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Latin binomial: Angelica archangelica (most Angelica spp. have similar uses)
Common names: archangel, masterwort, holy ghost root, wild celery, ground ash.
Family: Apiaceae
Parts used: primarily the root, although seeds, leaf, and stem are all used.
Native to: believed to be a native of Syria, later spreading to cool European climates including the Baltic region and Scandinavia as well as central Asia.
Taste: Aromatic/pungent, bitter, sweet.
Affinities: respiratory, digestive, blood, liver, musculoskeletal, mullerian*
Energetics: warm, dry, relaxed, stimulant, oily
Tissue States: depression, stagnation, tension
Astrology: Sun in leo (Culpeper), Jupiter.
Actions: stimulant expectorant, circulatory stimulant, immune stimulant, stimulant diaphoretic, emmenagogue, carminative, bitter tonic, spasmolytic, inflammation modulator, hepatoprotective, alterative, cholagogue, aromatic digestive, diuretic, antimicrobial, hypotensive, nervine.
Constituents: Volatile oils (0.3% to 1%, highest concentration in seeds): α- and β-phellandrene, α-pinene, α-thujene, limonene, β-caryophyllene, linalool, borneol, acetaldehyde; macrocyclic lactones; phthalates (hexamethylphthalate); furanocoumarin glycosides (angelicin, umbelliferone, psoralen, bergapten, imperatoren); and sugars, plant acids, flavonoids, and sterols.
Possible Clinical Patterns:
Cold stagnant digestion
Damp respiratory conditions (and fever)
Cold, damp, and/or tense uterus
Cold, damp, and/or tense musculoskeletal conditions
Stagnant liver, portal congestion
The fundamental action of angelica is that it is a stimulant. It stimulates the tissues in multiple systems of the body.
A little unexpectedly, Angelica has become one of my most used herbs, finding it's way into many of my formulas. I don't believe they taught much about it in the university courses I took, but when I found a bottle of it hiding in the student dispensary behind the dong quai (A. sinensis), I knew I had to get to know her. As per my usual interests, angelica finds itself used in both traditional European and Mediterranean / Middle Eastern medicine.
Angelica also finds itself used by first nations peoples in the Americas (such as A. atropurpurea), and in traditional Chinese medicine they use two species. Many may know of dong quai (A. sinensis) which is predominantly used as a mullerian*/female tonic, blood tonic, and for some digestive uses. Dong quai is the most used angelica I've seen other practitioners using, which I always find interesting when we use the "exotic" herbs more often than those that are traditional to our system. The other main Chinese species used is bai zhi (A. dahurica) which is predominantly used in acute infections and as a blood purifier (alterative/depurative). Although all of these species have similar uses, many of them are more effective in specific areas. I believe A. archangelica to be a good middle ground of these species.
In the digestive system, angelica is a bitter tonic, stimulating the liver, and increasing digestive secretions. It's pungency strengthens the digestive fire (aromatic digestive), and dispels wind alleviating bloating and cramping (carminative). Angelica's pungency also increases blood flow to the digestive tract aiding in assimilation. Angelica is also antimicrobial. In many ways, I see angelica filling the position many people use the gentian-ginger combination to achieve.
Angelica is also an immune stimulant, leading to a non-specific stimulation of the immune system. Here higher doses and more regular intervals are needed, perfect in acute respiratory infections. Speaking of infections, angelica also acts as a stimulant diaphoretic, used to break cold fevers. Angelica does this via stimulating the circulation, and opening the capillary beds to direct blood to the surface, relieving internal heat.
As mentioned, angelica is a circulatory stimulant, increasing blood flow in the core and to the periphery. This helps to relieve cold and stagnant musculoskeletal conditions, bringing fresh nutrient rich blood where it might not otherwise have reached. Here we also see a spasmolytic effect relaxing tension in the muscles and inflammation modulating helping to reduce pain. In this sense, angelica can also be used topically.
In the respiratory system angelica acts as a stimulant expectorant, stimulating the lungs to cough more intensely to produce productive coughing. The aromatic components also aid in thinning the mucous making it easier to expel.
In the mullerian* reproductive system, angelica is effective in relieving cramping. But as a stimulant emmenagogue, is specific for cold damp uterine conditions leading to amenorrhea where there is cramping, and the blood is thick and congealed. Here angelica stimulates the circulation to the reproductive organs, warming it, and stimulating menses.
I personally find that angelica is a blood tonic, an aspect usually attributed more so to
Angelica's sister Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis). The taste of angelica has a subtle sweet note which denotes a tonifying and building effect, in this case for the blood. I believe this is achieved both via the constituents themselves, and by the positive impact angelica has on the digestive and assimilation of the body, then sending that nutritive blood where it is required.
In my own practice I personally tend to use angelica in the following ways:
Warming digestive tonic - Here angelica is a powerhouse, never underestimate aromatic bitters.
Acute infection - Angelica is one of my go to warm and dry respiratory herbs for acute infections, stimulant expectorant, diaphoretic, immune stimulant, antimicrobial, and I would argue also mucolytic.
Nervine ally - I'd consider angelica a nervine in the same way I'd consider other apiaceous plants (fennel, celery) which is to say their oily qualities help to nourish the nerve fibers, and tend to be spasmolytic. The outdated herbal quality neurotick would include it quite well. Angelica also has an upwards quality which lends it to increasing cerebral circulation, lending it a nootropic quality as well.
Wind - Angelica helps to dispel digestive wind and cramps of all kinds.
Formula driver, balancer, and synergist - Angelica lends itself well to warming up cold formulas and for driving the other herbs to where they are needed via stimulating the circulation. I find angelica to also be a diffusive, an old term used to describe herbs that have a near instant rapid effect on the nervous system (and are often circulatory stimulants), and generally leave a tingly sensation on the tongue (think prickly ash or echinacea).
*I use mullerian and wolffian as gender neutral terms for the genito-urinary systems usually defined as female and male respectively.
Resources & References:
The Earthwise Herbal, volume I - Matthew Wood
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