Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis)
Centrepiece TCM women's-health herb, modern clinical evidence is thin and the most-cited menopausal-symptom RCT was null.
Why
Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis, dang gui) is one of the most-used herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine, where it is classified as a 'blood-nourishing and -moving' herb and prescribed for menstrual irregularity, post-partum recovery and menopausal complaints. Modern clinical evidence is limited and mostly negative: the Hirata 1997 Fertil Steril RCT in postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms was null. No Cochrane review, no EMA monograph supports the menopausal indication.
How it works
Traditional TCM framework: nourishes Blood (Xue), invigorates circulation, regulates the menstrual cycle. Ferulic acid and ligustilide have documented phytoestrogenic and antispasmodic effects preclinically, clinical translation has not been established.
Expected onset · Not characterised in modern clinical literature
How to take
Dosage
Traditional decoction: 4.5–9 g dried root in water. Standardised extract: per product label. In TCM tradition itself, generally used as part of multi-herb formulas rather than monotherapy.
Timing
Divided 2–3 times daily
On the label
Angelica sinensis (Chinese Dong Quai), distinct from Angelica archangelica (European angelica, separate digestive bitter card). GMP-certified TCM dispensary or supplier with heavy-metal testing.
Ideal for
Adults exploring TCM framework approaches, used as a women's tonic by Chinese-medicine practitioners, with awareness that modern clinical evidence does not support specific therapeutic claims.
Safety
Evidence
Hirata 1997 Fertil Steril RCT (n=71 postmenopausal women): Dong Quai 4.5 g/day for 24 weeks produced no significant difference from placebo on menopausal symptoms or oestrogenic markers. Tradition-only, no Cochrane review, no EMA HMPC monograph, no EFSA-authorised claim, no major-journal RCT supports a specific therapeutic effect. Inclusion reflects documented historical use in the tradition; modern clinical evidence is limited.
Tradition-only, no Cochrane review, no EMA HMPC monograph, no EFSA-authorised claim, no major-journal RCT supports a specific therapeutic effect. Inclusion reflects documented historical use in the tradition; modern clinical evidence is limited.
Where to get it
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