Name: Ligusticum
Latin Name: Ligusticum Sinense Oliv.
Pin Yin: Gao Ben
Location: China

Overview: Ligusticum is a Chinese herb that promotes circulation and regulates energy. Good for post-natal abdominal pain, painful abscesses, and headaches due to colds. The ligusticum roots and fruit are aromatic and stimulant, and have diuretic and carminative action. In herbal medicine ligusticum is used for disorders of the stomach and feverish attacks, especially for cases of colic and flatulence in children, its qualities being similar to those of Angelica in expelling flatulence, exciting perspiration and opening obstructions. The raw leaves can be eaten as salad, or infused dry as a tea, used to be accounted a good emmenagogue.

Primary Uses:

• Circulation
• Energy
• Fever
• Flatulence
• Headaches from colds
• Jaundice
• Pain
• Parasites
• Pestilential disorders
• Stomach problems
• Urinary troubles
• Worms

Parts Used: Root and rhizome.

Safety: Contraindicated for Yin and blood deficiencies because it is very drying.

Supporting Research:

• Both ABCI (consisted of R. Salviae miltiorrhizea; Rh. Ligusticum wallichii and F1. Carthamus tinctorius ) and RQI (consisted of R. Codonopsis Pilosulae and R. Astragalus membranaceus), though without positive myodynamia, showed certain inhibitory effect of left ventricular remodeling in rats with left heart failure after myocardial infarction.¹

¹Wang ZT, Wang SR, Zhao MJ., Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of TCM, Beijing, [Comparative study on effect of recipe for activating blood circulation and replenishing Qi on left ventricular remodeling in rats with left heart failure after myocardial infarction], Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2002 May;22(5):376-8.