Herbs that Tonify Blood
Dang Gui 当归
Radix Angelicae Sinensis Chinese Angelica Root
✓ CALE Exam ✓ National Exam
Materia Medica Data
- Category
- Herbs that Tonify Blood
- Temperature
- Warm
- Nature & Flavour
- Sweet, Spicy, Bitter, Warm
- Channels Entered
- HT, LIV, SP
- Latin (pharmaceutical)
- Radix Angelicae Sinensis
- Chinese
- 当归
- Tone Marks
- dāng guī
- Translation
- State of Return
Chinese Herb Actions
- Tonifies Blood For Heart and Liver Blood Deficiency presenting with symptoms such as pale face, dry brittle and pale nails, dry hair, palpitations, anemia, blurry vision, and tinnitus.
- Moves the Blood, Alleviates Pain, and Regulates Menstruation For Blood and Qi Stagnation due to Cold type menstrual disorders with symptoms such as irregular menses, amenorrhea, or dysmenorrhea.
- Moves the Bowels by Moistening the Intestines For Blood Deficient dry intestines and chronic constipation, commonly seen in the elderly, postpartum, or in chronic illness.
- Decreases Swellings, Generates Flesh, and Alleviates Pain Can be for many types of sores, abscesses, or traumatic injury where moving the Blood and breaking Blood Stagnation will have a positive effect.
Chinese Herb Dosage
- 4.5-15 grams 13
- 5-15 grams 12
Chinese Herb Combinations:
- Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis)
- Mo Yao (Resina Myrrhae)
- Ru Xiang (Resina Olibani)
- Zi Ran Tong (Pyritum)
Combined Indications:
- Strains and Fractures
Chinese Herb Contraindications & Cautions
- Use with caution in pregnancy or when breast-feeding.
- Use carefully in patients with loose stool, diarrhea, abdominal distention, and Spleen Deficiency
- Do not use with heat signs due to Yin Deficiency or in Excess conditions
- Women with hormone sensitive cancers such as breast, uterine, or ovarian cancer and those with endometriosis or uterine fibroids should exercise caution.
Chinese Herb Toxicity & Overdose
- This herb has a very low toxicity.
- Overdose symptoms may include drowsiness and fatigue, itching, or abdominal pain.
Herb-Drug Interactions
- Dang Gui may interfere with Anti-Coagulating drugs.
Chinese Herb Notes
- Dang Gui Tou, the head of Angelica Root, has a stronger tonifying action and moves Blood upward
- Dang Gui Shen, the body of Angelica Root, has a stronger action in nourishing and invigorating the Blood.
- Dry frying Dang Gui will increase it's warmth, which can be used to Tonify Blood without causing loose stool or diarrhea.
Sources & References
Compiled and edited by Thomas Dehli, Founder & Editor, Sacred Lotus
The information here is referenced from numerous sources — teachers, practitioners, class notes from Five Branches University, the books below, and the published research literature, with citations given as resolvable PubMed identifiers. Where sources disagree, I have flagged the discrepancies directly. If facts couldn't be verified, I have left them out. How we source our content.
Reference information for students and practitioners — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner. Terms of use.
Chinese Herbs Books & References
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