Angelica root is a common ingredient for conditions like a sallow face, dizziness, palpitations, menstrual disorders, painful conditions, traumatic injuries, constipation, carbuncles and sores. [3], [4], [5]
Angelica root is an important blood tonic. Blood deficiency that causes a sallow face, paleness, dizziness, blurred vision, and palpitation is usually treated by angelica root together with processed rhemannia rhizome, white peony root and donkey-hide gelatin. When individuals also have breath shortness, weakness and sweating, astragalus root and pilose asiabell root are selected additionally to replenish qi (vital energy). Angelica root is also used with specific herbs to treat various problems that due to blood deficiency, for example, it works with Sichuan lovage rhizome and white peony root to relieve headache; sour jujube seed and longan aril to relieve insomnia; cassia twig and suberect spatholobus stem to relieve limb spasms; rehmannia root and white peony root to relieve skin itchiness; hemp seed, fleeceflower root and cistanche to relieve constipation.
Angelica root is an important herb for regulating menstruation. It often combines with herbs like rhemannia rhizome, peony root and Sichuan lovage rhizome to treat problems like irregular periods, menstrual pain, missed periods and postpartum abdominal pain. The Four-substance Decoction acts as the major ingredients, and other herbs are selected according to the accompanied symptoms, for example, limb coldness will select cassia bark and argy wormwood leaf to warmth; mouth dryness and hot flashes will select peony root bark and red peony root to clear heat in the blood; chest or abdominal pain will select nutgrass flatsedge rhizome, corydalis rhizome and Chinese safflower to remove qi or blood stagnation. For heavy periods, the herb may be prescribed with donkey-hide gelatin and peony root bark (charred); while masses in the pelvic region, it may be prescribed with common burreed tuber and zedoray rhizome.
Angelica root can relieve various painful conditions that due to blood deficiency, blood stasis or excessive coldness in the blood. It works with herbs like cassia twig, peony root and fresh ginger to relieve cold pain in the abdomen; baical skullcap root, golden thread rhizome and costus root to treat painful and bloody diarrhea; red sage root, frankincense and myrrh to treat injuries or stabbing pain in the chest and abdominal regions; Sichuan lovage rhizome, peach kernel and roasted ginger to relieve postpartum abdominal pain; rehmannia root, mulberry mistletoe, pubescent angelica root and gentiana macrophylla root to treat painful and numbness joints.
Angelica root is often used in promoting the healing of carbuncles and sores. In acute stage, it works with honeysuckle flower, snakegourd root and Dahurian angelica root to relieve swelling and pain; for persistent and stubborn cases, it works with astragalus root, processed rhemannia rhizome and pilose asiabell root to facilitate pus drainage and tissue regeneration.
Clinically, modern TCM also uses angelica root for anemia, chronic bronchitis, cardiovascular diseases, immune disorders and hepatitis.