Angelica: benefits, dosage, contraindications
Other name(s)
Angelica officinalis, Angelica archangelica L.
Scientific name(s)
Angelica archangelica
Family or group:
Plants
Indications
Rating methodology
EFSA approval.
Digestive troubles ✪✪✪✪✪
ESCOP recommends angelica against dyspeptic disorders such as mild gastrointestinal spasms, slow digestion, flatulence, and a feeling of fullness; loss of appetite, anorexia, and bronchitis. These indications are based on long-term use. A specific product containing angelica (Iberogast) seems to improve dyspepsia symptoms. The combination includes angelica plus peppermint leaf, German chamomile, caraway, licorice, milk thistle, lemon balm, and other plants. A meta-analysis of studies using this combined product shows that taking 1 mL orally three times a day over a period of 4 weeks reduces the severity of acid reflux, epigastric pains, cramps, nausea, and vomiting compared to placebo.
Posologie
Oral: root
1.5 g
alcoholic extract, herbal tea/infusion, dry extract
E/S/C/O/P: 2nd Edition of the ESCOP Monographs
Meta-analysis: phytotherapy of functional dyspepsia with the herbal drug preparation STW 5 (Iberogast)
Treatment of functional dyspepsia with a herbal preparation. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial
Flatulence ✪✪✪✪✪
ESCOP recommends angelica against dyspeptic disorders such as mild gastrointestinal spasms, slow digestion, flatulence, and a feeling of fullness; loss of appetite, anorexia, and bronchitis. These indications are based on long-term use. A specific product containing angelica (Iberogast) seems to improve dyspepsia symptoms. The combination includes angelica plus peppermint leaf, German chamomile, caraway, licorice, milk thistle, lemon balm, and other plants. A meta-analysis of studies using this combined product shows that taking 1 mL orally three times a day over a period of 4 weeks reduces the severity of acid reflux, epigastric pains, cramps, nausea, and vomiting compared to placebo.
Posologie
Oral: root
1.5 g
alcoholic extract, herbal tea/infusion, dry extract
E/S/C/O/P: 2nd Edition of the ESCOP Monographs
Meta-analysis: phytotherapy of functional dyspepsia with the herbal drug preparation STW 5 (Iberogast)
Treatment of functional dyspepsia with a herbal preparation. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial
Stimulate appetite ✪✪✪✪✪
ESCOP recommends angelica against dyspeptic disorders such as mild gastrointestinal spasms, slow digestion, flatulence, and a feeling of fullness; loss of appetite, anorexia, and bronchitis. These indications are based on long-term use.
Posologie
Oral: root
1.5 g
alcoholic extract, herbal tea/infusion, dry extract
Digestive spasms ✪✪✪✪✪
ESCOP recommends angelica against dyspeptic disorders such as mild gastrointestinal spasms, slow digestion, flatulence, and a feeling of fullness; loss of appetite, anorexia, and bronchitis. These indications are based on long-term use. A specific product containing angelica (Iberogast) seems to improve dyspepsia symptoms. The combination includes angelica plus peppermint leaf, German chamomile, caraway, licorice, milk thistle, lemon balm, and other plants. A meta-analysis of studies using this combined product shows that taking 1 mL orally three times a day over a period of 4 weeks reduces the severity of acid reflux, epigastric pains, cramps, nausea, and vomiting compared to placebo.
Posologie
Oral: root
1.5 g
alcoholic extract, herbal tea/infusion, dry extract
E/S/C/O/P: 2nd Edition of the ESCOP Monographs
Meta-analysis: phytotherapy of functional dyspepsia with the herbal drug preparation STW 5 (Iberogast)
Treatment of functional dyspepsia with a herbal preparation. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial
Liver Disorders ✪✪✪✪✪
Preliminary research suggests that angelica has antioxidant activity and may protect the liver from chronic alcohol toxicity. Angelica extracts appear to have an inhibitory effect on membrane lipid peroxidation and free radical formation, and may have free radical scavenging activity.
Posologie
Oral route: root
1.5 g
alcoholic extract, herbal tea/infusion, dry extract
Properties
Antispasmodic
A 50% methanolic extract of angelica root exhibited significant spasmolytic activity on isolated guinea pig ileum in laboratory settings. Angelica root essential oil also had a powerful relaxing effect inhibiting contractions of the isolated smooth muscle of the trachea and guinea pig ileum. Angelicin seems to be responsible for the relaxation and inhibition of contractions.
Usages associés
Anticancer
An ethanolic extract of angelica fruit containing furanocoumarins, imperatorin, and xanthotoxin seems to have an antiproliferative effect on cancer cells. Angelica leaf extract also seems to have antiproliferative and antitumoral effects, partly due to its xanthotoxin content.
Gastroprotective
An ethanolic liquid extract of angelica root, administered orally to rats at a dose of 2.5-10 ml/kg body weight one hour before oral administration of indomethacin at 10 mg/kg, provided a degree of protection against indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers, thus reducing the ulcer index by 35-45%. This was associated with a reduction in gastric juice acidity, an increase in mucin secretion, an increase in prostaglandin E2 release, and a decrease in leukotrienes. The anti-ulcer effect of the extract was confirmed histologically.
Usages associés
Hepatoprotective
Mice with ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity, indicated by increased serum levels of GOT and GTP (liver markers) and increased hepatic lipid peroxidation, were treated orally with a dry aqueous extract of angelica root at 10, 25 and 50 mg/kg three times a week for 4 weeks. The hepatoprotective effect of the extract was evidenced by the significant reduction in serum GOT and GTP levels and by the significant and dose-dependent inhibition of malondialdehyde formation in mouse liver homogenates. The observed effects were attributed to the extract's antioxidant activity.
Usages associés
Safety dosage
Adult from 16 years: 3 g - 6 g
- Daily adult dose: 3-6 g of dried plant, or in infusion; - Liquid extract 1:1 in 25% ethanol, 1.5-6 ml - Tincture 1:5 in 50% ethanol, 1.5-6 ml, preferably divided into three doses.
Child from 4 to 16 years: 2 g - 4 g
Average daily dose: 4-10 years, 2-3 g; 10-16 years, 3-4 g.
Precautions
Breastfeeding woman: avoid
No data available to date. Avoid use without medical advice.
Contraindications
Pregnant woman: prohibited
Preliminary research suggests that angelica may cause uterine contractions.
