Dong

This product:

• contains Dong Quai root extract, 565 mg/capsule
• guaranteed to contain 0.25% ligustilide
• does not contain genetically modified organisms
• comes in vegetarian capsules, which can also be taken as part of a vegetarian/vegan diet

Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis), better known as Dang Gui in China, is a fragrant plant from the parsley family (Apiaceae) that grows in cold areas at high altitudes in the mountains of China, Japan and Korea.

Also known as ‘women's ginseng’, it is prized for its yellowish-brown roots, which have been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine to improve women's health and tone the blood, lungs, heart and liver.

As the product contains ingredients from natural sources, it is not standardised in terms of organoleptic properties. Therefore, there may be variations in colour, smell or appearance from one batch to another, without affecting the efficacy or safety of the product.

Each batch of raw materials and finished products undergoes a rigorous verification process to ensure proper efficacy, bioavailability and safety.

Dong helps to:

• balance female hormones: regulate the menstrual cycle and reduce symptoms associated with menstruation or menopause
• reducing menstrual pain and menorrhagia by reducing spasms and genital discomfort
• reducing irritability and emotionality
• stimulating red blood cell formation (ferulic acid), increasing platelet and leukocyte counts
• stimulating vitamin E synthesis
• reducing allergic reactions
• improved liver detoxification function
• immunostimulant; tonic during convalescence

It is recommended to take 3 capsules/day with meals or as recommended by a specialist consultant.

It should not be used by young children, pregnant women, women who wish to become pregnant or who are breastfeeding, or people with allergies to the product's ingredients. People with coagulation disorders or who are being treated with anticoagulants. It should only be used by people undergoing allopathic treatment on the advice of a specialist consultant.

Do not use if you have hormone-sensitive conditions such as breast or ovarian cancer, uterine fibroids or endometriosis.

It is recommended that people who are undergoing surgery stop taking this supplement at least 2 weeks before the procedure.

It is recommended to seek the advice of a specialist before taking this supplement.

During treatment, it is recommended to reduce exposure to sunlight.

Because the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate dong quai, its side effects are not as well known as those of prescription drugs.

However, there are some confirmed side effects and interactions based on its 2,000-year history as a supplement. These include:

• difficulty breathing
• low blood pressure
• drowsiness
• fever
• headaches
• increased risk of bleeding
• low blood sugar
• upset stomach
• sweating
• sleep problems
• vision loss

Dong may interact with:

contraceptivesdisulfiram or Antabuse

• hormone replacement therapy
• ibuprofen, or Motrin and Advil
• lorazepam or Ativan
• naproxen or Naprosyn and Aleve
• topical tretinoin
• anticoagulants, such as warfarin or Coumadin in particular, can be dangerous when combined with dong quai.

People who are allergic to plants in the carrot family, which include anise, caraway, celery, dill, and parsley, should not take dong quai. Dong quai is in the same family as these plants and could cause an allergic reaction.