Dong quai (Angelica sinensis [Oliv.] Diels), Chinese angelica

Dong quai ( Angelica sinensis ), also known as Chinese Angelica, has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese medicine. It remains one of the most popular plants in Chinese medicine, and is used primarily for health conditions in women. Dong quai has been called "female ginseng," based on its use for gynecological disorders (such as painful menstruation or pelvic pain), recovery from childbirth or illness, and fatigue/low vitality. It is also given for strengthening xue (loosely translated as "the blood"), for cardiovascular conditions/high blood pressure, inflammation, headache, infections, and nerve pain.

MedlinePlus

Medicinal uses

Chinese

Its dried root is commonly known in Chinese as Radix Angelicae Sinensis, or Chinese angelica (simplified Chinese: 当归; traditional Chinese: 當歸; pinyin: dāngguī) and is widely used in Chinese traditional medicine to treat gynecological ailments, fatigue, mild anemia and high blood pressure. It has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and sedative effects. The plant's phytochemicals consist of coumarins, phytosterols, polysaccharides, ferulate, and flavonoids. It has antioxidant activity.

It is also used as an aphrodisiac.