dong quai
Meaning of dong quai: A staple of Chinese herbal formulas taken up in the West as a single remedy, which is not how it was traditionally given.
Definition of dong quai
Dong quai is the dried root of Angelica sinensis, a plant of the carrot family grown in China. It has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is combined with other herbs in formulas used for menstrual complaints and for states described as blood deficiency. Western supplements sell the root by itself, most often for symptoms around menopause.
Is it a plant estrogen?
It is marketed as one, and the human evidence does not support the label. When the root alone was tested against a dummy preparation for hot flashes, it performed no better, and it produced no measurable estrogen-like effect on the lining of the womb or on cells from the vaginal wall. Other plants sold for the same symptoms do carry compounds that occupy estrogen receptors weakly; this one has not been shown to. The traditional use also sits awkwardly with the Western one, since the root was almost never given alone but blended into multi-herb formulas whose reputation does not transfer to a single ingredient sold in a capsule.
Why is it flagged with blood thinners?
Because of what it contains. The root is rich in coumarin compounds, the chemical family that gave its name to warfarin, though the plant compounds are not themselves anticoagulant drugs. Reports describe clotting times lengthening when the two are combined, and the herb appears on most interaction lists for that reason. The concern extends to any blood thinner and to surgery. A second group of those compounds reacts with sunlight, so rashes and burning of exposed skin are described with plants of this family.
What is it actually used for?
| Setting | How it is used |
|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese medicine | One component of formulas, not a single remedy |
| Western supplements | Sold alone for hot flashes and night sweats |
| Menstrual complaints | Long-standing traditional use for irregular or painful periods |
| Cooking | Added to soups and broths in parts of East Asia |
Claims about the menstrual cycle are the oldest attached to it, and the plant is sometimes called female ginseng on that basis, a nickname rather than a description of any shared chemistry with ginseng. Supplement strength is not standardized, so two products carrying the same name may differ substantially in what they contain.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
The patient reported taking dong quai alongside prescribed anticoagulation.
Good to know
Testing of the root alone found no benefit over placebo for hot flashes and no estrogen-like effect on tissue, and its coumarin content is the basis of the reported interaction with warfarin.