Angelica archangelica.   European angelica   Family: Umbelliferae   
Angelica is used frequently in flavoring, in liqueurs such as chartreuse and benedictine, in gin and vemouth; the leaves as a garnish or in salads, and the candied stalks in cakes and puddings.

PART USED: Leaves  
TASTE: Sweet and characteristic ODOR: Aromatic
ACTIONS
1. Carminative.[1]
Topically- Anti-inflammatory.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Flatulent dyspepsia.[1]
2. Pleurisy.[1]
SPECIFIC INDICATION: Pleurisy and bronchitis applied as compress.[1]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Angelica is not recommended for use in diabetes as it may adversely affect blood sugar levels.[2]
COMBINATIONS
- Digestive weakness, with Chamomile. 
PREPARATIONS   3X /day
Dried leaf  2-5 g or by infusion,[1] 1:50. 1-2 g.[2]
Liquid extract 1:1 in 25% alcohol  2-5 ml.[1]  45%.[3] 2-4 ml.[4]
Tincture 1:5 in 45% alcohol  2-5 ml.[1]
Local- Compress

PART USED: Root- collected in autumn.    
TASTE: Sweet, becoming sightly bitter and astringent. ODOR: Sweet.
ACTIONS
1. Spasmolytic.[1]
2. Diaphoretic.[1]
3. Expectorant.[1]
4. Bitter aromatic.[1]
5. Carminative.[1]
6. Diuretic.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Respiratory catarrh.[1] Psychogenic asthma.[1]
2. Flatulent dyspepsia.[1] Anorexia nervosa.[1]
3. Rheumatic diseases.[1]
4. Peripheral vascular disease.[1]
SPECIFIC INDICATIONS: Bronchitis associated with vascular deficiency.[1]
COMBINATIONS
- Bronchial catarrh, with Tussilago.
- Anorexia and dyspepsia, with Chamomile. 
PREPARATIONS  3X /day
Dried root and rhizome 1-2 g or by infusion,[1] 1:20. Powdered root 0.5-2 g.[4]
Liquid extract 1:1 in 25% alcohol  0.5-2 ml.[1] 45%.[3] 2-4 ml.[6]
Tincture 1:5 in 50% alcohol  0.5-2 ml.[1]
PART USED: Whole plant  
ACTIONS
1. Expectorant, diaphoretic.[6]
2. Carminative and diuretic.[6]
INDICATIONS
1. Cough and colds.[6]
2. Indigestion.[6]

PART USED: Root oil  
ACTIONS
1. Inhibit bacterial and fungal growth.[5]

ORIGIN: Northern Europe and Asia.
DESCRIPTION: Perennial herb, growing up to 2 or 3 m tall, with a green grooved hollow stem. Flowers; umbels of greenish-white. The root in commerce is 5-10 cm long, 2-5 cm in diameter, and very hard and fibrous. The fresh root when cut yeilds a thick yellowish juice. The American Angelica A. atropurpurea which has similar properties and a purplish root.
Leaves: Large 2-3 pinnate, deltoid, leaflets obliquely-ovate, margin acutely serrate. Color; grey green on lower surface, olive-green on upper.
References
[1] British Herbal Pharmocopoeia 1983 Published by the British Herbal Medicine Association ISBN 0 903032 07 4.
[2] Herbal Materia Medica Course Notes For Diploma of Naturopathy and Diploma of Herbalism Students by Lydia Mottram.
[3] Mediherb- A herbal extract company based in Warwick Qld. 4370 Australia   www.mediherb.com
[4] Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations  R.C. Wren Revised by Elizabeth M. Williamson and Fred J Evans. First published in Great Britain in 1988 and reprinted in 1989 and 1994 by the C. W. Daniel Company Limited. 1 Church Path, Saffron Walden Essex. Published 1988 Printed and bound by Biddles, Guildford ISBN 085207 1973.
Images
1. luontoportti.com
2. theginguild.com
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.
Constituents

