Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) is also known as chinese angelica, willow older, the female ginseng, sovereign herb for women, empress of the herbs, dang gui and tang-kuei. It is a perennial aromatic herb native to the cold, moist, mountain meadows and river banks of China, Japan, and Korea. Dong quai has smooth purplish stems and leaflets arranged in opposite rows along the leaf stalk and small, fragrant, white flowers that bloom in clusters, June to July. The plant can grow as tall as 8 feet and take three years to reach maturity. Angelica sinensis is a close relative to European Angelica archangelica, a garden herb used as flavoring in Benedictine and Chartreuse liqueurs.
Dong quai for Women
Dong quai is a popular herb for women. The root is used in formulas, teas, capsules and extracts. The main use of Dong quai is as a uterine tonic, reducing menstrual pain, to support a healthy female cycle and reducing annoying symptoms of menopause. Dong Quai is known as a beauty tonic, it is often referred to as the "female ginseng" and is considered the "queen of herbs" because it has been used for generations for gynecological annoyances.
Dong quai is also used as a bowel lubricant, to help overcome constipation. Studies show that it can aid in regulating blood sugar and in lowering blood pressure. It is added to formulas for hepatitis and cirrhosis because it is thought to help the liver utilize more oxygen.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Dong quai is one of the most extensively researched herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In TCM Dong Quai is often used for both males and females to strengthen the heart, spleen, liver and kidneys, as a general blood tonic and purifier that promotes blood circulation. It is in many formulas just for that purpose. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, dong quai is most often used in combination with other herbs, often as essential part of formulas for liver qi stasis and spleen deficiency.
Precautions
Dong quai is considered safe when used properly. Dong quai is not recommended during pregnancy or menstruation, or for people taking blood thiners. It may raise sugar levels enough to alter insulin requirement for diabetics and may affect the time it takes for your blood to clot. Talk to your doctor before taking if you have any bleeding or blood clotting disorders, if you are taking a medicine to prevent blood clots or are diabetic. Dong quai may increase the sensitivity of your skin to sunlight.
Coumarin Photo by public domain
Coumarin
Coumarin C9H6O2 is a fragrant crystalline compound, and is found in dong quai, tonka bean, sweet clover, lavender, licorice, strawberries, apricots, cherries, cinnamon, sweet clover, woodruff and bison grass. Coumarin has a flavour like vanilla, smells sweet like new hay and is widely used in perfumes. Coumarin has been synthesized in the laboratory since 1868 and used to make anticoagulants and rodent poison. Coumarin can effect the action of many drugs.
Classification:
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Rosidae
Order Apiales
Family Apiaceae – Carrot family
Genus Angelica L. – angelica
Species Angelica sinensis
Other Species of the Genus Angelica
Angelica ampla - Giant Angelica
Angelica archangelica - Garden Angelica, Archangel, Angelique
Angelica arguta - Lyall's Angelica
Angelica atropurpurea - Purplestem Angelica, Alexanders
Angelica breweri - Brewer's Angelica
Angelica californica - California Angelica
Angelica callii - Call's Angelica
Angelica canbyi - Canby's Angelica
Angelica cartilaginomarginata
Angelica dahurica - bai zhi in Chinese
Angelica dawsonii - Dawson's Angelica
Angelica dentata - Coastalplain Angelica
Angelica genuflexa - Kneeling Angelica
Angelica gigas
Angelica gigas - Cham dangwi in Korean
Angelica glabra - synonym for Angelica dahurica[1]
Angelica grayi - Gray's Angelica
Angelica hendersonii - Henderson's Angelica
Angelica kingii - King's Angelica
Angelica lineariloba - Poison Angelica
Angelica lucida - Seacoast Angelica
Angelica pachyacarpa
Angelica palustris
Angelica pinnata - Small-leaf Angelica
Angelica pubescens
Angelica roseana - Rose Angelica
Angelica sinensis - Dong quai
Angelica scabrida - Charleston Mountain Angelica
Angelica sylvestris - Wild Angelica
Angelica tomentosa - Woolly Angelica
Angelica triquinata - Filmy Angelica
Angelica venosa - Hairy Angelica
Angelica wheeleri - Utah Angelica
Herbs of special interest to women.
J Am Pharm Assoc (Wash). 2000 Mar-Apr;40(2):234-42; quiz 327-9.
CONCLUSION: Based on the available evidence, evening primrose oil and chaste tree berry may be reasonable treatment alternatives for some patients with PMS. Dong quai may have some efficacy for PMS when used in traditional Chinese multiple-herb formulas. For relief of menopausal symptoms, black cohosh root extract and dong quai have good safety profiles, but only black cohosh has demonstrated efficacy for this indication. Safety data, especially during pregnancy and lactation, are still largely lacking for many herbal medications, and recommendations for usage and dosage vary. Pharmacists who wish to recommend herbal products for women's health conditions need to evaluate the scientific literature in order to form their own opinions about appropriate use and safety.
Effect of Angelica sinensis injection on CD11c and CD14 expression in alveolar macrophage membrane of chronic bronchitis patients Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 1999 May;19(5):282-5. Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical University, Wuhan (430030).
CONCLUSIONS: ASI (Angelica sinensis injection) could reduce the CD11c expression in AM of chronic bronchitis patients by inhibiting LPS induced intracellular calcium ion elevation in AM, suggesting that ASI may inhibit non-specific inflammation of respiratory tract.
Effect of radix Angelicae sinensis on serum gastrin levels in patients with cirrhosis
Zhonghua Nei Ke Za Zhi. 1994 Jun;33(6):373-5.
Department of Medicine, Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Yichang, Hubei.
The results showed that after intravenous perfusion of RAS (radix Angelicae sinensis), serum gastrin levels of inferior vana cava, hepatic and peripheral veins were significantly decreased. After long-term administration of the agent, the level fell nearly to that of control subjects. It is suggested that the effect of reducing serum gastrin level by RAS may improve portal hemodynamics and be beneficial for portal hypertensive gastroduodenal mucosal lesions in cirrhosis.
Hematopoietic effect of Radix angelicae sinensis in a hemodialysis patient.
The patient presented in this case study suffered from anemia of CRF that was resistant to rHuEPO therapy. He experienced marked improvement in the anemia after self-initiating regular consumption of the Chinese herb Dang qui (botanical name: Radix angelicae sinensis). recombinant human erythropoietin
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Jeanne Rose has been gracious enough to provide us with a excellent HOT SOAK and a YOGURT - GARLIC SAUCE
Jeanne Rose is the founder of New Age Creations, the first body-care company in the United States to use aromatherapy (since 1967). She is the Director of the Institute of Aromatic Studies, principal tutor of both the Herbal Studies Course and the Aromatherapy Studies Course by home-study. She brings 30 years of experience and personal research in her practice of Aromatherapy. Visit Jeanne Rose's site here http://www.jeannerose.net. |
HOT SOAK FOR SPRAINED OR ACHING MUSCLES OR JOINTS
1 oz Rosemary
1 oz Comfrey root
1 gallon water
Bring the ingredients to a boil in a large flat pan. Turn off the heat and let steep until cool enough to use. The hot soak should be used as hot as possible. This liquid can also be used as a compress and the herbs applied as a plaster. When you can, insert the sprained ankle or hand or sore muscle in the hot water and soak for at least 5 minutes. Then immediately plunge into the cold soak for 2 minutes.
YOGURT - GARLIC SAUCE
1-4 Garlic cloves
Salt or powdered Kelp
1/2 cup Yogurt
Goodly pinch of herb, rubbed between the palms
(herb depends on what the sauce is for)
Some Suggested Combinations:
Mint with lamb
Dill or Fennel with fish
Basil with Tomatoes or over cottage cheese
Chives or Parsley with eggs
Sage, or Lemon for chicken
Finely chop the Garlic and pound it with a pestle in a mortar. Add the salt and pound to a paste, while slowly adding the yogurt. When it is really smooth, taste the mix and add more salt if necessary. Stir in the herb.
Besides the uses mentioned above, this Yogurt-Garlic sauce is excellent to eat by itself for disordered digestion, and it can be applied to insect bites or some skin irritations. (MAKES 2/3 CUP.)
Thank you Jeanne Rose
Books by Jeanne Rose
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Herbal Body Book: The Herbal Way to Natural Beauty & Health for Men & Women...
Here is the book that takes over where "Herbs & Things" leaves off. This book is the second in the Jeanne Rose Herbal Series*, covering the plants that are used externally for a healthy, natural and beautiful body. The recipes cover caring for the face, hair and body perfect for aromatherapists and casual users alike. List Price: $17.95 Our Price: $12.57 |
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The premier herbal that started the New Age (new & old) interest in the herbal wisdom of the past.
A compendium of practical and exotic herbal lore.
Usually ships in 24 hours List Price: $16.95 Our Price: $11.87 |