INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Radix Angelicae Sinensis |
| Common English: | Chinese Angelica Root Tang-Kuei Dong Quai Root |
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Sweet Pungent Bitter |
Warm |
Heart Liver Spleen |
3-15g Tincture: 2-4ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Tonifies the Blood and regulates the menses |
Blood Deficiency, especially when affecting the Heart and Liver with pale, ashen complexion, lusterless nails, tinnitus, blurred vision, and palpitations Blood Deficiency associated irregular menstruation, amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea |
| Invigorates and harmonizes the Blood and disperses Cold (stops pain due to Blood Stasis) | Blood Stasis causing abdominal pain and carbuncles and pain due to Blood Stasis from traumatic injury, especially when accompanied by Deficiency Cold Postpartum menstruation Pregnancy (use with caution) Blood Deficiency with chronic Wind-Damp-Bi |
| Moistens the Intestines and unblocks the bowels | Dry Intestines due to Blood Deficiency |
| Reduces swelling, expels pus, generates flesh and alleviates pain | Sores and abscess (Chuang Yung), internally and topically |
| Stops cough and treats dyspnea | Used adjunctively for cough |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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INCOMPATIBILITIES |
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
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Rx. Astragali |
Rx. Paeoniae Albae |
|
Pallor, debility, fatigue and/or low grade fever due to excessive blood loss Ulcerated abscesses with insufficient drainage or which drain a clear thin discharge Many Blood Deficiency patterns Qi and Blood Deficiency |
Menstrual irregularity, amenorrhea, and dysmenorrhea due to Blood Deficiency or Blood Stasis |
Amenorrhea, pain, swelling and other symptoms associated with Blood Stasis |
Rx. Paeoniae Albae |
Rx. Paeoniae Albae |
Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata |
| Blood Deficiency Heat Regulates and harmonizes Qi and Blood |
Hematuria, hematemesis, and epistaxis due to Xue Stage Heat |
Heat symptoms due to Yin Deficiency and Devastated Blood |
Rz. Cyperi |
Rx. Astragali |
|
| Dysmenorrhea |
Postpartum abdominal pain and hernial pain due to Deficiency Cold and other symptoms of exhaustion and debility |
Pain due to Blood Stasis in the extremities |
Hb. Cistanches |
Flos Lonicerae or Flos Lonicerae (large dose) |
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Wind-Damp Bi Dysmenorrhea and delayed menstruation due to Cold |
Chronic constipation due to Blood Deficiency |
Reduces swelling of abscesses and sores Alleviates pain |
Rx. Astragali |
Per, Citri Reticulatae |
Rx. Glycyrrhizae |
| Expels pus and generates flesh in chronic non-healing sores |
Coughing during the night, dyspnea, profuse and salty-tasting sputum due to Kidney and Lung Yin Deficiency |
Moderates spasms and relieves abdominal pain |
Rx. Paeoniae Albae |
Olibanum
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Menstrual irregularity, amenorrhea, and dysmenorrhea due to Blood with concurrent Heat symptoms Deficiency or Blood Stasis with concurrent Heat symptoms |
Strains and fractures |
Dysmenorrhea from Liver Qi Stagnation and Blood Deficiency |
Diarrhea during pregnancy with mild abdominal pain |
Urinary difficulty during pregnancy with a normal appetite |
Restless fetus disorder with lower back and abdominal pain |
Rz. Ligustici Chuanxiong |
Hb. Cistanches |
|
Postpartum Blood Deficiency with Cold |
Patients with Blood Deficiency who experience cold extremities due to Cold entering the channels |
Chronic constipation due to Qi and Blood Deficiency |
Rx. Polygoni Multiflori |
Fr. Perillae |
Per. Citri Reticulatae |
Moistens the intestines and treats constipation |
Cough and wheezing due to Phlegm clogging the airways |
Lung and Kidney Yin Deficiency with overflowing water turning to Phlegm, with cough, wheezing, nausea marked by profuse, salty sputum |
Per. Citri Reticulatae |
Rz. Ligustici Chuanxiong |
Rz. Cyperi |
Coughing attacks at night |
Harmonizes, nourishes and invigorates the Blood and disperses Blood Stasis Abdominal pain |
Tonifies Blood and moves Qi, for premenstrual symptoms, menstrual pain and irregular menstruation |
Flos Lonicerae |
Sm. Phaseoli |
Hb. Cistanches |
Reduces obstruction and toxicity for swollen, painful sores and necrosis of surrounding tissue |
Resolves toxicity, disperses Blood and expels pus, for Intestinal Wind due to Damp-Heat (the passage of Blood preceding the stool) or Lung or Large Intestine abscesses or bleeding hemorrhoids |
Constipation due to Dryness of the Intestines Blood Deficiency failing to supply the sinews of the Intestines, interfering with peristalsis. Constipation in the elderly with insufficiency of Yin and Blood (caution with Yin Deficiency Heat) |
Rx. Linderae |
Rx. Ginseng |
Cx. Moutan |
Disperses Cold and stops pain, for abdominal pain due to External Cold Cold dysmenorrhea or postpartum abdominal pain (powder and take with wine) Combined with appropriate herbs for hernia or dragging Cold pain in the testicles |
Spleen and Heart Deficiency with insomnia, excessive dreaming, worry, fatigue, palpitations forgetfulness and difficulty falling asleep |
