Radix Angelicae Sinensis (Danggui)—Chinese Angelica
Origin
Chinese Angelica is the dried root of Angelica sinensis ( Oliv. ) Diels. The drug is collected in late autumn, removed from rootlet and soil, sighlty dried and tied up in small bundle, placed on a shelf and smoke-dried.
Description and Identification
Somewhat cylindrical, 3 ~ 5 or more branched at the lower part, 15 ~ 25 cm long. Externally yellowish-brown to brown, longitudinally wrinkled and transversely lenticellate. Root stocks (Guitou) 1.5 ~ 4cm in diameter, annulated, apex obtuse and rounded, showing purple or yellow-ish-greeen remains of stems and leaf sheaths; main roots ( Guishen ) lumpy on the surface; branching roots (Guiwei ) 0.3 ~ 1cm in diameter, the upper portion thick and the lower portion thin, mostly twisted and exhibiting a few rootlet scars. Texture flexible, fracture yellowish-white or yellowish-brown, bark thick , showing some clefts and nnumberous brown dotted secretory cavities , wood paler in colour, cambium ring yellowish-brown. Odour, strongly aromatic; taste, sweet pungent and slightly bitter.
It is not used medicinally if the roots becomes woody, withered and not oily, or greenish-brown on the fracture.
Chemical ingredients
Essential oil: ligustilide, ferulic acid, Grdoratan, phospholipid.
Property and channel tropisrn
Property: pungent and sweet in taste, warm in nature. Channel tropisrn: liver, heart, spleen.
Action and Indications
To enrich blood, activate blood circulation, regulate menstruation, relieve pain, and relax bowels. Radix Angelicae Sinensis ( stir-fried with wine): Amenorrhea , dysmenorrhea , rheumatic arthralgia,traumatic injuries.
Place of Production
Gansu , Yunnan , Sichuan, Shan’ xi are the main places of production. Mingxian in Gansu province boasts the largest output and highest quality.
Recipes of Medicated Diet
1. Gui Di Shao Yang Rou
Mutton Stewed With Chinese Angelica Root and Rehmannia Root
[Ingredients]
500g mutton
15g dang gui, Chines angelica root ( Radix Angelicae Simemsis )
15g sheng di, unprocessed rehmannia root ( Radix Rehmammiae Glutinosae )
lOg dried ginger ( Rhizoma Zingiberis Officinalis )
25 g soybean sauce
lOg Chinese onion
3g ginger
3g garlic
200g oil and suitable amount of salt, monosodium glutamate and cooking wine
[Preparation]
Slice dang gui, sheng di and dried ginger and select the well- shaped slices, 5g for each kind. Decoct the left slices and take 25ml condensed decoction. Cut the mutton into slices of 5cm long and 2cm wide. Heat the edible oil in high heat and put the mutton slices into the pan when the edible oil produces smoke. Stir fry the mutton for about five or six minutes and take it out when it turns golden. Put the stir-fried mutton into the pot and add some water (the water should submerge the mutton ), seasonings and the decoction. Stew it until the mutton becomes pappy ( about two hours ) . Half an hour before the mutton becomes mashed, add into the pot the selected slices of dang gui, sheng di and dried ginger. When it is done, pick up the three kinds of slices from the soup and put them on the brim of the soup dish as an ornament and finally pour the mutton into the soup bowl.
[Effects and Indications]
Replenishing qi and nourishing blood , nourishing the middle jiao and invigorating deficiency.
Anemia, weakness and kidney deficiency after long-time illness or delivery.
It benefits the people without health problem because it makes people feel energetic and prevents the body from diseases.
2. Wu Gu Ji Gui Huang
Silkie Soup with Chinese Angelica Root, Astragalus Root
[Ingredients]
1 silkie
20g dang gui,Chines angelica root (Radix Angelicae Simemsis ) 20g huang qi,astragalus root (Radix Astragali ) 15g fuling (Sclerotium Poriae Cocos ) some salt
[Preparation]
Wash the silkie and remove the viscera. Stuff silkie’ s belly with dang gui,huang qi and fu ling and seal the belly. Put the silkie into the casserole and have it stewed until the chicken becomes pappy. Remove the residue of the medical material and season. Finish the soup and chicken within two or three times. Before the menses,take it once a day for 3 to 5 days consecutively.
[ Effects and Indications]
Invigorating spleen and nourishing heart , benefiting qi and replenishing blood.
Advanced menstruation, menorrhagia, spiritlessness, palpitation, breath hard, insomnia, etc.
