Individual Herbs Notebook

當歸 Dang Gui

Translation: Should Return

Pharmaceutical: Radix Angelicae sinensis
Taxonomy: Angelica sinensis

Other names: Chinese Angelica Root / Tang-Kuei / Dong Quai Root

Category: Herbs that Tonify Blood


Properties: Sweet, Pungent, Warm

Meridans Entered:
Primary: Heart and Liver
Extraordinary Vessels: Chong, Yin Wei, Dai

Traditional Actions/Indications:
  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. Moistens the Intestines and unblocks the bowels
    Dry Intestines due to Blood Deficiency
  4. Reduces swelling, expels pus, generates flesh and alleviates pain
    Sores and abscess (Chuang Yung), internally and topically
  5. Stops coughing and treats dyspnea
    Used adjunctively for coughing
  6. Tonifies the Blood while suppressing Parasites
    Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
    Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Suggested Daily Dosage: 6-12g in decoction.

Cautions: It is contraindicated in cases of Damp-Heat stagnating in the Middle, Lung Heat with Phlegm Fire, and Yin deficiency with effulgent Yang because it is warm and sweet in properties. In addition, it should be used with caution in cases of loose stool because it can moisten intestines to smooth stool.

Many sources recommend using caution, avoiding or only taking under guidance of a TCM physician during pregnancy as it can cause uterine contractions. However, there are no studies supporting this and the only scientific literature seems to suggest that Z-Ligustilide has anti-spasmodic activities that alleviate dysmenorrhoea by inhibiting uterine contractions (Du et al., 2006; Dietz et al., 2016).

Caution is also advised in breast cancer patients due to its oestrogen stimulating activity. This based upon Lau et al (2005) who found it may stimulate breast cancer growth in vitro, however Yue et al, (2019) demonstrated that it is not that stimulatory in breast cancer both in vitro and in vivo through a series of tests, although they suggested it should still be used with caution in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Conversely, a large population study in Taiwan by Wu et al (2014) found it reduced the subsequent risk of endometrial cancer in breast cancer survivors taking tamoxifen, especially in those of reproductive age.

Interactions:

Notable Constituents:
Appears in 235 formulae listed on this site: (click to display)
Research Links & References: (click to display)
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