Research suggests that dong quai, when used as a standalone supplement, does not appear to meaningfully relieve common menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, based on the available clinical evidence. The most directly relevant study — a double-blind, randomized controlled trial — found no significant difference between dong quai and placebo on measures of vasomotor symptoms or estrogenic effects, a finding echoed by a 2004 NAMS position statement and multiple systematic reviews from 2005 through 2010. Several broader reviews of botanical supplements for menopause consistently ranked dong quai among the less-supported options, in contrast to herbs like black cohosh, which showed more consistent evidence of modest benefit. A small number of mechanistic reviews suggest dong quai may influence serotonin-related pathways and could perform differently within traditional combination formulas than it does in isolation, and a 2017 review of a multi-herb formula containing dong quai offered some supporting analysis, but these findings remain preliminary and do not translate into clear clinical recommendations for its use as a standalone remedy.
Citations from PubMed and preprint sources. Match score (0-100) reflects automated search ranking, not clinical appraisal.
| Title | Type | Year | Direction | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does dong quai have estrogenic effects in postmenopausal women? A double-blin... | RCT | 1997 | — | 95 |
| Dong Quai (angelica sinensis) in the treatment of hot flashes for men on andr... | Other | 2010 | — | 88 |
| Efficacy of Herbal Remedies in Menopause: Bridging Traditional Medicine and M... | Other | 2025 | Mixed | 85 |
| Non-hormonal therapy of post-menopausal vasomotor symptoms: a structured evid... | Review | 2007 | — | 85 |
| Treatment of menopause-associated vasomotor symptoms: position statement of T... | Other | 2004 | — | 85 |
| Herbs of special interest to women. | Review | 2000 | Mixed | 85 |
| Danggui to Angelica sinensis root: are potential benefits to European women l... | Review | 2014 | Mixed | 82 |
| Evaluating the evidence for over-the-counter alternatives for relief of hot f... | Review | 2010 | — | 82 |
| Current alternative and complementary therapies used in menopause. | Review | 2009 | — | 82 |
| Menopause: a review of botanical dietary supplements. | Review | 2005 | Mixed | 82 |
| Botanical modulation of menopausal symptoms: mechanisms of action? | Review | 2013 | Mixed | 80 |
| Phytoestrogens: a viable option? | Review | 2002 | Mixed | 80 |
| Use of alternative and complementary medicine in menopause. | Review | 2002 | Mixed | 80 |
| Hot flashes revisited: pharmacological and herbal options for hot flashes man... | Review | 2005 | — | 78 |
| Danggui Buxue Tang (Astragali Radix and Angelicae Sinensis Radix) for menopau... | Review | 2017 | Supports | 75 |
| Nonhormonal therapies for hot flashes in menopause. | Review | 2006 | Mixed | 75 |
| Drug-herb interactions with herbal medicines for menopause. | Review | 2004 | Neutral | 75 |
| Nonestrogen treatment modalities for vasomotor symptoms associated with menop... | Systematic review | 2004 | Mixed | 75 |
| Botanicals and Their Bioactive Phytochemicals for Women's Health. | Review | 2016 | Mixed | 72 |
| Dong Quai. | Review | 2006 | Neutral | 70 |
| Herbs, menopause, and dialysis. | Review | 2002 | Mixed | 70 |
| The perimenopausal hot flash: epidemiology, physiology, and treatment. | Review | 1997 | Mixed | 65 |
| Potentiation of warfarin by dong quai. | Other | 1999 | Neutral | 60 |