DONG QUAI The Chiropractic Resource Organization
 
   

Dong Quai

 
   

Christy Walker, Amy Bigus, and Deanna Massengill

Thanks to the University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy and Chad Bradshaw, Pharm.D


Common Names

  • "Empress of the Herbs"
  • "Sovereign herb for women"
  • "The Female Ginseng"

General description

  • biennial and perennial plants
  • hollow fluted purple stems rising 3 to 7 feet tall
  • greenish-white flowers bloom from May to August
  • leaves resemble those of carrots, celery or parsley
  • root is harvested for medicinal effects when 1 year old

Chemical Composition

  • Composed of various coumarins and flavonoids which are responsible for medicinal actions

Essential oil contains:

  • n-butylphthalide
  • linoleic acid
  • cadinene
  • palmitic acid
  • carvacrol
  • safrole
  • n-dodecanal
  • sequiterpene
  • isosafrol
  • n-tetradecanol

History and Folk Use

  • Regarded as a "female" remedy
  • dysmenorrhea
  • anemia
  • amenorrhea
  • arthritis
  • metrorrhagia
  • migraine headache
  • menopausal symptoms
  • assure healthy pregnancy and easy delivery
  • abdominal pain
  • injuries

Pharmacology

  • Relates to high coumarin content.

Phytoestrogen activity

  • contains highly active phytoestrogens (lower in activity than animal estrogens)
  • used in conditions of high and low estrogens
  • demonstrate an alterative effect by competing with estrogen for binding sites
  • exert some estrogenic activity when estrogens are low
  • reduce overall estrogenic activity by occupying estrogen receptor sites when estrogen levels are high
  • basis of use in amenorrhea & menopause
  • Japanese angelica (thought to be very similar to Chinese angelica) has uterine tonic activity: causes an initial increase in uterine contraction followed by relaxation

Cardiovascular effects

  • not used historically for these purposes
  • significant hypotensive action due to vasodilator activity
  • dihydropyranocoumarins and dihydrofuranocoumarins possess coronary vasodilatory, spasmolytic, and cyclic-AMP-phosphodiesterase inhibitory properties
  • result of calcium channel antagonism
  • also may have negative inotropic & antiarrhythmic action

Smooth muscle relaxing activity

  • Calcium channel blocking compounds are capable of relaxing smooth muscle of visceral organs like the intestines and the uterus (essential oil)
  • The water extract produces an initial contraction and then a prolonged relaxation

Analgesic activity

  • Pain relieving and mild tranquilizing effects
  • Analgesic action was found to be 1.7 times that of aspirin
  • Analgesic activity combined with smooth muscle relaxing activity support use in uterine cramps, trauma, headaches & arthritis

Anti-allergy and Immuno-modulating activity

  • Used in prevention and treatment of allergic symptoms
  • Inhibits production of IgE in a selective manner
  • Coumarin compounds demonstrate immune-enhancing activity in healthy and cancer patients
  • Coumarins stimulate macrophages & phagocytosis – offers protection against metastasis and growth of tumor cells
  • May possess mitogenic activity to B-lymphocytes, interferon-producing activity, anti-tumor activity, & complement-activiating activity to support historical anti-cancer effects and use as adjunct to current cancer therapy

Antibacterial activity

  • Possess activity against both gram negative and gram positive bacteria
  • Other herbs, however, have much greater antimicrobial activity

Clinical Applications

  • treatment of disorders of menstruation
  • menopause (especially hot flashes)
  • atopic conditions
  • smooth muscle spasms
  • (uterine cramps, migraines, abdominal spasm)
  • possibly as an immunostimulatory adjunct in cancer therapy
  • The whole root is used:
  • the head staunches bleeding
  • the body preserves the internal organs and nourished the blood
  • the tail moves the blood
  • As a whole, the root "harmonizes" the blood.
  • Eliminate discomforts of PMS
  • Help women resume normal menstruation after going off "the pill"
  • May prevent anemia due to richness in vitamins & minerals (A, B12, & E)

Drug and Disease Interactions

  • Should not be used during pregnancy or mestruation
  • Should not be taken with blood thinning agents

Dosage

  • Standard dose for dried root or rhizosome:
  • 1-2 gram orally or by infusion TID
  • Tincture (1:5)
  • 3-5 mL TID
  • Fluid extract (1:1)
  • 0.5-2.0 mL

Toxicity

  • Extremely low toxicity
  • Contains many photoreactive substances that may induce photosensitivity

Recipe:

  • 1 oz Dong Quai
  • 1/2 cup black beans
  • 1 pint water
  • 1 clove garlic, diced
  • 2 slices of licorice root
  • Seasonings to taste

Soak the beans overnight. Discard water. Combine beans & Dong Quai and cook for 2 hours, skimming surface foam periodically. In last 15 minutes of cooking, remove Dong Quai, which is bitter and add licorice slices. Makes 4 servings.

References

  • Murray MT. The Healing Power of Herbs. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 1996, pp. 43-49.
  • Pizzorno JE and MT Murray. "Angelica species," A Textbook of Natural Medicine. Bothell, WA: Bastyr University Publications, Vol. 1, 1996.

Internet sites:


Thanks to the University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy


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