Angelica Gigas Root (Dang Gui) or Angelica polymorpa var. sinensis (Dong Quai)

This is the ladies adaptogen! In fact, it is often called the “female ginseng.” This is because it excels at treating women’s ailments and issues. From a lack of sexual desire to alleviating the symptoms of menopause, angelica root solves the problem.
That doesn’t mean men can’t benefit from the nutrients it offers as well. But if you are a lady and you suffer from PMS, menstrual cramps, hormone imbalance, or other problems associated with being a female, this is the go-to herb for you.

There are four varieties of angelica used in medicine, Angelica archangelica (Europe), Angelica atropurpurea (American angelica), Angelica polymorpha var. sinensis (Chinese angelica, dong quai), and Angelica gigas (Korean angelica). The chemical content of the various varieties is not the same. For our purposes, use either angelica gigas or angelica polymorpa var. sinensis. Most herbal sites will use their common names, Dang Gui or Dong Quai.

The medicinal uses of angelica root:

  • It relieves menstrual cramps, hot flashes, and the symptoms of PMS
  • It is an aphrodisiac for both sexes
  • It is a strong anti-inflammatory and pain killer
  • It fights cancer
  • It strengthens the immune system against invaders

Despite angelica root’s 2000-year history as an adaptogen for ladies, there is little research proving it is effective. I found one study that was for a combination of herbs being marketed as a supplement, and it was obviously paid for by the company marketing the mixture. However, it did, at least based on the report, seem like a legitimate study. It was for a product that contained standardized extracts of Cynanchum wilfordii, Phlomis umbrosa and Angelica gigas on menopausal symptoms. Since all three plants have a reputation for moderating menopausal symptoms, the results of the study don’t mean much for any single ingredient. However, the results were promising, showing an improvement in symptoms of 81 percent over a placebo.

It isn’t hard to believe that angelica helps reduce the pain associated with female issues. As documented below, it is a strong anti-inflammatory and kills pain as efficiently as aspirin or acetaminophen.
Also, a cooperative study reported in 2012 by Korean researchers showed that the derivatives recursion and decursinol angelate in angelica increased their effectiveness in moderating the symptoms of menopause by five times when the angelica was ground to an ultrafine powder.

Menopausal symptoms are caused by the loss of ovarian hormones, such as estrogen, estradiol and progesterone. Decursin and decursinol angelate are estrogenal compounds. The scientists found that estradiol and progesterone levels were restored in mice even when the ovaries were removed.

Stops bone loss and prevents osteoporosis

In the same study scientists found that the derivatives stopped bone loss and prevented osteoporosis. Many other studies have shown that decursion and decursinol angelate prevent breast cancer. Big pharma’s estrogen drugs are known to cause breast cancer. Some are toxic if taken for extended periods of time. Angelica has been proven safe in clinical trials and is by far the superior choice.

 

Notes: Alcohol tinctures and essential oils of angelica also provide adequate doses of decursion and decursionol angelate.

Angelica is often combined with other herbs or nutrients:

  • For menopausal symptoms try Angelica and Black Cohash.
  • For bone loss use Angelica with Astragalus and vitamin D3.

Healthy arteries and blood pressure

Studies have been done using angelica gigas and angelica sinensis that confirm their ability to dilate and cure hardened and plaque filled arteries.

In a study at the Food Function Research Division, Korea Food Research Institute researchers tested alcohol titrations of angelica gigas and Ligusticum wallichii separately and in a 1:1 combination. They found that both herbs caused long-term relaxation in endothelium-intact or endothelium-denuded rat aorta preconstricted with norepinephrine. They determined that both herbs stimulated the production of nitric oxide. However, they also determined that both herbs had a calcium inhibition function that caused long-term relaxation.

In addition, they discovered that the combination of the two herbs created a synergistic effect that was stronger than either herb on its own. Also, the combined herbs “significantly reduced systolic blood pressure of SHRs at 3, 5, and 7 h after oral administration, but this effect was not induced by Ligusticum wallichii or Angelica gigas alone.”

Another study at the same institute demonstrated that angelica sinensis also caused long-term relaxation of the arteries in much the same manner as angelica gigas.

Immune support and Antimicrobial

Several studies have shown that angelica supports the immune system by stimulating the production of B-cells. B-cells are large white blood cells that effectively eat, or surround and destroy, invaders or cells that are not marked with a protein that tells the B-cells they are safe. This means the enhanced immune system will not only kill invaders, but that it will also kill some types of cancer cells.

Inflammation & Pain

A study to determine the effects of angelica root on inflammation and the symptoms of allergies at the Division of Marine Molecular Biotechnology, Gangneung-Wonju National University in South Korea found that an angelica root ethanolic extract impacted inflammation by inhibiting several pathways, including the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute neutrophilic inflammation. It also inhibited inflammation caused by proteins from outside of the cells. Researchers stated,

“Taken together, our results demonstrate that EAG inhibits focal and systemic inflammatory and allergic reactions, and holds great promise for the treatment of several inflammatory diseases.”

Studies on mice at the Korea Food Division of Recombinant Products, Biopharmaceutical Bureau and Drug Administration have also shown that decursinol, a constituent of angelica, has about the same ability to reduce pain as aspirin and acetaminophen at doses of 50 mg/kg.

Dementia

Researchers at the Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul reported an experiment that tested a standardized extract of angelica to determine how it mediates cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease. Their results demonstrated that angelica inhibits the release of enzymes that catalyze the destruction of neurotransmitters. It also provides neuronal cell protection through inhibiting various damaging proteins and actions.

