Bai Zhi
Angelica dahurica
Angelica dahurica root, used in China, Korea and Japan for colds, headache, blocked sinuses, toothache and skin sores. Research is in the lab and in animals.
Safety at a glance
- PregnancyNothing recorded
- BreastfeedingNothing recorded
- MedicinesNothing recorded
- Who should avoid itNothing recorded
- AllergiesNothing recorded
- Toxicity1 note →
Tap a box to read the safety notes below. “Nothing recorded” means our sources don't cover it, not that it's safe.
What is Bai Zhi?
- Plant family
- Apiaceae, the carrot and parsley family
- Parts used
- The dried root, taken by mouth or used on the skin
- Genus
- Angelica
- Species
- dahurica
Also called
Radix Angelica, Radix Angelicae Dahuricae, Angelica dahurica
Traditionally used for
- Headache (traditional)
- Colds and sinusitis (traditional)
- Toothache (traditional)
- Skin sores (traditional)
Traditionally described as
- Relieved pain (in animal studies)
Health topics
Where Bai Zhi appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.
- Acne
Used in Japan for acne and skin rashes. A traditional use, not tested in trials.
- Colds and Nasal Congestion
Traditionally used for colds, blocked nose and sinusitis, often combined with xanthium. Not tested on its own in trials.
- Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers
In one small trial, a bai zhi dressing helped early pressure sores more than an antifungal cream.
- Headache
A traditional Chinese remedy for headache and forehead pain. Not tested on its own in trials.
Traditions that use it
- Traditional Chinese Medicine
Called bai zhi; used for centuries for colds, headache, blocked sinuses, toothache and skin sores.
How it's prepared
Common ways Bai Zhi is prepared or sold. This isn't advice on how to take it; see Safety below.
- Tea / Infusion
It's also made into teas.[1]Study
Safety
Toxicity testing
Studies of its toxicity are relatively lacking, and the safety of some of its coumarins in clinical use isn't clear.[1]Study
What does the research say?
Traditional use
These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.
Bai zhi is described as pungent and warm, and has been used in China for centuries, alone or in formulas, for:
- Colds and fever, headache and forehead pain
- Blocked nose, sinusitis and nosebleeds
- Toothache
- Aches from "cold and damp"
- Vaginal discharge
On the skin it's used for boils, sores and painful swellings. In Korea and Japan it's used for colds, headache and rhinitis, and in Japan also for acne and skin rashes. It's also made into teas.[1]Study
Laboratory & animal research
Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.
In lab and animal studies, the root and its coumarins (especially imperatorin) relieved pain, may help reduce inflammation, slowed tumours, killed microbes and protected nerves and the liver. These haven't been confirmed in people.[1]Study
Research in people
In a 2016 Chinese trial, 98 people with early-stage pressure sores (bedsores) were randomly given either a bai zhi dressing or an antifungal cream (clotrimazole) for 4 weeks, along with nursing care. More sores improved with the bai zhi dressing. It was a single small trial.[2]Study
Technical detail: stage I–II pressure ulcers; higher total effective rate; raised IL-8, EGF, TGF-β and VEGF.
In short
Toxicity studies are lacking.
Sources
- [1] The Angelica dahurica: A Review of Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology · DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.896637Peer-reviewed study
- [2] Clinical effects of Angelica dahurica dressing on patients with I-II phase pressure sores · DOI: 10.1691/ph.2016.6704Peer-reviewed study
This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Unfamiliar word? See what these words mean.