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Female ginseng-Dong Quai

The botanical name for Dong Quai is Angelica Sinensis. Common trade names include Women's Ginseng and Chinese Angelica. The name Dong Quai translates as "return to order" based on its alleged restorative properties.

Dong Quai contains essential oils, coumarins, phytosterols, polysaccharides, ferulate, and flavonoids. It is the only non-animal source of Vitamin B12. The major chemical constituent of the roots is ligustilide, which can range from 0,5 - 5% in the dried root.

Introduction

Dong Quai is a biennial and perennial plant native to China and Japan. It is commonly found in well watered soil. It can grow between 1 and 2,5 m tall. It has greenish-white flowers and leaves that resemble those of carrots or celery, which makes sense because Dong Quai is a member of the celery family. (Apiaceae/Umbelliferae).

Dong Quai has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese medicine. It is used primarily for health conditions in women. Dong Quai has been called "female ginseng," based on its use for gynecological disorders and recovery from childbirth or illness.

Dong Quai possesses the distinction of being one of the few good non-animal sources of Vitamin B12, along with some varieties of yeast and micro algae like Spirulina. (Also available at www.benseng.com)

	Foto: Dong Quai is a plant that can grow up to 2,5 meters high. It has cream-colored flowers that are arranged in an umbrella-shape. The leaves are similar to the leaves of celery: both plants belong to the same family.
	Foto: The root is the part of the plant that is used for further processing. It is light brown, light, and wrinkly. The dried root is most common, but there are also fresh varieties available.

Application

Powdered or dried root/root slices, fluid extracts, tinctures, decoctions, and dried leaf preparations are the traditional ways of using Dong Quai orally. Nowadays it is more often taken as capsules or tablets.

The root has a sweet pungent aroma that is very distinctive and it is often used in cooking, which is the best way to take it as a blood tonic.

Topical preparations are available to be applied to the skin. Dong Quai extract has reported use in the following product types: facial moisturizer, anti-aging creams, scrub, and hormonal crèmes.

Safety of intravenous use is not established, although it has been reported in research.

Medicinal action

Traditionally, Dong Quai is believed to have a balancing or "adaptogenic" effect on the female hormonal system. Dong Quai was and is rarely used alone. It is typically used in combination with herbs such as peony and ligusticum for conditions such as menstrual cramps.

It is claimed that Dong Quai has been effective in decreasing discomfort of cramps, lower back aches, mood swings, irritability, and bloating. Other than for menstrual disorders, Dong Quai is used in the treatment of abdominal pain, anemia, hepatitis, hypertension, arthritis, migraine headache, and many other conditions like: hair loss, skin depigmentation, psoriasis, premature ejaculation and certain kidney diseases such as glomerulonephritis.

The most common applications of Dong Quai are:

dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation);
amenorrhea (absence of menstruation);
menorrhagia (abnormal menstruation);
to assure a healthy pregnancy;
to ease child delivery;
for menopausal women where it lessens hot flashes, vaginal dryness, irritability and mood swings.

Its "female" effects may be due to Dong Quai's proposed containment of "phyto-estrogens" (chemicals with estrogen-like effects in the body).

Industrial application

There is no evidence that Dong Quai is used for any purpose other than as a medicinal herb or in cosmetics.

Dosage

For therapeutic effects, dry Dong Quai root is given at high dosage of 5-10 grams per day preferably divided in 3 applications per day.

As a food supplement Dong Quai is usually advised in dosage from 0,5 - 1 grams of dry root or standardized extract powder (1% ligustilides) three times per day.

For working Dong Quai extract powder into cosmetics, most often an up to 1% concentration in the final cosmetic product is used.

Contra-indications

Dong Quai is accepted as being safe as a food additive in the United States and Europe. Its safety in medicinal doses is not known.

Most precautions are based on theory, laboratory research, tradition, or isolated case reports. In this perspective it is better not to take Dong Quai by people with bleeding disorders, diarrhea, abdominal bloating, or while suffering from an infection such as colds and flu.

People with known allergy/hypersensitivity to Angelica radix or members of the Apiaceae/Umbelliferae family (anise, caraway, carrot, celery, dill, parsley) should avoid Dong Quai.

Be informed:

Patients receiving anticoagulant therapy should be advised against taking Radix Angelica Sinensis without medical supervision;
Increased sun sensitivity with a risk of severe skin reactions (photosensitivity) may occur due to chemicals in Dong Quai. Prolonged exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light should be avoided while taking Dong Quai;
Safrole, a volatile oil in Dong Quai, might be carcinogenic (cancer-causing). Long-term use should therefore be avoided;
Dong Quai has traditionally been associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, including laxative effects/diarrhea, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, burping, or bloating;
Dong Quai preparations should be used cautiously by patients with diabetes or glucose intolerance.

More information / news

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