A traditional Korean root whose modern appeal rests on a few natural compounds tied to inflammation, nerve signaling, and hormones. Human testing suggests modest relief of prostate-related urinary symptoms in men and menopausal complaints in women, mostly from multi-herb blends. Memory and pain uses rest mainly on animal work. Well tolerated; the main concern is altered drug processing. (Full Review)

Protocol

Form

Standardized extract

Oral ethanol root extract standardized to decursin plus decursinol angelate

Frequency

Once–twice daily

Twice-daily split dosing maintains even blood levels given the short half-life

Timing

Goal-dependent

Evening dosing for sleep or relaxation; split daytime dosing for pain or cognitive goals

Time to effect

Urinary symptoms

8–12 weeks

Prostate/urinary benefit measured over a two- to three-month trial

Menopausal symptoms

8–12 weeks

Improvement measured over a two- to three-month trial

Pain / sleep

Within hours

Acute effects, if present, appear quickly given the short half-life

Benefits

Medium: Relief of urinary symptoms in prostate enlargement; reduction of menopausal symptoms

Low: Cognitive and memory support; analgesic effects; anti-fatigue and exercise endurance; anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity

Speculative: Anticancer potential; metabolic and lipid effects; neuroprotection against age-related decline; hair growth support

Contraindications

Pregnancy (any trimester) and breastfeeding

Active or recent hormone-sensitive cancer

Diagnosed bleeding disorder

Surgery within about 2 weeks

Key Interactions

Anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents (warfarin, apixaban, clopidogrel)

CYP3A and CYP2A6 substrates (certain statins, benzodiazepines)

P-glycoprotein substrates (digoxin)

OTC bleeding-affecting pain relievers (aspirin, ibuprofen, NSAIDs)

Coumarin-containing or CYP-inhibiting botanicals (grapefruit extract, Dong quai)

Bleeding-modulating supplements (high-dose fish oil, ginkgo, garlic)

Sedatives and sleep supplements (valerian, magnesium, GABA), sedating antihistamines

Hormone therapies and anti-androgen or hormone-blocking cancer drugs

Risk & Side Effects

Medium: Mild gastrointestinal and general adverse events

Low: Drug-metabolism and transporter interactions; hormonal modulation

Speculative: Bleeding risk from coumarin content; photosensitivity; hepatic effects at high doses

Monitoring

Marker	Target	Why
ALT / AST (liver enzymes)	ALT ~10–26 U/L; AST ~10–26 U/L	Screen for and track liver strain given CYP-inhibitory activity
PSA (prostate-specific antigen)	< 1.0 ng/mL (age-dependent)	Relevant reference for men using it for urinary/prostate goals
INR / clotting time	~0.8–1.1 (if not on anticoagulants)	Detect additive bleeding effect when combined with blood thinners
hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein)	< 1.0 mg/L	Track the anti-inflammatory claim objectively
Estradiol / testosterone (as relevant)	Sex- and age-specific optimal range	Watch for unwanted hormonal shifts given receptor activity

Cadence: Baseline before starting, then at ~8–12 weeks to judge response, and every 3–6 months on prolonged use; clotting time checked sooner if combined with agents affecting bleeding.

Qualitative Assessment

Sleep quality and ease of relaxation, especially with evening dosing
Day-to-day pain levels and joint comfort
Energy, fatigue, and exercise tolerance
Cognitive clarity and memory for cognitively oriented users
For men, urinary flow, urgency, and completeness of emptying

Angelica gigas Nakai for Health & Longevity

Protocol

Benefits

Risk & Side Effects

Monitoring

Qualitative Assessment