DO YOU KNOW...

For thousands of years, Dang Gui (angelica sinensis) containing TCM formulas have been used for treating menopause symptoms and other disorders in women.  An estrogen-like property is a basis for its use for women, but do you know why it does not have the serious side effects of hormone (estrogen) replacement therapy that cause breast cancer and heart problems.  The mystery has now been solved by scientists.   Women in menopause suffer from hot flashes, sweating, anxiety, mood swings, as well as an increased risk for many health problems, such as bone density reduction, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and pain. These problems are largely due to the deficiency of estrogen.  While hormone (estrogen) replacement therapy (HRT) helps many women relieve menopause symptoms, its use has recently been discouraged because of an increased risk of breast cancer and coronary artery disease in women who use HRT.  Traditionally, Dang Gui containing formulas have been commonly prescribed to women in China as a remedy for menopausal symptoms, menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea), irregular periods, and other disorders.  For example, Dang Gui Bu Xue Tan, a traditional formula containing Dang Gui and Huang Qi (Radix Astragali), is often given to female patients to raise their ‘‘Qi’’ (their vital energy) and nourish their ‘‘Blood’’ (their body circulation).  Pharmacological results indicated that the Dang Gui-containing formula has the abilities to promote hematopoietic functions, to stimulate cardiovascular circulation, to prevent osteoporosis, to increase anti-oxidation activity and to stimulate the immune system.  Why Dang Gui is especially helpful for women? A recent study shows for the first that Dang Gui in the TCM formulas such as Dang Gui Bu Xue Tan produces estrogen-like effects by directly acting on estrogen receptors to boost functions in a manner similar to what estrogen does (Gao et al., 2007).  However, one of the effects of estrogen in hormone replacement therapy is to induce cell proliferation, which is associated with the side effects (e.g. breast cancer) of hormone replacement therapy.  On the other hand, unlike the estrogen in hormone replacement therapy, Dang Gui containing formulas do not induce cell proliferation.  The study by Gao et al. (2007) further identified cellular and molecular mechanisms by which Dang Gui containing formulas activate estrogen receptors without inducing cell proliferation.  Because of this property, women who take Dang Gui containing formulas get benefits from Dang Gui’s estrogen-like effect but will not risk themselves to the serious side effects that have been seeing in hormone replacement therapy.