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