Witnessed by: TCM · Western
Dong quai (Angelica sinensis), of the Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family. Aromatic perennial umbellifer with purplish stems and compound leaves, cultivated at altitude; native range: Cool, high-altitude mountain regions of Gansu, Yunnan, Shaanxi and Sichuan in China. Globally recognized as dang gui (當歸) in Chinese, and Chinese angelica, female ginseng, dong quai root in English. The part used is root. A thick, branched, yellow-brown root with a strong sweetish, pungent aroma and an oily, warming taste; the head, body and tail of the root are traditionally separated for distinct actions.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
DONG QUAI
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Dong quai
- Scientific name
- Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels
- Family
- Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)
Form
- Part used
- root
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- sweet · pungent
- Western
- sweet · pungent · aromatic, oily and warming to the tongue
Temperature
- TCM
- warm
- Western
- warm
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Liver · Heart · Spleen
- Western
- uterus · blood · circulation · digestion
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- tonifies blood, invigorates blood, regulates menstruation, alleviates pain, moistens the intestines to unblock the bowels
- Western
- emmenagogue, uterine tonic, mild laxative, antispasmodic, blood tonic, mild analgesic
Cautions
Contraindications: pregnancy (in unprocessed, blood-moving doses), active bleeding disorders, diarrhea or abdominal fullness from spleen deficiency with dampness
Toxicity: generally well tolerated at standard doses; excess may cause mild gastrointestinal upset or, rarely, photosensitivity reactions
Interactions
- Western
- anticoagulants: coumarin derivatives may potentiate warfarin and other anticoagulants, increasing bleeding risk · photosensitising drugs: furanocoumarin content may add to photosensitising effects
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