Davis's Drug Guide
dong quai
General
Complementary/Alternative Medicine: This monograph describes a natural or herbal product that is not subject to FDA guidelines for medicines. Patients and clinicians are advised to read package labels carefully to ensure safe and efficacious use.
Pronunciation:
don kwi
Trade Name(s)
- Angelica sinensis
- Chinese Angelica
- Dang Gui
- Danggui
- Don Quai
- Ligustilides
- Phytoestrogen
- Radix angelicae gigantis
- Tang Kuei
- Tan Kue Bai Zhi
Ther. Class.
none assigned
Common Uses
- Premenstrual syndrome
- Various uses as a blood purifier
- Topically in combination with other ingredients for premature ejaculation
Action
- May have vasodilating and antispasmodic properties.
- Binds to estrogen receptors.
Therapeutic Effect(s):
Improved ejaculatory latency.
Pharmacokinetics
Absorption: Unknown.
Distribution: Unknown.
Metabolism and Excretion: Unknown.
Half-life: Unknown.
TIME/ACTION PROFILE
| ROUTE | ONSET | PEAK | DURATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| PO | unknown | unknown | unknown |
Contraindication/Precautions
Contraindicated in:
- Allergy to carrot, celery, mugwort, or other members of the Apiaceae family;
- OB: Pregnancy and lactation.
Use Cautiously in:
- Hormone-sensitive cancers and conditions (may exacerbate effects or stimulate growth of cancer cells);
- Protein S deficiency (↑ risk for thrombosis);
- Surgery (discontinue 2 wk prior to procedure).
Adverse Reactions/Side Effects
Derm: photosensitivity
GI: diarrhea
Misc: Some constituents are carcinogenic and mutagenic
* CAPITALS indicate life-threatening.
Underline indicate most frequent.
Interactions
Natural Drug Interaction
- Alcohol -containing preparations may interact with disulfiram and metronidazole.
- Use of dong quai with anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs, thrombolytics, NSAIDs, some cephalosporins, and valproates may increase risk of bleeding.
Natural-Natural:
Herbs with antiplatelet or anticoagulant properties may increase bleeding risk when combined with dong quai including: angelica, clove, danshen, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, Panax ginseng , and willow .
Route/Dosage
PO (Adults): Bulk herb: 3–4.5 g per day in divided doses with meals; Extract: 1 mL (20–40 drops) three times daily.
Availability
Bulk herb: OTC
Extract: OTC
Assessment
- Assess pain and menstrual patterns prior to and following menstrual cycle to determine effectiveness of this herbal supplement.
- Assess for pregnancy prior to recommending use of the herbal supplement.
- Assess for history of hormone-sensitive cancers or conditions and warn against use.
- Assess medication profile including prescription and over-the-counter use of products such as aspirin- and ibuprofen-based products to treat menstrual pain.
Implementation
- PO Take with meals.
Patient/Family Teaching
- Caution patients to avoid use of aspirin or other NSAIDs concurrently because of the risk of bleeding.
- Notify patients that there are no studies supporting the use of this herbal supplement for treatment of menopausal symptoms.
- Advise patients to consult their health care professional if taking prescription medications before taking dong quai.
- Discontinue the herbal supplement if diarrhea or excessive bleeding occurs and contact a health care provider if symptoms do not resolve.
- Inform patients that photosensitivity may occur and to wear sunscreen and protective clothing if sun exposure is anticipated.
- Advise females of reproductive potential to avoid use if pregnancy is planned or suspected.
Evaluation/Desired Outcomes
Reduction in menstrual pain and cramping and regular periods with normal flow.
