Angelica acutiloba is a perennial herb from the family Apiaceae or Umbelliferous (carrot or parsley family). It is predominately in Japan and perhaps endemic (unique). It is now distributed widely and cultivated in Jilin, China, Korea, Taiwan and Indonesia.
The common name of Angelica acutiloba is known as in Japanese. The root was used as a substitute for the crude drug in Kampà  medicine (æ¼¢æ¹製è¬ Kanpà  Seiyaku), which is a Japanese adaptation of Traditional Chinese medicine.
The Traditional Chinese medicine uses the root of a different species A. sinensis, . The Latin pharmacological name for the crude drug, Radix Angelica sinensis, refers to the dried roots of A. sinensis. In China, as a substitute species, A. acutiloba, is known as . Literally âÂÂä¸Ââ means âÂÂeasternâ or âÂÂä¸Âæ´ÂâÂÂ, which is equivalent to the meaning of Japan. So the medicine is also called as Japanese Angelica root. (See #Etymology) The Japanese name, , has a literally meaning like âÂÂrecovering good healthâÂÂ.
A. acutiloba var. acutiloba grows in the banks and valleys, from Honshu (North of Shiga Prefecture) to Hokkaido. While A. acutiloba var. iwatensis grows in high altitude, mountainous terrains and grasslands, distributed throughout temperate areas.
The crop cultivated in Nara Prefecture has been known as Yamato tà Âki or à Âfuka-tà Âki (the latter after à Âfukachà  in Gojà Â, Nara), reputedly superior to the Hokkaido-grown Hokkai tà Âki, and though the latter has been classed as a subspecies in the past, it is assigned a senior category of variety:
A. acutiloba grows to about 0.3-1 meter high. The color of the stems is from reddish to purplish. The stems are erect, glabrous and thinly ribbed. The leaves are deep green, and alternately arranged, often in a leathery or fleshy texture. In most cases, the lower and basal leaves are petiolate or perfoliate. The petioles attached to them are about 10âÂÂ30 cm in length. The mature blades are one or two pinnatified. Young blades are usually three pinnatifid.
The leaves are of variable sizes. The upper leaves are simplified to oblong, with lanceolate and dentate incised blades. The leaf lobes are about 2âÂÂ9 cm long and 1âÂÂ3 cm wide. Most leaves are sessile, but sometimes they bear short stalks. The tips of the mature leaves are acuminate to acute and the bases of them are cuneate to truncate.
The flowers are characterized as the inflorescence: a compound umbel. A. acutilobas flowers are perfect or hermaphroditic and actinomorphic, with distinct calyx and white corolla. However, the calyx is often reduced with obsolete calyx teeth. The flowers have five petals, sepals, and stamens. The white petals are often obovate to oblong. The inflorescences contain fifteen to forty-five pubescent rays, 1âÂÂ10 cm in length, which surround about thirty small disk flowers. The peduncles which hold the entire inflorescence are glabrous or pubescent and 5âÂÂ20 cm long. While the stalks of each single flower in the flower clusters called pedicels, are thin and often sessile. The whorl of bracts beneath the inflorescences is called involucre. It consists of phyllaries, modified bracts, which are linear-lanceolate or linear and 1âÂÂ2 cm long. It also consists of smaller young phyllaries, which are glabrous and 5âÂÂ15 mm long. The androecium contains five stamens, while the gynoecium contains two carpels fused into a single pistil with an inferior, glabrous ovary. The plant blossoms from July to August. When mature, flowers secrete nectar. The strong floral scent attracts pollinators like insects.
The fruits are schizocarps of two mericarps derived from mature fused carpels, often narrow-oblong with 4âÂÂ5 mm in length and 1-1.5 mm in diameter. A single seed is formed with each mericarp. When mature, it is dispersed by wind. The cremocarp of the fruit is narrow-oblong and slightly flat. The oil tubes in the fruit, 3 or 4 vittae, form in wrinkles of ridges of the fruit, while 4 to 8 vittae can be found in commissure. The plant bears fruit from August to September.
The color of the roots is dark brown to red-brown. The roots are cylindrical, 10âÂÂ25 cm long and 1âÂÂ2.5 cm thick in diameter. Numerous lateral horsetail-like branched roots, which are nearly fusiform and 0.2âÂÂ1 cm in diameter, sprout out from the main tap root. The externals of the roots are covered with horizontal protrusions, numerous scars of fine rootlets, and longitudinal wrinkles, which are about 1.5âÂÂ3 cm in diameter. Dried roots are easy to break, while, moist roots are relatively soft. The roots contain yellow-white or light brown xylems. The roots have a pungent aromas and they have a slightly sweet taste and followed by a bitter taste.
A. acutiloba grows in moist clay soils. It prefers sunlight, but can grow in shady woodland. Cool climate is suitable for its optimal cultivation. The sowing season is usually the spring during March and May. The plant may be affected by a variety of diseases. As a result, the leaves may wilt or become yellow. Pests like aphids, worms and mites may affect the plant growth as well.
Cold temperature, water and sunlight are preferred for seed germination. In the spring, the seeds may germinate slower than in winter because of the warmer temperature. In some cases, the seeds of A. acutiloba are sown in the first winter and moved to their permanent position at the beginning of next spring for their best germination.
The extract of A. acutiloba roots contains many chemical constituents. It may contain about 2% volatile oils, such as ligustilide, n-butylidenephthalide, folic acid, linoleic acid, safrole, and isosafrole.
The extract of A. acutiloba roots is used in traditional Chinese medicine and is considered a substitute for dang gui, Angelica sinensis. In Kampo medicine, A. acutioloba roots are used to treat gynaecological diseases in the female reproductive system.
The leaves of the plant are edible. A. acutiloba is used as an ornamental plant in gardens. The root extract can be used in cosmetics and act as a moisturizer, which may help to prevent the aging of the skin.
Angelica acutiloba contains furocoumarins, which increase skin sensitivity to sunlight and may cause dermatitis. The furocoumarins produced by plants are toxic and often utilized as a self-defense mechanism to prevent plants from predators. According to a study, phthalides and furanocoumarins extracted from the A. acutiloba root can be utilized as a natural insecticide, and against larvae and adult Drosophila melanogaster.
The Japanese name tà Âki (å½Â帰) is directly derived from the same Chinese characters or Tang Kuei.(See )
It is sometimes confusing between two species: A. sinensis and A. acutiloba. A. sinensis is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine and known as âÂÂå½Âå½ÂâÂÂ. Chinese denote A. acutiloba as âÂÂä¸Âå½Âå½ÂâÂÂ, meaning Japanese Danggui. However, A. sinensis in Japanese is known as , meaning Chinese Danggui. While Japanese have given name for A. acutiloba as .
The Chinese characters "å½Âå½Â" or "ç¶æ¸" literally mean âÂÂreturnâÂÂ. In 'Shénnóng BÃÂn CÃÂo Jëng' (), Angelica plant had been recorded as a very important herbal medicine in traditional Chinese medicine. In ancient times, a husband might leave the house if his wife was suffering from a gynecological disease. The wife drank the medicine made from Angelica root. Surprisingly, her disease was cured. Meanwhile, her husband believed he should go home as his wife became healthy again. As a result, people gave name of the plant with the meaning of âÂÂreturnâÂÂ. But the fact is still uncertain.
Bencao Gangmu (æÂÂ綱ç®), written by Li Shizhen in the 17th century, provides an explanation of the original name of the plant. In ancient days, married women were responsible for bearing the offspring. Angelica root was a great medicine that could help to regulate women's blood flow, so it implied that her missing for her husband and she was ready to marry him. The meaning of the plant might also refer to "wedding or marriage" or "å½Âå«Â/帰å«Â".