Blood Deficiency with Deficiency Heat with hot flashes, irritability and flushed cheeks |
Rz. Zingiberis Recens |
Sm. Persicae |
Fr. Evodiae |
Epigastric and abdominal pain |
Amenorrhea due to Blood Deficiency and Stagnation |
Amenorrhea or irregular menstruation due to Deficiency Cold |
Excrementum Trogopterori |
Rx. Bupleuri |
Cx. Moutan |
Dysmenorrhea due to Deficiency Cold |
Pre-menstrual syndrome and irregular menstruation due to Liver Qi Stagnation |
Early menstruation, bloating during menstruation, and irritability due to Qi Stagnation with Heat |
Rx. Ginseng |
Rz. Curculiginis |
Rx. Paeoniae Alba |
General menstrual disorders with fatigue and weakness due to Qi and Blood Deficiency |
Menopause symptoms due to Yin Deficiency Heat |
Diarrhea during pregnancy with more severe abdominal pain |
Rz. Chuanxiong |
Rx. Astragali |
Rz. Chuanxiong |
Restless fetus, lower back pain, abdominal pain, and breech presentation |
Postpartum spontaneous sweating, fever, shortness of breath and back and leg pain with inability to turn from side to side |
Postpartum bleeding and lower abdominal coldness and pain due to Blood Deficiency with Cold |
Rx. Ginseng |
Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii |
Rx. Bupleuri |
Insufficient milk due to Qi and Blood Deficiency |
Postpartum Bi syndrome |
Trauma to the thoracic cavity |
Lignum Sappan |
Olibanum |
Rx. Astragali |
Bruises, redness and swelling from trauma |
Broken or fractured bones |
Numbness due to Blood Deficiency |
Ram. Cinnamomi |
Rx. Astragali |
Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis |
Blood and Yang Deficiency with cold extremities, back and/or buttocks |
Bi syndrome with painful joints and/or numbness due to Deficiency of the Ying and Wei |
Liver, Kidney, Qi and Blood Deficiency with sore and weak lower back and knees |
Rx. Astragali |
Rx. Astragali |
Flos Lonicerae |
Slow-healing sores due to Qi and Blood Deficiency |
Toxic ulcers with pus |
Redness, swelling and burning toxic sores |
Rx. Polygoni Multiflori |
Fr. Perillae |
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Constipation due to Blood Deficiency |
Cough, dyspnea, shortness of breath and profuse sputum |
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- The head - Caput Radicis Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui Tou is the most tonifying part, but less effective in activating.
- The tail - Extremitas Radicis Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui Wei is the least tonifying but most activating.
- The body - Corpus Radicis Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui Shen is more tonifying than activating.
- Usually the whole root is used.
- It stops spasms.
- It detoxifies the Blood.
- It is considered the supreme woman’s herb because it regulates Blood and nourishes the reproductive organs.
- It is used in almost every formula for nourishing Blood, activating Blood, improving the skin, regulating menstruation and treating abdominal pain.
- Western herbalists think it should not be used during pregnancy but is a component of almost all formulas to prevent miscarriage and nourish the Blood when there is weakness during pregnancy.
- Dang Gui was effective in treating scopolamine and cycloheximide-induced amnesia.
- Dang Gui treats acetomiophen-induced liver damage.
- This herb is suitable for all conditions involving Stasis, Dryness, Deficiency or Cold.
- It can be used for Blood Deficiency with Heat because it generates Blood and enriches Yin thereby reducing Heat.
- Dry-fried Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Chao Dang Gui reduces its oil content and makes it less able to moisten the Intestines and is appropriate for gynecological patients with diarrhea.
- Wine-fried Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Jiu Chao Dang Gui has a slightly stronger Intestine moistening property and is appropriate for Blood Stasis with Blood Deficiency.
- Earth-fried Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Tu Chao Dang Gui reduces its oil content and leads it directly to the Spleen and Stomach. It is used to tonify Blood in patients with diarrhea or loose stools.
- Vinegar-fried Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Cu Chao Dang Gui is not commonly used. It enters the Liver, is sour and therefore restrains bleeding.
- Charred Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui Tan stops bleeding while reducing Blood Stasis and is commonly used.
- It has a stimulating and relaxing effect on the uterus and enhances estrogen and progesterone levels.
- Dang Gui and Rx. Paeoniae Alba Bai Shao both nourish Blood and alleviate pain. Dang Gui unblocks, disperses, drains and ;lubricates the Intestines while Bai Shao astringes Yin to extinguish Internal Wind and stop sweating and nourishes Liver blood to soften the Liver to relieve painful cramping, and other pain in the flanks and abdomen due to Liver disorders.
- Dang Gui and Caulis Spatholobi Ji Xue Teng both tonify and invigorate Blood, stop pain and regulate menstration. Dang Gui tonifies and invigorates the Blood and moistens the Intestines while Ji Xue Teng Invigorates the Blood primarily and tonifies secondarily, invigorates the collaterals and soothes sinews to treat Wind-Damp Bi.