Common cold, headache treated with TCM herb Angelica Root

What is Bai Zhi or Angelica Root?
Also known as radix angelicae dahuricae, it actually refers to the roots of Angelica dahurica var. formosana (Boiss.) Yuan et Shan and Angelica dahuricae (Fisch.) Benth. Et Hook. They are collected in next autumn if sowing seed this autumn and about Cold Dew if sowing seed this spring. After dug out, it need to be removed the dirt and fibril, cleaned, and dried in the sun or beside the oven. According to modern nutritional analysis, it contains Byak-angelicin, Byak-angelicol, Oxypencedanin, Phellopterin, Angelic acid, and Angelicotoxin.

Angelica dahurica var. formosana (Boiss.) Yuan et Shan
Commonly known as Hang Bai Zhi in China, it grows mainly in provinces like Zhengjiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hunan, and Sicuan. It is in long-conic shape, 10 to 20cm long, and 2 to 2.5cm in diameter. The upper part is almost square, grayish brown in color, with mostly vertical lenticels-like process that lie in 4 lines lengthwise, and the end with depressed stem scars. The texture is solid, a little bit heavier, with white mealiness cross section, and cortex densely covered with oil spots that forming closely square rings. It has an intense penetrating aroma and pungent but slight bitter taste.

Angelica dahuricae (Fisch.) Benth. Et Hook
Commonly known as Qi Bai Zhi in China, it is a perennial tall herb that is mostly produced in Henan and Hebei provinces. It is in conic shape, 7 to 24cm long, 1.5 to 2cm in diameter, grayish yellow or yellowish brown in color, with crosswise lenticels-like process scattered, and rootlets marks. The texture is hard, with grayish white mealiness transverse cross section, and cortex scattered with oil spots that forming brown layered round rings. It has rich aroma and pungent but slight bitter taste. Medicinally those of sole branch, heavy weight, good mealiness, and rich aroma are considered better quality.

What is it used for?
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is acrid, warm, and with ascending and dispersing aroma in nature. It goes to meridians of lung, stomach, and large intestine.

Main functions are to expel pathogenic wind to resolve exterior, expel cold to stop pain, remove dampness to open the orifices, and diminish swelling and discharge pus. Main usage and indications are wind-cold type common cold, Headache, supraorbital pain, toothache, lacrimation due to itchy eye, sinus congestion, prolonged diarrhea caused by excessive damp, Hematochezia, Leucorrhea with white or reddish discharge, sores and ulcers, itch and scab, and snakebite. Regular dosage is 3 to 10 grams.