Angelica sinensis (Danggui)
Angelica sinensis (Danggui), is a known dried root that is commonly used as a Chinese medicinal herb to enrich blood, promote blood circulation, and treat menstrual disorders such as dysmenorrhea and irregular menstrual cycle (1).
Angelica Sinensis was first documented in Shennong Bencao Jing (Shennong's Materia Medica; 200-300AD) and has been used as a blood tonic to treat menstrual disorders in East Asia (2). It is known as ‘’female ginseng’’ because it can move and circulate blood flow before the onset of menorrhagia to prevent cramping while nourishing the body and helping the rebuild of the uterus (1,2). Besides dysmenorrhea, angelica sinensis it is known for its use for pelvic pain, recovery from childbirth, and menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes. Its constituents are ligustilide, angelic side, and ferulic acid which are known to have an inhibitory effect on uterine movement (6). It should be avoided by patients that take warfarin and antiplatelet drugs as well as during breastfeeding.
Angelica root for menstrual pain
A recent study presented data from three clinical trials and demonstrated that Angelica Sinensis was superior compared to analgesics and placebo for dysmenorrhea (1).
Angelica root for menopausal symptoms
Evidence has demonstrated that the use of Angelica root, known as Dong Quai, has led to a reduction of vasomotor symptoms by 20 to 35 % in patients (4,5), while a study by Burke and colleagues showcased that migraine attacks were reduced by 56 % (3).