Daily Herb: Angelica Sinensis (Danggui)
Angelica Sinensis
danggui
Also known as
Danggui, Qin Na, Xi Danggui, Min Danggui, Jin Danggui, Danggui Shen, Han Guwei, Wen Wu, Danggui Qu, Tu Danggui
Morphological Characteristics
Perennial herb.Stems are purple.Basal leaves and lower stem leaves are ovate, 2-3 times thrice-divided or pinnately lobed, with final lobes ovate or ovate-lanceolate, shallowly lobed, leaf veins and margins have fine white hairs;leaf petioles have large leaf sheaths;upper stem leaves are pinnately divided.Compound umbel inflorescence;umbel rays 9-13;small involucre bracts 2-4;flower stalks 12-36, densely covered with fine soft hairs;flowers are white.Double-winged fruit is oval, with wings on the lateral edges.Flowering and fruiting period is from July to September.
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Origin
Grows in cold, rainy mountainous areas.Mainly produced in Gansu, Yunnan, and Sichuan; widely cultivated.
Varietal Classification
1. Dong Danggui
Derived from the Apiaceae family, also known as Da He Gui, Japanese Danggui, Yanbian Danggui. Used medicinally in some areas of Northeast China, where the local Korean population believes its effects are similar to those of Danggui. Dong Danggui is used medicinally in Japan and Korea. Its roots are shorter than those of Danggui, with a yellow-brown or brown surface, and have fine longitudinal wrinkles and transverse raised scars. The main root is short with fine annular markings, with a diameter of 1.5-3 cm, and has leaf petiole and stem base scars at the top, with a central depression and more than 10 lateral roots. The texture is hard and brittle, with a white-yellowish cross-section, and the wood part is yellow-white or yellow-brown. It has a fragrant aroma, with a sweet taste followed by slight bitterness.
2. Ou Danggui
Root of the Apiaceae plant Ou Danggui. Introduced from Bulgaria in 1957, this herb differs in characteristics and pharmacological effects from Danggui, possessing adverse reactions not found in Danggui, and cannot be substituted for Danggui medicinally. The root is conical, with a swollen head and more than two root heads, featuring transverse annular markings. The surface is gray-brown or gray-yellow, with visible scars from lateral roots. The texture is dry and slightly tough, easily broken. The cross-section is yellow-white with fissures, and the wood part is yellow-white with radial patterns. It has a fragrant but turbid aroma, with an initially sweet taste followed by a spicy, numbing sensation.
3. Yunnan Wild Danggui
Root of the Apiaceae Yunnan Wild Danggui. Also known as Tu Danggui in Yunnan. Its effects are similar to Danggui, used medicinally in some areas of Yunnan. The root is conical, with fewer branches, and has a brown, reddish-brown, or black-brown surface. The top has stem scars or remnants, with transverse annular markings. The surface has longitudinal wrinkles and scar-like pores. The texture is hard, with a yellow-white cross-section. It has a similar aroma to Danggui, with a slightly sweet taste followed by bitterness.
4. Xing’an Bai Zhi
Root of the Apiaceae Xing’an Bai Zhi. Also known as Northeast Da Huo. Previously used as Danggui in Hunan and Sichuan. Its main root is shorter, with several lateral roots, and has a brown-yellow or brown-yellow surface, dry texture, and a spicy, numbing taste.
5. Zi Hua Qian Hu
Root of the Apiaceae Zi Hua Qian Hu, also known as Ya Jiao Qi and Wild Danggui. Zi Hua Qian Hu is the authentic medicinal form of Qian Hu. Its main root is irregularly conical, 3-6 cm long, and 1.8-2 cm in diameter. The surface is brown-brown, with longitudinal wrinkles, and has leaf base scars at the top, with several lateral roots at the bottom, 6-9 cm long and 0.5-0.8 cm in diameter. The surface has longitudinal wrinkles and transverse scar-like pores. The texture is hard and easily broken, with a brown-brown skin part and yellow-brown wood part, with some cross-sections being lighter. It has a fragrant aroma, but different from that of Danggui, with a slightly spicy taste.
6. Du Huo
Root of the Apiaceae plant Zhong Chi Mao Danggui, which is the authentic medicinal form of Du Huo. Its root is slightly cylindrical, with 2-3 or more lateral branches. The root head is swollen and conical, with many transverse wrinkles. The surface is gray-brown or brown-brown, with longitudinal wrinkles and transverse raised pores and fine root scars. The texture is hard but softens when damp, with a gray-white skin part with scattered brown oil chambers, and the wood part is gray-yellow to yellow-brown, with the cambium ring being brown. It has a distinctive aroma, with a bitter, spicy, and slightly numbing taste.
7. Da Du Huo
Root of the Apiaceae Da Du Huo. In some areas of Jilin, it is also called Tu Danggui, Wild Danggui, or Fresh Danggui. Previously used as Danggui. The root head is short and thick, with a surface featuring annular markings, leaf base scars at the top, and several lateral roots below. The surface shows longitudinal wrinkles and transverse scar-like pores, with some exuding a brown-brown viscous resin-like substance. The texture is brittle and easily broken, with a gray-white skin part and yellow-white wood part. It has a fragrant aroma, with a slightly sweet taste followed by bitterness.
Due to the complexity of the plant varieties historically referred to as Danggui or Tu Danggui, in addition to the aforementioned confusing varieties, there are over twenty species in the Apiaceae family called Tu Danggui, and four or five species in the Araliaceae family also referred to as Tu Danggui. Additionally, roots from various plants in the Asteraceae, Polygonaceae, and Ranunculaceae families are also called Tu Danggui in certain regions.In light of this complex situation, it is essential to focus on identifying the authentic Danggui based on its color, aroma, and taste.
Properties and Channels
Properties: Sweet, Spicy, Warm.
Channels: Enters theLiver, Heart, and Spleenmeridians.
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Text and image editor: Shi Tiantian