Dong Quai
Angelica sinensis
In Asia, angelica's reputation is perhaps second only to ginseng. Angelica is generally regarded as a 'female' remedy, used in such conditions as dysmenorrhoea, amenorrhoea, metorrhagia, and menopausal symptoms. Angelica is also used in the treatment of abdominal pain, anemia, injuries, arthritis, migraine headache, and many other conditions.
- PHYTOESTROGEN ACTIVITY - Dong quai possesses 1:400 the estrogenic effect of human estrogen. Plant estrogens have an alterative effect by competing with estrogen for binding sites. If estrogen levels are low they are able to exert some estrogenic effect. If levels are too high they reduce overall levels by occupying binding sites.
- TONIC EFFECTS - Angelica has shown uterine tonic activity and has shown an increase in uterine weight, increase of the DNA content of the uterus and liver and an increase of glucose utilisation by the l