Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUsesA. ArchangelicaAngelica Sinensis (Dong Quai)Safety ConcernsHow to Use It
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Uses
A. Archangelica
Angelica Sinensis (Dong Quai)
Safety Concerns
How to Use It
Multiple species in the genusAngelicahave been used in traditional systems of medicine.Angelicaspecies contain important compounds such ascoumarins,furanocoumarins,flavonoids(antioxidants), essential oils, andpolysaccharides(long-chain carbohydrates, the most common carb in foods).Angelica has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, cosmetic, and liver-protective properties, among others.
Angelica sinensis(dong quai) is used in traditional Chinese medicine for female health-related conditions.Angelica root (Angelica archangelica) is used as a vegetable, medicinal plant, and flavoring agent.
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Health Benefits of Angelica Root
There are a variety ofAngelicaspecies. Eachspecies is associated with various health benefits often rooted in traditional medicine practices. Additionally, ongoing research continues to clarify their potential therapeutic effects.
Angelica Archangelica (Angelica Root)
Another angelica species isAngelica archangelica, which grows in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Greenland, and Iceland.It is a medicinal herb used in both the Indian system of medicine called Ayurveda and in traditional Chinese medicine.
A. archangelicahas been studied for the following:
One of the species isAngelica sinensis(A. sinensis), also known asdong quai. This medicinal herb is used in traditional Chinese medicine.It is cultivated in China and Vietnam and is used to promote blood circulation, regulate menstruation, and relieve pain.
A. sinensishas been studied for the following conditions:
Angelica Root Safety
Despite the various traditional medicinal uses ofAngelicaroot, some safety concerns should be noted.
Allergies and Sensitivities
An allergic reaction or skin irritation may occur following the use of essential oils inA. archangelica.Avoid angelica-containing supplements if you are allergic to them or their parts. Furanocoumarins, one of the active compounds inA. archangelica,are known to cause serious skin reactions when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet light.
The use ofA. sinensiswas associated with the following side effects:
Precautions
Exercise caution if any of the following applies to you.
Interactions
Angelica root supplements may interact with prescription drugs and other herbal supplements.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements like prescription medications. This means some supplement products may not contain what the label says. Whenchoosing a supplement, look for independently tested products and consult a healthcare provider, registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN or RD), or pharmacist.
How to Use Angelica Root
Angelica supplements come in various forms and have medicinal and culinary uses. Angelic root comes in tablets, capsules, tinctures, root powder, dried roots, and essential oils.
Studied Dosages
Culinary Uses
Angelica has a rich history of traditional use. Angelica’s uses overlap within culinary medicine, with various recipes highlighting its versatility in both culinary and medicinal applications. Angelica’s diverse applications showcase its importance in regional cuisines and herbal remedies.
Summary
Angelica root has been used in Chinese and Indian systems of medicine for various ailments.Angelica sinensishas been studied for arthritis relief, anticancer effects, wound healing, and menopause symptom relief. However, human clinical studies are lacking.Angelica archangelicahas been studied for its antimicrobial properties, antianxiety effects, and frequent urination at night, but further rigorous studies are needed to confirm the results.
Due to the risk of drug-herb and herb-herb interactions, always speak with your healthcare provider before starting angelica supplements.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Batiha GE, Shaheen HM, Elhawary EA, Mostafa NM, Eldahshan OA, Sabatier JM.Phytochemical constituents, folk medicinal uses, and biological activities of genusAngelica: A review.Molecules. 2022;28(1):267. Published 2022 Dec 28. doi:10.3390/molecules28010267Kumar D, Shah M, Bhat Z.Angelica archangelica Linn. is an angel on earth for the treatment of diseases.International journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases. 2011;1(1):36. