Angelica dahurica.  白 芷 Bái zhĭ   Angelica   Family: Umbelliferae     
PART USED: Dried Root- harvested betwen Summber and Autumn when the leaves turn yellow.
Nature: Warm     FLAVOR: Pungent, acrid    CHANNEL: Lung, Stomach.
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Exterior Clearing- Warming
1. Expel Wind to relieve pain.[3,4] Subdue swelling.[3,4] Promoting pus discharge.[3,4] Counteracting External symptoms.[3]
2. Expel Dampness, and alleviates discharge- usually vaginal discharge due to Damp Cold in the lower burner.[4]
3. Opens up nasal passages.[4]
ACTIONS
INDICATIONS
1. Common cold due to Wind Cold pathogens, manifested as headache, nasal congestion and toothache.[4]
2. Headache caused by flu: This herb is more effective for frontal headache from Wind Heat (see table on headache types below).- particularly when bone above eyebrow is sore.[3] Headache.[3] Toothache.[3] Especially pain in the forehead and superciliary region. Pain in supraorbital ridge, rhinitis. Sinusitis.[3]
3. Skin infections. Early stages of surface sores and carbuncles.[4] If the sore, ulcer, or carbuncle has not yet suppurated, this herb will help reduce the swelling.[4] If pus has alrady formed or the sore has ulcerated, the herb can be used to help discharge the pus.[4] Mastitis.
4. Leukorrhagia due to Damp Cold in the lower burner. Also used to treat vaginal discharge from Damp Heat with appropriate other herbs.[4]
5. Stomach ache.
6. Trauma- eg concussion with pain on top of head- Herb dilates artery making it flow smoothly through the brain.[3]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
COMBINATIONS
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Blood or Yin deficiency because it is very drying. Use with caution if pus drains smoothly from sores.[4]
PREPARATIONS: Decoction   Dried root 3-9 g.[1,2,3] If want to effect upper body best to take herbs 1-2 hours after meal. If take before meal herb already below stomach.[3] Good quality is hard with only a single root (no branches), has a thin, dark yellow cortex, and is aromatic.[4]
NOTE: For the treatment of stomach ache, the dosage of this drug can be increased to as much as 30 g and reduced to the proper amount after relief of pain.[2]

- Toothache due to Wind Fire- used in combination with Wind Cooling herbs.[3] Also acupuncture points St 44- pain in the upper teeth and lip, and LI 4- pain in the lower teeth and lip.[3]
ORIGIN: China- Hebei, Henan, Lioning, Zhejiang, Sichuan
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.   
Types of headaches Channel Involvement
Frontal headache- Yang ming- Stomach, Large intestine
Temperal headache Shao yang- Triple heater,Gall bladder
Back Tai yang- Small intestine, Bladder
Crown (top) Liver (Wind).

Constituents
Research

Investigation of the mechanisms of Angelica dahurica root extract-induced vasorelaxation in isolated rat aortic rings
Kyungjin Lee, Min Sik Shin, Inhye Ham, and Ho-Young Choi
Abstract
Background
The root of Angelica dahurica Bentham et Hooker (Umbelliferae) has been used as a traditional medicine for colds, headache, dizziness, toothache, supraorbital pain, nasal congestion, acne, ulcer, carbuncle, and rheumatism in China, Japan, and Korea. Interestingly, it has been used in the treatment of vascular diseases including hypertension. The aim of this study was to provide pharmacological evidence for the anti-hypertensive effect of A. dahurica by investigating the mechanism underlying its vasorelaxant effect.
Methods
The vasorelaxant effects of a 70 % methanol extract of the A. dahurica root (ADE) on rat thoracic aorta and its underlying mechanisms were assessed. Isolated rat aortic rings were suspended in organ chambers containing 10 ml Krebs-Henseleit (K-H) solution and placed between 2 tungsten stirrups and connected to an isometric force transducer. Changes in tension were recorded via isometric transducers connected to a data acquisition system.
Results
ADE causes concentration-dependent relaxation in both endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded aortic rings precontracted with phenylephrine (PE; 1 μM) or potassium (KCl; 60 mM) in K-H solution. And pre-treatment with ADE (1 mg/ml) inhibited calcium-induced vasocontraction of aortic rings induced by PE or KCl. However, ADE pre-treatment did not affect the contraction induced by PE or caffeine in Ca2+-free K-H solution.
Conclusions
These results suggested that the ADE has vasorelaxant effect and the vasorelaxant activity is mediated by endothelium-independent pathway that includes the blockade of extracellular calcium influx through the receptor-operated Ca2+ channel and voltage-dependent calcium channel pathways.
BMC Complement Altern Med. 2015; 15: 395.
Published online 2015 Oct 31. doi: 10.1186/s12906-015-0889-8   PMCID: PMC4628382 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov