Dong Quai

Herb actions

The root's primary action is to tonify Blood and regulate the menstrual cycle, addressing Blood deficiency that shows up as a pale or ashen complexion, nails without luster, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, and palpitations, along with an irregular or absent menstrual cycle and painful menstruation tied to deficiency. Dang Gui also invigorates and harmonizes the Blood while dispersing cold, easing pain that stems from Blood stasis, including abdominal pain and pain following injury, particularly when Deficiency Cold is also present. Beyond its action on the Blood, it moistens the Intestines and unblocks the bowels for dryness caused by Blood deficiency, and it reduces swelling, expels pus, and generates new flesh in sores and abscesses, used both internally and applied topically. It also serves as a supporting herb for coughing.

Flavor and nature

Dang Gui is sweet, acrid, and bitter in flavor and warm in nature, a combination that both builds Blood and moves it. The sweet flavor tonifies, nourishing and gathering Blood toward the middle, while the warm nature encourages circulation. Blood deficiency in Chinese medicine shows up as a pale complexion, nails without luster, blurred vision, dizziness, and an irregular menstrual cycle. Dang Gui's acrid flavor creates movement, dispersing and moving Qi and Blood. Its bitter flavor directs downward, further helping to clear stasis where. Dang Gui is an effective herb for treating both Blood deficiency and Blood stasis, which often come hand in hand.

Due to its Blood nourishing qualities, Dang Gui also moistens the Intestines and relieves dryness from Blood deficiency. Blood lubricates tissue throughout the body, including the Intestines, so tonifying Blood through Dang Gui's sweet, warming action moisture deficiency.

How Daodi uses it

Dang Gui anchors many of Daodi's Blood-building formulas. We pair it with other herbs depending on whether a patient's presentation leans toward deficiency, stasis, or both together. Dang Gui is built into formulas for irregular or painful menstrual cycles rooted in Blood deficiency, adjusting the surrounding herbs to move Qi, clear heat, or warm the middle depending on what else is present in a pattern presentation.

Herb pairings

• Bai Shao-Bai Shao's sour, astringing action nourishes Liver Blood and softens the Liver to ease cramping and flank pain, complementing Dang Gui's Blood-building, moving qualities.

• Chuan Xiong-Chuan Xiong's acrid, moving actions reinforces the invigorating side of Dang Gui's invigorating qualities, together harmonizing and moving Blood to relieve abdominal pain from stasis.

• Chai Hu-Chai Hu frees stagnant Liver Qi, addressing the stagnation component of painful menstruation while Dang Gui addresses the underlying Blood deficiency.

• Tao Ren-Tao Ren breaks up Blood stasis directly, pairing with Dang Gui's nourishing action for absent or painful menstruation with prominent stasis.

• Sheng Di Huang-Sheng Di Huang cools deficiency heat that can accompany Blood deficiency, balancing Dang Gui's warming, tonifying action when signs like flushed cheeks or irritability are present.