DONG QUAI ANGELICA SINENSIS

DONG QUAI (Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels) +

Synonym :
- Angelica polymorpha var. sinensis Oliv.

Activities (Dong Quai) :
- Alterative (f; PED); Analgesic (f; CRC; FAY); Antiallergic (1; APA); Antiaggregant (1; APA; KEB); Antianemic (1; KEB; MAB); Antiarrhythmic (1; KEB; MAB); Antiasthmatic (1; MAB); Antiatherosclerotic (1; KEB); Antiseptic (PED); Antiinflammatory (1; KEB; MAB); Antiaggregant (1; MAB); Antiproliferative (1; KEB); Antiseptic (1; JAD); Antiserotonin (1; MAB); Antispasmodic (1; FAY; KEB; MAB; SKY); Aphrodisiac (1; MAB); Bitter (1; MAB); Circulostimulant (f; AKT); CNS-Depressant (1; APA; FAY); CNS-Stimulant (1; APA); Deobstruent (f; CRC); Depurative (1; APA); Diuretic (1; APA; PED); Emmenagogue (1; CRC; PED); Estrogenic (PED); Female Tonic (1; MAB); Hemopoietic (1; AKT; CRC; FAY; MAB);
Hepatoprotective (1; FAY; MAB; PED); Hepatotonic (1; PED); Hypertensive (1; FAY); ypocholesterolemic (1; MAB); Hypotensive (1; FAY; MAB; PED); Immunodepressant (1; CRC; KEB);
Immunomodulator (1; APA); Immunostimulant (1; KEB); Laxative (1; APA; KEB); Leukocytogenic (1; KEB); Myorelaxant (1; KEB); Myostimulant (f; PED); Phagocytotic (1; KEB); Radioprotective (1; MAB); Sedative (f; CRC PED); Tonic (1; APA; KEB; MAB); Tranquilizer (1; FAY); Uterocontractant (1; FAY; MAB; PED); Uterorelaxant (1; APA; FAY); Vasodilator (1; APA).

Indications (Dong Quai) :
- Allergy (1; APA; CRC); Alopecia (f; AKT); Alveolosis (1; MAB); Amenorrhea (1; AKT; CRC; FAY; KEB; MAB); Anemia (1; AKT; APA; CRC; KEB; MAB); Angina (f; CRC; KEB); Aortitis (2; KEB); Arrhythmia (1; FAY; KEB; MAB); Asthma (1; CRC; MAB); Atherosclerosis (1; KEB); Atopic Dermatosis (1; CRC); Bleeding (f; CRC); Boil (f; CRC); Bronchosis (f; FAY); Bruise (1; MAB); Buergers Disease (2; KEB); Cancer (1, RC); Carbuncle (f; FAY); Cardiopathy (1; AKT; MAB); Childbirth (f; CRC; FAY); Cirrhosis (2; KEB); Constipation (1; APA; CRC; FAY; KEB; MAB); Cramp (1; FAY; KEB; MAB; SKY); Dysmenorrhea (2; AKT; APA; FAY; KEB; MAB); Endometriosis (1; HAD); Enterosis (1; MAB); Fibrillation (1; AKT); Fibrocystic Breast Disease (f; SKY); Fibrosis (1; AKT); Frigidity (1; KEB); Headache (f; CRC; FAY); Hepatosis (2; KEB); Herpes (f; FAY); High Blood Pressure (1; APA; FAY; MAB; PED); High Cholesterol (1; MAB); Hot Flash (1; KEB; MAB); Immunodepression (1; KEB); Infertility (2; AKT; APA; KEB; MAB); Inflammation (1; KEB; MAB); Insomnia (f; CRC PED); Low Blood Pressure (1; FAY); Lumbago (1; CRC); Menopause (1;
AKT; KEB; MAB; SKY); Metrorrhagia (f; CRC); Myalgia (f; FAY); Nephrosis (1; HDR); Nervousness (1; CRC; FAY; PED); Neuralgia (1; KEB); Ophthalmia (f; AKT; MAB); Pain (f; CRC; FAY); Palpitation (f; AKT; MAB); Parturition (f; APA); PMS (1; KEB; SKY); Pregnancy (f; APA); Pulmonosis (1; AKT); Purpura (1; MAB); Rheumatism (1; APA; CRC; FAY); Sciatica (f; FAY); Shingle (f; FAY); Sore (f; FAY); tomachache (f; APA; FAY); Stress (1; FAY); Stroke (f; KEB); Swelling (f; MAB); Tenesmus (f; FAY); Thrombocytopenia (1; MAB); Thrombosis (f; CRC; FAY); Tinnitus (f; AKT; MAB); Trauma (f; FAY); Ulcer (f; APA; CRC); Uterosis (1; FAY); Vaginosis (f; APA); Vasculosis (f; FAY); Water Retention (1; APA; PED); Wound (f; CRC).

Dosages (Dong Quai) :
- 4.5 - 12 g (FAY); 3 - 15 g root (APA); 3 - 4 g root/day (SKY); 1 - 3 tsp root/day; 1 - 3 tbsp fresh root (PED); 2 - 4 g dry root (PED); 3 - 15 g dry root/day (MAB); 2 - 6 g dry root/day or 4 - 12 ml fluid extract (1:2) (for all his Chinese posologies, these ratios apply) (KEB); 3 g dry root:15 ml alcohol/15 ml water (PED); 4 - 8 ml flower extract (1:2) (MAB); 3 (530 mg) capsules 3 ×/day (NH).

Contraindications, Indications, and Side Effects (Dong Quai) :
- Class 2b (AHP). Psoralens can be phototoxic and carcinogenic. The aqueous extract inhibits experimentally induced IgE titers, suggesting immunosuppressive potential. Its use cannot be recommended (LRNP, April 1990). Pregnant and nursing women, or patients with diarrhea, should not take except under a doctors 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 (KEB). Canadian regulations do not allow dong-quai as a non-medicinal ingredient for oral use products (Michols, 1995).

Extracts (Dong Quai) :
- Decoction uterocontractant in dogs. Decoction and tinctures hypotensive in anesthetized animals (PED). Ligustilide at 450 mg/day helped 77% of dysmenorrheics as opposed to 38% for aqueous extracts of the herb (KEB). Butylidenephthalide, butylphthalide, and ligustilide antispasmodic (FAY). Treatment of infertile women by uterine lavage of the extract for up to 9 months restored tubal patency in 79%; 53% became pregnant. Almost nontoxic LD50 = 100,000 mg/kg (MAB).