Korean Angelica

BotanicalBest with a meal

What is it

Korean angelica (Angelica gigas Nakai) is a perennial herb whose root is used in traditional Korean and Chinese medicine for women's health and circulation. Its main active compounds are decursin and decursinol.

Evidence for 2 uses

AI-assisted evidence assessment — talk to your doctor before relying on any single supplement.

Cognitive support

Limited Evidence

Small trials suggest possible benefit on memory measures in older adults, but evidence is preliminary.

Menopausal symptoms

Limited Evidence

Some products combine A. gigas with other botanicals for hot flashes; isolated A. gigas evidence is limited.

How it works

Decursin and decursinol are pyranocoumarins with multiple proposed mechanisms in preclinical studies, including modulation of androgen and estrogen signaling, anti-inflammatory effects, and cognitive support. The relevance of these mechanisms at typical supplement doses in humans is not well established. Unlike Angelica sinensis (dong quai), A. gigas has limited human clinical trial coverage, with most existing trials small and focused on cognitive or menopausal endpoints.

Dosage

Typical doses in available studies use standardized decursin extracts at 200 to 500 mg/day. No formal RDA exists.

When and how to take it

Most clinical use is once or twice daily with food. No specific time of day is established as best.

1 commercial form

Compare the main delivery options and what they’re best suited for.

Decursin-standardized extract

Commercial extracts standardize to a specified percentage of decursin and decursinol angelate.

Oral bioavailability of decursin is moderate.

Safety

Limited but generally favorable safety in short-term studies. Mild GI upset is the most common report. Long-term safety data are sparse.

Who should be cautious

Avoid in pregnancy and lactation due to lack of safety data and potential hormonal activity. Use caution if on anticoagulants or with hormone-sensitive conditions.

Interactions

Coumarin-related compounds raise theoretical concerns about anticoagulant interactions; decursin's clinical anticoagulant activity is not well characterized. Caution with warfarin and antiplatelet drugs.

Frequently asked questions

Is Korean angelica the same as dong quai?⌄

No. A. gigas and A. sinensis are different species with different chemistry and uses.

Does Korean angelica help with menopause?⌄

Evidence is preliminary. Better-studied options exist for hot flashes.

References

Korean Angelica on NIH DSLD (US supplement label database) — NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database link

Research on Korean Angelica (PubMed search) — PubMed link

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Evidence-based·How we grade evidence

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This page is educational, not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Evidence grades are AI-assisted assessments — talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, on medications, or managing a chronic condition.