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/2231-0738.77531Fraternale D, Flamini G, Ricci D.Essential oil composition and antimicrobial activity of Angelica archangelica L. (Apiaceae) roots.J Med Food. 2014;17(9):1043-1047. doi:10.1089/jmf.2013.0012Kumar D, Bhat ZA, Shah MY.Anti-anxiety activity of successive extracts of Angelica archangelica Linn. on the elevated T-maze and forced swimming tests in rats.J Tradit Chin Med. 2012;32(3):423-429. doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(13)60049-7Kowal NM, Eyjolfsson R, Olafsdottir ES.Investigations on the constituents of SagaPro tablets, a food supplement manufactured fromAngelica archangelicaleaf.Pharmazie. 2017;72(1):3-4. doi:10.1691/ph.2017.6807Han Y, Chen Y, Zhang Q, et al.Overview of therapeutic potentiality of Angelica sinensis for ischemic stroke.Phytomedicine. 2021;90:153652. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153652Magdalou J, Chen LB, Wang H, et al.Angelica sinensis and osteoarthritis: a natural therapeutic link?.Biomed Mater Eng. 2015;25(1 Suppl):179-186. doi:10.3233/BME-141250Hao D, Liu J, Guo Z, et al.Supercritical fluid extract ofAngelica sinensispromotes the anti-colorectal cancer effect of oxaliplatin.Front Pharmacol. 2022;13:1007623. Published 2022 Nov 4. doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.1007623Hsiao CY, Hung CY, Tsai TH, Chak KF.A study of the wound healing mechanism of a Traditional Chinese Medicine, Angelica sinensis, using a proteomic approach.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:467531. doi:10.1155/2012/467531Lin HQ, Gong AG, Wang HY, et al.Danggui Buxue Tang (Astragali Radix and Angelicae Sinensis Radix) for menopausal symptoms: A review.J Ethnopharmacol. 2017;199:205-210. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.01.044Michalak M.Plant extracts as skin care and therapeutic agents.Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(20):15444. Published 2023 Oct 22. doi:10.3390/ijms242015444MedlinePlus.Dong quai.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Batiha GE, Shaheen HM, Elhawary EA, Mostafa NM, Eldahshan OA, Sabatier JM.Phytochemical constituents, folk medicinal uses, and biological activities of genusAngelica: A review.Molecules. 2022;28(1):267. Published 2022 Dec 28. doi:10.3390/molecules28010267Kumar D, Shah M, Bhat Z.Angelica archangelica Linn. is an angel on earth for the treatment of diseases.International journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases. 2011;1(1):36. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/2231-0738.77531Fraternale D, Flamini G, Ricci D.Essential oil composition and antimicrobial activity of Angelica archangelica L. (Apiaceae) roots.J Med Food. 2014;17(9):1043-1047. doi:10.1089/jmf.2013.0012Kumar D, Bhat ZA, Shah MY.Anti-anxiety activity of successive extracts of Angelica archangelica Linn. on the elevated T-maze and forced swimming tests in rats.J Tradit Chin Med. 2012;32(3):423-429. doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(13)60049-7Kowal NM, Eyjolfsson R, Olafsdottir ES.Investigations on the constituents of SagaPro tablets, a food supplement manufactured fromAngelica archangelicaleaf.Pharmazie. 2017;72(1):3-4. doi:10.1691/ph.2017.6807Han Y, Chen Y, Zhang Q, et al.Overview of therapeutic potentiality of Angelica sinensis for ischemic stroke.Phytomedicine. 2021;90:153652. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153652Magdalou J, Chen LB, Wang H, et al.Angelica sinensis and osteoarthritis: a natural therapeutic link?.Biomed Mater Eng. 2015;25(1 Suppl):179-186. doi:10.3233/BME-141250Hao D, Liu J, Guo Z, et al.Supercritical fluid extract ofAngelica sinensispromotes the anti-colorectal cancer effect of oxaliplatin.Front Pharmacol. 2022;13:1007623. Published 2022 Nov 4. doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.1007623Hsiao CY, Hung CY, Tsai TH, Chak KF.A study of the wound healing mechanism of a Traditional Chinese Medicine, Angelica sinensis, using a proteomic approach.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:467531. doi:10.1155/2012/467531Lin HQ, Gong AG, Wang HY, et al.Danggui Buxue Tang (Astragali Radix and Angelicae Sinensis Radix) for menopausal symptoms: A review.J Ethnopharmacol. 2017;199:205-210. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.01.044Michalak M.Plant extracts as skin care and therapeutic agents.Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(20):15444. Published 2023 Oct 22. doi:10.3390/ijms242015444MedlinePlus.Dong quai.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Batiha GE, Shaheen HM, Elhawary EA, Mostafa NM, Eldahshan OA, Sabatier JM.Phytochemical constituents, folk medicinal uses, and biological activities of genusAngelica: A review.Molecules. 