Anticancer actions of Angelica sinensis (Dong Quai) by Joseph J Collins, RN, ND

Angelica sinensis has a number of active constituents that has been widely researched for their anticancer actions. For example, polysaccharides from Angelica sinensis have can inhibit proliferation of leukemia cells [1], [2], [3], [4], as well as colorectal carcinoma cells [5]. In fact, a number of papers discuss generalized anticancer actions against multiple types of cancer cells to promote apoptosis (cell death) of tumor cells or have antiangiogenic effects [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14].
The ligustilide (LGT) and the n-butylidenephthalide (BLP) in Angelica sinensis both have anticancer actions, while ferulic acid in Angelica sinensis primarily has anti-inflammatory and immunostimulatory actions [15].
Research done in 2004 did show that ferulic acid inhibited breast cancer cell growth [16.1]. A 2006 study that showed that when cultured cancer cells were exposed to both estradiol and ferulic acid the cancer cells would continue to divide, but the concentration of estradiol used in the study was 2723.8 pMol/L, which is about four time the normal range in follicular phase and twice as high as a woman would have even when she ovulates [16.2]. In 2012, research discussed the roles that angeliferulate and HMID from Angelica sinensis have in inhibiting proteins associated with cancer growth in various tissues including breasts [17].

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References
To review the PubMed listing of any reference, go to www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/ and enter the PubMed PMID number at the end of the reference.
[1] Jia DY, Liu J, Li CP, Li J, Zhang MS, Zhang YY, Jing Peng-Wei, Xu CY, Wang YP.[Biological mechanisms of human-derived leukemia stem cells senescence regulated by Angelica sinensis polysaccharide]. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2015Jan;40(1):112-7. Chinese. PubMed PMID: 25993799.
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