A study using mice at the Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical
Science, Kyung Hee University in Seoul, Korea, found that a standardized
alcohol extract of angelica helped prevent memory loss and brain damage by reducing inflammation in brain cells.

Cancer

The most studied compound in angelica root for the control or elimination of cancer is decursin, a pyranocoumarin. This is not surprising considering the pharmaceutical industry’s pre-occupation with toxic chemicals because coumarin is toxic to many organisms, although to humans only in very high doses, and pyranocoumarin not so much. However, decursin and its isomer, decursinol angelate are androgen suppressors. They inhibit androgen receptor signaling. A study at the Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, showed that this inhibition starved prostate cancer cells of androgen and resulted in cancer cell apoptosis.

Further studies at the same institution have shown that the same compounds cause a similar reaction in breast cancer cells by limiting the production of estrogen.

A study at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, found that angelica root stimulates the production of B-cells. B-cells are a type of white blood cell that secretes antibodies and antigens which help them attack cancer cells. The researchers also found that angelica is equivalent to the chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin. Also, several of the constituents of angelica are synergistic with doxorubicin, effectively improving the cancer-killing power of both compounds.

While angelica does not kill cancer cells directly, but only through the stimulation of the immune system, it does inhibit the metastasis of melanoma tumors.

Other studies have demonstrated that angelica root kills lung cancer, colon cancer, bladder cancer, sarcoma, myeloma and leukemia in the test tube. However, human studies have not been done.

Health benefits that are not verified by research

All adaptogens help alleviate stress and balance the entire body. If it didn’t do those things, it wouldn’t be classified as an adaptogen. It’s unfortunate that most of the research I found for angelica was done by researchers looking for new compounds that Big Pharma could synthesize. It hasn’t been researched yet by many researchers interested in using it as a natural curative.

  • It protects the liver and other organs
  • It strengthens the heart and improves heart rhythm
  • It is a mild laxative
  • It promotes healthy sleep
  • It promotes urination in people who have trouble urinating

Dosage

Angelica and Astragalus are synergistic when used together. See the section on Astragalus for dosage information when used in combination.
For supplementation use 300 to 500 mg daily of a full spectrum dried powder.
Maximum safe dosage is 1000 mg daily.

Warnings and side effects

Don’t take angelica while you are menstruating. It is a blood thinner and may cause you to bleed too much.

Don’t take angelica if you are pregnant.

Don’t take angelica if you are nursing.

Angelica may interact with pharmaceutical blood thinners.

As with all adaptogens, consult with a doctor first if you are taking drugs to reduce blood pressure.

References

Lee HJ, Lee HJ, Lee EO, Lee JH, Lee KS, Kim KH, Kim SH, Lü J.: In vivo anticancer activity of Korean Angelica gigas and its major pyranocoumarin decursin. Am J Chin Med. 2009;37(1):127-42.

Zhang J, Li L, Jiang C, Xing C, Kim SH, Lü J.: Anti-cancer and other bioactivities of Korean Angelica gigas Nakai (AGN) and its major pyranocoumarin compounds. Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2012 Dec;12(10):1239-54.

Guo J, Jiang C, Wang Z, Lee HJ, Hu H, Malewicz B, Lee HJ, Lee JH, Baek NI, Jeong JH, Kim DK, Kang KS, Kim SH, Lu J.: A novel class of pyranocoumarin anti-androgen receptor signaling compounds. Mol Cancer Ther. 2007 Mar;6(3):907-17.

Jiang C, Guo J, Wang Z, Xiao B, Lee HJ, Lee EO, Kim SH, Lu J.: Decursin and decursinol angelate inhibit estrogen-stimulated and estrogen-independent growth and survival of breast cancer cells. Breast Cancer Res. 2007;9(6):R77.

Joo SS, Park D, Shin S, Jeon JH, Kim TK, Choi YJ, Lee SH, Kim JS, Park SK, Hwang BY, Lee do I, Kim YB.: Anti-allergic effects and mechanisms of action of the ethanolic extract of Angelica gigas in dinitrofluorobenzene-induced inflammation models. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2010 Sep;30(2):127-33. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2010.04.007. Epub 2010 May 23.

Shin S, Joo SS, Park D, Jeon JH, Kim TK, Kim JS, Park SK, Hwang BY, Kim YB.: Ethanol extract of Angelica gigas inhibits croton oil-induced inflammation by suppressing the cyclooxygenase – prostaglandin pathway. J Vet Sci. 2010 Mar;11(1):43-50.

Han SB, Lee CW, Kang MR, Yoon YD, Kang JS, Lee KH, Yoon WK, Lee K, Park SK, Kim HM.: Pectic polysaccharide isolated from Angelica gigas Nakai inhibits melanoma cell metastasis and growth by directly preventing cell adhesion and activating host immune functions. Cancer Lett. 2006 Nov 18;243(2):264-73. Epub 2006 Jan 18.

Seo YJ, Kwon MS, Park SH, Sim YB, Choi SM, Huh GH, Lee JK, Suh HW.: The analgesic effect of decursinol. Arch Pharm Res. 2009 Jun;32(6):937-43. doi:
10.1007/s12272-009-1617-z.

Kyeong-Ok Choi, Inae Lee, Sae-Yeol-Rim Paik, Dong Eun Kim, Jung Dae Lim,
Wie-Soo Kang, and Sanghoon Ko.: Ultrafine Angelica gigas Powder Normalizes Ovarian Hormone Levels and Has Antiosteoporosis Properties in Ovariectomized Rats: Particle Size Effect. J Med Food. 2012 Oct; 15(10): 863–872. doi:
10.1089/jmf.2011.2047 PMCID: PMC3466922