About Dang Gui
Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis) is used in TCM for menstrual and menopausal complaints, almost always within multi-herb formulas rather than as a single agent, and Western RCT evidence for it is weak and largely negative. The key trial, Hirata et al. 1997 (n=71) in postmenopausal women, found no benefit over placebo for hot flashes, vaginal dryness, or endometrial thickness; small combination-formula trials show modest signal but cannot isolate Dong Quai's contribution, and its mechanistic estrogenic activity is inconsistent in vitro. Constituents include ferulic acid, ligustilide, Z-ligustilide, polysaccharides, and coumarins. Resolver note: distinct from Angelica archangelica (European angelica) — bare 'angelica root' aliases resolve here because supplement labels overwhelmingly use 'Angelica' to mean Dong Quai (A. sinensis); if an A. archangelica entry is added, those bare aliases must move. SAFETY: contains coumarin derivatives — meaningful additive bleeding risk with warfarin, DOACs, antiplatelets, NSAIDs; case reports of INR elevation. Furanocoumarins may cause photosensitization. Avoid in pregnancy (uterine stimulant in TCM use) and in hormone-sensitive cancers.
What Dang Gui supports
- Traditional TCM use for menstrual and menopausal symptoms — modern monotherapy evidence is largely negative
- Coumarin content raises bleeding risk with anticoagulants and antiplatelets
How much Dang Gui to take
The RDA prevents deficiency. The effective range is what clinical trials used to actually move the outcome.
Effective
1000–4500
mg
Range tightened around the only Western RCT (Hirata 1997, ~4.5 g/day root powder, 24 wk, NULL result). There is no validated therapeutic dose for any indication — the range reflects what was used in the only adequately-sized monotherapy trial, which failed.
Clinical evidence
Limited clinical evidence. Hirata et al. 1997 RCT (PMID 9418683, Fertil Steril, n=71, 24 wk) — null result for menopausal symptoms. No high-quality monotherapy trials support efficacy claims.
Reference