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Angelica

http://www.florahealth.com/Flora/home/canada/HealthInformation/Encyclopedias/Angelica.asp

Angelica, Angelica archangelica L., belongs to the family Umbelliferae. The plant has many medicinal virtues and was considered such powerful medicine by the ancients that they named it after the angels. More than 50 species of Angelica grow around the world, and each different variety is recognized for its healing powers. Angelica is said by some herbalists to be 'ginseng' for women and is recommended by many as a daily beauty tonic, to prevent hormonal imbalances and treat menstrual difficulties (Amenorrhea).

The German Pharmacopoeia recognizes angelica root as a source of bitters and aromatics that stimulate gastric and pancreatic secretions. The root is recommended to stimulate appetite and treat dyspepsia, mild stomach cramps, bloating and flatulence. The root is also anti-microbial. Modern herbalists recommend angelica for preventing vascular disease and note that the root, as with other plants in the carrot family, contains 15 compounds that act much like calcium channel blockers. Dr. James Duke, author of The Green Pharmacy, states that vegetarians who eat lots of carrots may have lower levels of vascular disease partly due to these compounds, which are more highly concentrated in angelica.

Aromatherapists recommend angelica oil for heartburn in adults and for colic in infants. Angelica is also recommended for psoriasis due to the presence of psoralens, photoactive compounds that can be used with controlled light treatments to normalize skin. A polysaccharides extract from the root of Angelica sinensis, the closely related Chinese angelica known for its antiulcer action on the gastrointestinal tract, was studied for its liver protective effect in rodents and found to prevent liver toxicity caused by acetaminophen in mice without reducing the serum acetaminophen concentration. It also normalized enzyme activities and levels including alanine transferase (ALT), hepatic nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and glutathione in the liver.

References:
Duke, J. 1997: The Green Pharmacy, The Ultimate Compendium of Natural Remedies from the World's Foremost Authority on Healing and Herbs. pp. 53; 55-56; 146; 290-91; 299-300; 335; 453-454. Rodale Press.

Schar D. 1993. Angelica. In Thirty Plants That Can Save Your Life. Elliott & Clark Publishing, Washington, DC, pp. 15-18.

Taskinen J, Nykanen L. 1975. Chemical composition of angelica root oil. Acta Chem Scand B 1975;29(7):757-64.

Wichtl M (ed). 1994. Angelicae Radix - Angelica Root (English translation by Norman Grainger Bisset). In Herbal Drugs and Phyto-pharmaceuticals. CRC Press, Stuttgart, pp. 70-72.

Ye YN, Liu ES, Li Y, So HL, Cho CC, Sheng HP, Lee SS, Cho CH. 2001. Protective effect of polysaccharides-enriched fraction from Angelica sinensis on hepatic injury. Life Sci 2001 Jun 29; 69(6): 637-46.

http://www.herbalhealthsecrets.com/usesforherbsA-B.html
Use both the root and seed. Roots and leaves are used medicinally, the stems and seeds are used in confectionery. This herb is a useful expectorant for coughs, bronchitis and pleurisy, especially when they are accompanied by fever, colds or influenza.

http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/DVH/HerbsWho/0,3923,4039|Angelica%20sinensis,00.html

Other Names: Angelica polymorpha, Chinese Angelica, Danggui, Tang-Kuei

Who is this for?

Uses

Dong quai is used mainly in combination with other herbals to relieve menstrual cramps, regulate menstrual periods, and lessen menopausal symptoms. Although it has been used for centuries in China to treat such conditions and other disorders of the female reproductive tract, results of controlled human studies of dong quai’s effectiveness are not conclusive. In at least one small, clinical trial of postmenopausal women, dong quai was no more effective than placebo (sugar pills) for relieving hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and other symptoms of menopause. Like herbals such as black cohosh and red clover, dong quai was believed to contain chemicals shaped like the female hormone, estrogen. No evidence from chemical analyses or clinical studies supports an estrogen-like effect for dong quai, however.

In traditional Chinese medicine, dong quai is often combined with other herbal products and used to treat allergies, arthritis, asthma, or high blood pressure. Animal studies of dong quai have shown it has a slight ability to increase immune system function, so it may help to relieve allergy symptoms. In addition, laboratory studies have shown that dong quai has mild anti-inflammatory properties, which may make it useful in treating arthritis, asthma, and other inflammatory conditions. One of the chemicals in a related plant has been shown to promote relaxation of blood vessels, which may help to reduce blood pressure. However, no clinical evidence supports the use of dong quai for blood pressure control. More research is necessary before dong quai can be recommended for any of its traditional uses.

http://www.sangsters.com/nlm/ColdandFlu.shtml
My medicinal herb cupboard contains good quantities of dried horehound, mullein, elecampane root, elder flower and berry, various mints, echinacea root, hyssop, and angelica root - some of the most important herbs for relieving bronchial congestion due to colds and flu.

http://www.angelfire.com/folk/naturalife/herbs.html
(Angelica is an amazing herb, often referred to as the archangel, but don't take if pregnant, diabetic, if you have stomach ulcers, or if you have stomach cramps with vomiting. Angelica tea when dropped into the eyes helps dimness of sight, and when dropped into the ears helps deafness. Good tonic for the heart, liver, spleen, excellent in diseases of the lungs and chest, good for heartburn, gas, sour stomach, suppressed menstruation, and helps expel afterbirth. Read more about & order angelica root)

http://www.lamasbeauty.com/glossary/glossary_A.htm
Angelica: An herb used as an expectorant (assists in removing mucus from the throat and lungs) for cough, bronchitis and pleurisy, especially when they are accompanied by fever, colds or influenza. Also used to ease rheumatic inflammation and stimulate appetite in anorexic individuals.