2022;28(1):267. Published 2022 Dec 28. doi:10.3390/molecules28010267Kumar D, Shah M, Bhat Z.Angelica archangelica Linn. is an angel on earth for the treatment of diseases.International journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases. 2011;1(1):36. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/2231-0738.77531Fraternale D, Flamini G, Ricci D.Essential oil composition and antimicrobial activity of Angelica archangelica L. (Apiaceae) roots.J Med Food. 2014;17(9):1043-1047. doi:10.1089/jmf.2013.0012Kumar D, Bhat ZA, Shah MY.Anti-anxiety activity of successive extracts of Angelica archangelica Linn. on the elevated T-maze and forced swimming tests in rats.J Tradit Chin Med. 2012;32(3):423-429. doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(13)60049-7Kowal NM, Eyjolfsson R, Olafsdottir ES.Investigations on the constituents of SagaPro tablets, a food supplement manufactured fromAngelica archangelicaleaf.Pharmazie. 2017;72(1):3-4. doi:10.1691/ph.2017.6807Han Y, Chen Y, Zhang Q, et al.Overview of therapeutic potentiality of Angelica sinensis for ischemic stroke.Phytomedicine. 2021;90:153652. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153652Magdalou J, Chen LB, Wang H, et al.Angelica sinensis and osteoarthritis: a natural therapeutic link?.Biomed Mater Eng. 2015;25(1 Suppl):179-186. doi:10.3233/BME-141250Hao D, Liu J, Guo Z, et al.Supercritical fluid extract ofAngelica sinensispromotes the anti-colorectal cancer effect of oxaliplatin.Front Pharmacol. 2022;13:1007623. Published 2022 Nov 4. doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.1007623Hsiao CY, Hung CY, Tsai TH, Chak KF.A study of the wound healing mechanism of a Traditional Chinese Medicine, Angelica sinensis, using a proteomic approach.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:467531. doi:10.1155/2012/467531Lin HQ, Gong AG, Wang HY, et al.Danggui Buxue Tang (Astragali Radix and Angelicae Sinensis Radix) for menopausal symptoms: A review.J Ethnopharmacol. 2017;199:205-210. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.01.044Michalak M.Plant extracts as skin care and therapeutic agents.Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(20):15444. Published 2023 Oct 22. doi:10.3390/ijms242015444MedlinePlus.Dong quai.
Batiha GE, Shaheen HM, Elhawary EA, Mostafa NM, Eldahshan OA, Sabatier JM.Phytochemical constituents, folk medicinal uses, and biological activities of genusAngelica: A review.Molecules. 2022;28(1):267. Published 2022 Dec 28. doi:10.3390/molecules28010267
Kumar D, Shah M, Bhat Z.Angelica archangelica Linn. is an angel on earth for the treatment of diseases.International journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases. 2011;1(1):36. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/2231-0738.77531
Fraternale D, Flamini G, Ricci D.Essential oil composition and antimicrobial activity of Angelica archangelica L. (Apiaceae) roots.J Med Food. 2014;17(9):1043-1047. doi:10.1089/jmf.2013.0012
Kumar D, Bhat ZA, Shah MY.Anti-anxiety activity of successive extracts of Angelica archangelica Linn. on the elevated T-maze and forced swimming tests in rats.J Tradit Chin Med. 2012;32(3):423-429. doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(13)60049-7
Kowal NM, Eyjolfsson R, Olafsdottir ES.Investigations on the constituents of SagaPro tablets, a food supplement manufactured fromAngelica archangelicaleaf.Pharmazie. 2017;72(1):3-4. doi:10.1691/ph.2017.6807
Han Y, Chen Y, Zhang Q, et al.Overview of therapeutic potentiality of Angelica sinensis for ischemic stroke.Phytomedicine. 2021;90:153652. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153652
Magdalou J, Chen LB, Wang H, et al.Angelica sinensis and osteoarthritis: a natural therapeutic link?.Biomed Mater Eng. 2015;25(1 Suppl):179-186. doi:10.3233/BME-141250
Hao D, Liu J, Guo Z, et al.Supercritical fluid extract ofAngelica sinensispromotes the anti-colorectal cancer effect of oxaliplatin.Front Pharmacol. 2022;13:1007623. Published 2022 Nov 4. doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.1007623
Hsiao CY, Hung CY, Tsai TH, Chak KF.A study of the wound healing mechanism of a Traditional Chinese Medicine, Angelica sinensis, using a proteomic approach.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:467531. doi:10.1155/2012/467531
Lin HQ, Gong AG, Wang HY, et al.Danggui Buxue Tang (Astragali Radix and Angelicae Sinensis Radix) for menopausal symptoms: A review.J Ethnopharmacol. 2017;199:205-210. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.01.044
Michalak M.Plant extracts as skin care and therapeutic agents.Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(20):15444. Published 2023 Oct 22. doi:10.3390/ijms242015444
MedlinePlus.Dong quai.
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