Dong Quai
Description: Dong Quai is a fragrant perennial herb growing from a brown, fleshy root to reach heights of .5 to 1 meter. Its purplish stems are laced with rows of leaves ranging from 3 to 11 cm long. The plant produces small white flowers between June and July, with fruit appearing from July to August.
History: Dong Quai is first mentioned in Chinese herbal literature in the Collection of Commentaries on the Materia Medica, dating back to about 500 B.C. Its name (meaning “missing the husband” or “returned to the husband’s home”) suggests the herb’s reputed ability to turn the heart of the female toward her husband—though much of its actual use occurs among women wishing to stimulate their reproductive organs and increase child bearing potential. The herb ranks just behind licorice in frequency of use in China. Dong Quai has been used extensively in China as a post-parturition tonic after child delivery, having also been found to regulate the menses and relieve abdominal pains. In Europe the plant was believed to be of heavenly origin, its healing properties—according to one legend—having been revealed to a monk in a dream as a cure for the plague. The drug has been used on this continent for infant flatulence and colic, and heartburn in adults. Dong Quai was first introduced to Western medicine in 1899 in the form of a liquid extract called Eumenol. Much like its Chinese counterpart, this preparation was prescribed in the treatment of menstrual disorders. The essential oils found in the stem and roots of this plant are used today both in the perfume and cosmetic industries and are found in Benedictine, chartreuse, and gin.
Modern Uses: The herb’s best known therapeutic effects are diuretic, sedative, analgesic, and blood tonic. Most of these are due to the plant’s volatile oil components which are shown to be effective in treating the uterus, liver, heart, and nervous and circulatory systems. Dong Quai’s water- and alcohol-soluble component has been shown to contract and excite the uterine muscles in several types of animals, while its volatile oils have been found to have a relaxing, inhibitory effect on these same muscle groups. This is thought to be the mechanism behind the herb’s effectiveness in treating dysmenorrhea—an approach notable for its lack of any estrogenic effect.
Dong Quai can also be effective in enhancing body metabolism and increasing oxygen utilization in the liver, as well as intensifying glutamic acid and cysteine oxidation. The herb has been found to act against vitamin E deficiency, which may account for its fetus-stabilizing influence and protection against testicular disease. Although prescribed most widely for women, the herb is also valuable to men who show signs of anemia and can help prevent atherosclerosis and lipid deposits in the arteries. Also, because it moistens the intestines, it can be effective in treating constipation due to dryness of the bowels. A bacterial inhibiting effect has been ascribed to the plant, whose use has been shown to be effective in combatting both Gram-negative (Bacillus dysenteriae, B. typhi, Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, Shigella) bacteria. Dong Quai is also prescribed for angina, chills, diabetes, hypertension, headaches, nephritis, and lumbago.
Contrary to what many people believe, Dong Quai is not estrogenic and hence, is not dangerous to take during pregnancy. Part of its action is to build the blood, which is especially important for women because they often become anemic from their monthly loss of blood.
Dong Quai is often included in combinations for female problems. As a single, try taking one or two capsules with meals three times daily.
Sources:
Herbs that Heal, by Michael A. Weiner, Ph.D. and Janet Weiner (Mill Valley, California: Quantum Books, 1994).
Nutritional Herbology by Mark Pedersen (Warsaw, Indiana: Wendell W. Whitman Company, 1994).
The Herbs of Life by Lesley Tierra, L. Ac. (Freedom, California: The Crossing Press, 1992).
The Wild Rose Scientific Herbal by Terry Willard, Ph. D. (Calgary, Alberta: Wild Rose College of Natural Healing, 1991).