This herb is a useful expectorant for coughs, bronchitis and pleurisy, especially when they are accompanied byfever, colds or influenza. The leaf can be used as a compress in inflammations of the chest. It content of carminative essential oil explains its use easing intestinal colic and flatulence. As a digestive agent it stimulates appetite and may be used in anorexianervosa. It has been shown to help ease rheumatic inflammations. Incystitis it acts as a urinary antiseptic.

Angelica is used frequently as a flavoring; in liqueurs such as chartreuse and benedictine, in gin and vermouth; the leaves as a garnish or in salads; and the candied stalks in cakes and pudding.

Economic Medical Plant Research 1:53-85, 1985 Kimura Y Ohminami H Arichi H Okuda H Baba K Kozawa M Arichi S Effects of various coumarins from roots of Angelica dahurica on actions of adrenaline, ACTH and insulin in fat cells.
Planta Med 1982 Jul;45(3):183-7Kimura Y Okuda H Effects of active compounds isolated from Angelica shikokiana on lipid metabolism in fat cells.
J Ethnopharmacol 1989 May;25(3):269-80Kimura Y Okuda H Baba K Kozawa M Arichi S Effects of an active substance isolated from the roots of Angelicashkiokiana on leukotriene and monohydroxyeicosatetreaenoic acid biosyntheses in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.
Planta Med 1987 Dec;53(6):521-5Ko FN Wu TS Liou MJ Huang TF Teng CM Inhibition of platelet thromboxane formation and phosphoinositidesbreakdown by osthole from Angelica pubescens.
Thromb Haemost 1989 Nov 24;62(3):996-9Kosuge T Yokota M Sugiyama K Yamamoto T Mure T Yamazawa H Studies on bioactive substances in crude drugs used for arthritic diseasesin traditional Chinese medicine. II. Isolation and identification of ananti-inflammatory and analgesic principle fromthe root of Angelica pubescens Maxim.
Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 1985 Dec;33(12):5351-4Kumazawa Y Mizunoe K Otsuka Y Immunostimulating polysaccharide separated from hot water extract of Angelica acutiloba Kitagawa (Yamato tohki).
Immunology 1982 Sep;47(1):75-83Kumazawa Y Nakatsuru Y Fujisawa H Nishimura C Mizunoe K Otsuka Y NomotoK Lymphocyte activation by a polysaccharide fraction separated from hot water extracts of Angelica acutiloba Kitagawa.
J Pharmacobiodyn 1985 Jun;8(6):417-24Mei QB Tao JY Cui B Advances in the pharmacological studies of radix Angelica sinensis (Oliv)Diels (Chinese Danggui).
Chin Med J (Engl) 1991 Sep;104(9):776-81Mei QB Tao JY Zhang HD Duan ZX Chen YZ [Effects of Angelica sinensis polysaccharides on hemopoietic stem cells inirradiated mice]
Chung Kuo Yao Li Hsueh Pao 1988 May;9(3):279-82 ((Published in Chinese))Okuyama T Takata M Takayasu J Hasegawa T Tokuda H Nishino A Nishino HIwashima A Anti-tumor-promotion by principles obtained from Angelica keiskei.
Planta Med 1991 Jun;57(3):242-6Sung CP Baker AP Holden DA Smith WJ Chakrin LW Effect of extracts of Angelica polymorpha on reaginic antibody production.
J Nat Prod 1982 Jul-Aug;45(4):398-406Tanaka S Ikeshiro Y Tabata M Konoshima M Anti-nociceptive substances from the roots of Angelica acutiloba.
Arzneimittelforschung 1977;27(11):2039-45Tao JY Ruan YP Mei QB Liu S Tian QL Chen YZ Zhang HD Duan ZX [Studies on the antiasthmatic action of ligustilide of dang-gui, Angelicasinensis (Oliv.) Diels]
Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao 1984 Aug;19(8):561-5 ((Published in Chinese))Yan TY Hou AC Sun BT [Injection of Angelica sinensis in treating infantile pneumonia and its experimental study in rabbits]
Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih 1987 Mar;7(3):161-2, 133 ((Published inChinese))
Yoshiro K:
The physiological actions of tang-kuei and cnidium.
Bull Oriental Healing Arts Inst USA 10:269-78, 1985 Zhang YK Wang HY Wang SX [The effect of the Chinese medical herbs Astragalus membranaceus and Angelica sinensis on 3 kinds of experimental nephritis]
Chung Hua Nei Ko Tsa Chih 1986 Apr;25(4):222_5, 254 ((Published in Chinese))Zhou JZ [Various pharmacological actions of Angelica extracts]
Chung Yao Tung Pao 1985 Apr;10(4):39-41 (Published in Chinese)

http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/Herbs/a-herbs.html
(Angelica archangelica) Also called "Angel's Food". This three-year "biennial" has a taproot, divided leaves, and umbels of green-white flowers in its third year, then it seeds and dies. Crushed leaves in car interiors reduce travel nausea. The oil is distilled from the root or seeds.

Used in infusion or tincture, the root raises body temperature and promotes digestion, making it an ideal herb for older folks. It also helps bring down the menses. Use it for colds and flu, to induce a sweat and warm the body. The decoction of the dried root is said to remove the taste for alcohol. Simmer two teaspoons of the root in two cups of water for twenty minutes; take one cup twice a day.

Caution: Do not exceed the indicated amounts, or the heart, blood pressure, and respiration can be affected.
Use the root in salves for skin problems and rheumatic pains. The tincture can be used in doses of ten to thirty drops, four times a day.