Find Me A Cure

Botanical Name:Angelica sinensis.
Family: Apiaceae

Synonyms:
American angelica, Angelica acutiloba , Angelica archangelica , Angelica atropurpurea , Angelica dahurica , Angelica edulis , Angelica gigas , Angelica keiskei , Angelica koreana , Angelica polymorpha var. sinensis Oliv. , Angelica pubescens , Angelica radix, Angelica root, Angelica silvestris , Angelique, Archangelica officinalis Moench or Hoffm, beta-sitosterol, Chinese Angelica, Chinese Danggui, Danggui, Dang Gui®, Danggui-Nian-Tong-Tang (DGNTT), Dang quai, Dong Kwai, Dong qua, Dong quai extract, Dong quai root, Dong qui, dry-kuei, engelwurzel, European angelica, European Dong quai, Female ginseng, FP3340010, FP334015, FT334010, garden angelica, Heiligenwurzel, Japanese angelica, Kinesisk Kvan (Danish), Kinesisk Kvanurt (Danish), Ligusticum glaucescens franch, Ligusticum officinale Koch, Ligustilides, phytoestrogen, Qingui, radix Angelica sinensis , root of the Holy Ghost, Tan Kue Bai Zhi, Tang Kuei, Tang Kuei Root®, Tang kwei, Tang quai, Tanggui (Korean), Tanggwi (Korean), Toki (Japanese), wild angelica, wild Chin quai, women’s ginseng, Yuan Nan wild Dong quai, Yungui.
Other Names: Angelica sinensis, Chinese angelica, dang gui, tang kuei
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Apiales
Genus: Angelica
Species: A. sinensis

Habitat :Native to China, Japan, and Korea.

Description:The herb produces white flowers with a green hue that bloom from May to August, and the plant is typically found growing in moist mountain gullies, meadows, along river banks and in coastal areas. The root of the Dong Quai plant has a number of medicinal appications.

…......

Dong Quai, or traditionally known as Chinese Angelica, is commonly used for treating conditions in females in both America and China. Traditional Chinese medicine, frequently refers to Dong Quai as female ginseng.

Dong quai comes in tablet, liquid extract, and raw root forms. In Chinese medicine, dong quai is often boiled or soaked in wine. The root is removed and the liquid is taken orally.

Medicinal Uses:
In Chinese medicine, different parts of the dong quai root are believed to have different actions – the head of the root has anticoagulant activity, the main part of the root is a tonic, and the end of the root eliminates blood stagnation. it is considered the “female ginseng” because of its balancing effect on the female hormonal system. However, studies have not found dong quai to have hormone-like effects.

Menopause

Weakness after childbirth

Women’s tonic

Chronic nasal or sinus congestion

PMS, painful menstruation

Irregular menstrual bleeding

Fibroid tumors

High blood pressure

Blood tonic

Fibrocystic breast disease

Rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis

Anemia

Allergies

Constipation

Shingles

Hepatitis

Headache

In Chinese medicine, Dong quai is most often used in combination with other herbs, and is used as a component of formulas for liver qi stasis and spleen deficiency. It is believed to work best in patients with a yin profile, and is considered to be a mildly warming herb. Dong quai is thought to return the body to proper order by nourishing the blood and harmonizing vital energy. The name Dong quai translates as “return to order” based on its alleged restorative properties.

Although Dong quai has many historical and theoretical uses based on animal studies, there is little human evidence supporting the effects of Dong quai for any condition. Most of the available clinical studies have either been poorly designed or reported insignificant results. Also, most have examined combination formulas containing multiple ingredients in addition to Dong quai, making it difficult to determine which ingredient may cause certain effects.

Chinese
Its drying root is commonly known in Chinese as Radix Angelicae Sinensis, or Chinese angelica is widely used in Chinese traditional medicine to treat gynecological ailments, fatigue, mild anemia and high blood pressure. Chinese angelica possesses the distinction of being one of the few good non-animal sources of Vitamin B12, along with some varieties of yeast and microalgae like spirulina. It has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and sedative effects. The plant’s phytochemicals consist of coumarins, phytosterols, polysaccharides, ferulate, and flavonoids.

It is also used as an aphrodisiac.

Possible Side Effects and Safety Concerns
Dong quai should not be used by people with bleeding disorders, excessive menstrual bleeding, diarrhea, abdominal bloating, or during infections such as colds and flu. Call your health practitioner if you experience bleeding, unusual bruising, diarrhea, or fever.

Dong quai may contain estrogen-like compounds and should not be taken by pregnant or nursing women, children, or people with breast cancer.

People taking blood thinners (anticoagulants) such as warfarin should not use Dong quai.

Dong quai should not be used during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. It should also not be used during breast-feeding.

Dong quai can cause photosensitivity, so people should limit sun exposure and wear sunblock.

Prohibition
Being a uterine tonic and hormonal regulator this herb is an effective herb for female reproductive system. It is often used in premenstrual syndrome formulas as well as menopausal formulas. However, this herb is not recommended during pregnancy due to possible hormonal, anticoagulant, and anti-platelet properties. Animal research has noted conflicting effects on the uterus, with reports of both stimulation and relaxation. Dong quai is traditionally viewed as increasing the risk of miscarriage.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dong_quai

http://www.nutrasanus.com/dong-quai.html

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/DongQuai.htm

Related articles by Zemanta

• There Are Many Effective Chinese Herbs For Arthritis
• What Can Help a Woman’s Sexual Desire? Herbs for Increased Sexual Desire Quickly

If you liked the post, please subscribe to my RSS feed.
If we could help you, please spread the word.