Leaves
Volatile oil 0.1%, obtained mainly from the root and seeds; consisting of terpenes- mainly b-phellandrene, with b- bisabolene, b-caryophkyllene, a-phellandrene, a- and b-pinene, limonene, linalool. borneol, acetaldehyde.[1] methadienes and nitromethadienes.[2] Macrocyclic lactones including w-tridecanolide, 12-methyl-w-tridecanolide, w-pentadecanolide.[3] Phthalates such as hexamethylphthalate (in a Pakistani variety).[4]
Coumarins, expecially furocoumarin glycosides[9] such as marmesin, apterin and their dyhydro- and hydroxyderivatives;[3] angelicin and byakangelicin derivatives, osthol, umbelliferone, psoralin and byakangelicin derivatives;[6] osthol, umbelliferone, psoralen, bergapten, imperatoren, xanthotoxol, xanthotoxin, oxypeucedanin and more.[1] Micellaneous sugars, plant acids, flavonoids and sterols.[1]

Many furocoumarins, notably psoralen and 8-methoxypsoralen, can cause plhotosensistiviy in sensitive individuals, these substances are use in the photochemotherapy or psoriasis and vitiligo. Their biological activity is due to covalent linkages formed with DNA by irradiation with long-wavelength UV light.

Root- collected in autumn.    
Volatile oil. Angelic acid.
A bitter principle. Glycosides. Resins. Anigelicin. Tannin. Valeric acid.

References
[1] Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients used in Food Drugs and Cosmetics, Albert Y. Leung. Pub. John Wiley & sons Inc (1980) NY.
[2] Escher, S., Keller U, et al. (1979) Helv, Chim, Acta 62 (7), 2061
[3] Taskinene, J. (1975) Acta, Chkem, Scand. 29 (5), 637
[4] Ashraf, M. et al. (1980) Pak. J. Ind. Res. 23 (1-2) 73
[5] Lemmich, J. et al. (1983) Phytochem, 23 (2), 553
[6] Tastrup, O et al (1983) Phytochem. 22 (9), 2035
[7] Musago, L. and Shah, A. K. (1979) Ind. J. Pharm. Sci. 42 (6), C11
[8] Opdyke, D. L. J. (1975) Food Cosmet. Toxicol. 13, Suppl. 713
[9] British Herbal Pharmacopoeia 1983 Published by the British Herbal Medicine Association ISBN 0 903032 07 4.

Research

Anti-anxiety activity of successive extracts of Angelica archangelica Linn. on the elevated T-maze and forced swimming tests in rats.
Kumar D, Bhat ZA, Shah MY.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
Angelica archangelica Linn. is widely used in food and liquor preparations and also in Kashmiri folk medicine to reduce anxiety. We evaluated the anxiolytic effect of successive extracts of A. archangelica linn. (SAE) on rats tested in the elevated T-maze test (an animal model of generalized anxiety) at doses that exhibit antidepressant-like activity in humans.
METHODS:
A. archangelica (1 kg) was subjected to successive extraction in a soxhlet apparatus with solvents [petroleum ether (40-60 degrees C), chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and decoction with water] in order of increasing polarity (yield: 6.9%, 7.3%, 5.1%, 11.88% and 8.2% w/w, respectively). SAE were evaluated for anxiolytic effects using the elevated T-maze and forced swimming tests in rats.
RESULTS:
Oral dosing of diazepam (1 mg/kg) and extracts (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) clearly showed an anxiolytic-like profile in the elevated T-maze test: it increased one-way escape and decreased inhibitory avoidance on the first, third and seventh day. In the forced swimming test, imipramine and SAE showed antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects as reflected by increased climbing time, swimming time and decreased immobility time on the first, third and seventh day. Aqueous and methanol extracts showed the most, petroleum ether (40-60 degrees C) and chloroform intermediate, and ethyl acetate the least anxiolytic activity (*P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P< 0.001) in both models.
CONCLUSIONS:
These results suggest the anti-anxiety activity of various extracts of A. archangelica and strongly justify its use in traditional Indian medicine for the treatment of anxiety.
J Tradit Chin Med. 2012 Sep;32(3):423-9. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov


Essential oil composition and antimicrobial activity of Angelica archangelica roots.
Fraternale D, Flamini G, Ricci D.
Abstract
In this paper, the chemical composition and the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Angelica archangelica L. (Apiaceae) roots from central Italy were analyzed. The major constituents of the oil were a-pinene (21.3%), d-3-carene (16.5%), limonene (16.4%) and a-phellandrene (8.7%). The oil shows a good antimicrobial activity against Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecalis, Eubacterium limosum, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, and Candida albicans with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 0.25, 0.25, 0.13, 0.25, 2.25, and 0.50% v/v, respectively. A weaker antimicrobial activity against bifidobacteria and lactobacilli-very useful in the intestinal microflora-has also been shown with MIC values >4.0% v/v.
J Med Food. 2014 Sep;17(9):1043-7. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2013.0012. Epub 2014 May 2. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov


Hepatoprotective effect of Angelica archangelica in chronically ethanol-treated mice.
Yeh ML, Liu CF, Huang CL, Huang TC.
Abstract
Angelica archangelica (AAA) has been effectively used in folk medicines as a remedy against stomachal and intestinal disturbances, arthritic disease, etc. However, there is still lack of scientific proof about its antioxidant capability. This study aimed at investigating the effects of total AAA against chronic ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity. ICR mice were divided into five groups, each consisting of 10 animals. A single dose of ethanol (70%, 0.1 ml, p.o.) was used to induce hepatotoxicity in these mice which resulted in a significant elevation of the activities of serum GOT and GPT. Treatment of mice with AAA (10, 25, and 50 mg/kg p.o.) after 2 weeks ameliorated the ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity effects. Hepatotoxicity was evidenced by a significant increase in hepatic lipid peroxidation manifested as the presence of malondialdehyde. It was found that AAA inhibits the malondialdehyde formation in mouse liver homogenates both in vitro and in vivo. AAA is cytoprotective agent effective against chronic ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity, possibly through inhibition of the production of oxygen free radicals that cause lipid peroxidation, and hence indirectly protects the liver from oxidative stress.
Pharmacology. 2003 Jun;68(2):70-3. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov


Coumarins from Angelica archangelica Linn. and their effects on anxiety-like behavior.
Kumar D, Bhat ZA, Kumar V, Shah MY.
Abstract
TRADITIONAL RELEVANCE: Angelica archangelica Linn. (Apiaceae) is an herb distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Both in Chinese and Indian system of medicine, it is used for nervous disorders including anxiety, anorexia, migraine and other cerebral diseases.
AIM OF STUDY:
To evaluate the anxiolytic potential of non polar coumarins isolated from A. archangelica Linn.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
A. archangelica Linn. (1 kg) was subjected to extraction in a soxhlet apparatus with petroleum ether (40-60 °C), yield 6.9% w/w. The extract of petroleum ether produced a yellow colored precipitate (YP) which was evaluated for anxiolytic like effect using EPM test and was found significant (**P<0.01) in doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg, po. The precipitate was shown to be a mixture of seven constituents in HPTLC and six on the TLC plate which were further subjected to separation by preparative TLC. Non polar coumarins were isolated namely imperatorin (IM) and isoimperatorin (IIM). YP, IM, IIM were tested for anxiolytic like effects in a dose of 5mg/kg, po along with DZ (1mg/kg, po) using EPM, Light & dark arena and hole board models in rats. All the test drugs were found to have significant (*P<0.05, **P<0.01) activity. IM and IIM have the potential to reduce anxiety but yellow precipitate showed the most promising activity as compared to isolated coumarins. This effect may be due to the synergistic action of all compounds present in the YP or by multiple mechanism of action. The test drugs may have the potential for different receptors.
CONCLUSION:
The mixture of coumarins isolated from A. archangelica and its constituents imperatorin and isoimperatorin have the potential to reduce anxiety but it is the mixture which have more significant activity as compared to its individual components.
Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2013 Jan 10;40:180-6. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2012.08.004. Epub 2012 Aug 29. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov