The root of the dong quai plant is used as a natural medication to cure a variety of ailments. Dong quai possesses estrogenic properties and may influence other hormones in the body. It also contains coumarins, which have anticoagulant properties in the body. Before consuming this product, people should consult their doctors. It’s a celery family member that’s been utilised in traditional Chinese medicine for a long time. The plant (particularly, the root) is claimed to help with a variety of ailments, from allergies and constipation to high blood pressure and more, owing to its high content of anti-inflammatory and immune-stimulating chemicals. It is widely used by mouth for menopausal symptoms, menstrual cycle disorders including migraines, and a variety of other ailments, however there is no scientific data to back up these claims.
Health benefits :
It is commonly used to treat headaches, premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps, fibroids, nasal and/or sinus congestion, and rheumatoid arthritis, in addition to the conditions stated above. Currently, there isn’t enough scientific evidence to support it’s usage for these reasons. More study is needed.
Menopausal symptoms :
Various dong quai-containing combined products appear to alleviate menopausal symptoms. In menopausal women, taking a particular product combining dong quai and chamomile appears to decrease hot flushes. In pre- and postmenopausal women, using a particular product including American ginseng, black cohosh, dong quai, milk thistle, red clover, and vitex agnus-castus (Phyto-Female complex) appears to minimise hot flushes and nighttime sweats while also improving sleeping habits. Taking a supplement with burdock root, licorice root, motherwort, dong quai, and Mexican wild yam root appears to help with menopausal symptoms.
However, some data shows that simply ingesting it improves menopausal symptoms.
Arthritis :
Although there is little study on the health benefits of this herb, preliminary investigations show the herb may be beneficial for arthritis and osteoarthritis. Compounds isolated from dong quai were shown to prevent the osteoarthritis-related degradation of cartilage in a 2014 research on cells obtained from both human cartilage and rats. A polysaccharide from the root of this appears to reduce the oxidative stress linked with osteoarthritis in human cells, according to a study published in 2018. While these findings are encouraging, no placebo-controlled human studies have been conducted.
Heart health :
According to preliminary study, an injection of a product combining dong quai and other herbs may relieve chest discomfort and enhance heart function in patients with heart disease.
Pulmonary hypertension :
Early study suggests that injecting it can lower blood pressure and enhance blood flow in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or pulmonary hypertension.
Side effects :
When used for up to 6 months, dong quai is generally safe for adults. It’s usually used at a 100-150 mg daily dosage in conjunction with other substances. It might make your skin hypersensitive to the sun. This might make you more susceptible to sunburn and skin cancer. Outside, use sunblock, especially if you have fair skin. It is considered harmful to take dong quai in larger doses for longer than 6 months.
It contains cancer-causing substances.
The following are possible side effects : bloating, appetite loss, stomach discomfort, diarrhea, nausea, increased light sensitivity, fever, hypertension, excessive bleeding.
Contraindications :
Because it has anticoagulant and estrogenic properties, it should be avoided by patients who have bleeding disorders, women who bleed excessively during periods, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, individuals suffering from hormonal conditions, and people who are about to undergo surgery.
