The short answer
A bleeding interaction between dong quai and heparin has not been demonstrated in the reviewed human evidence. A small study with aspirin found no added overall clotting effect, but it cannot establish heparin safety.
What this answer covers
Angelica sinensis oral product; no automatic transfer from warfarin, aspirin, other Angelica species or multi-herb formulas.
- Supplement or preparation
- Angelica sinensis
- Medication ingredient
- heparin
A human trial challenges a blanket warning
A randomized study evaluated Angelica sinensis alone and with aspirin in healthy volunteers. Overall platelet and clotting tests did not show clinically important impairment, and no significant bleeding was reported. A few participants showed inhibition on one platelet stimulus.
The anticoagulant matters
Aspirin acts on platelets, while heparin acts through antithrombin and clotting factors. A finding with aspirin cannot prove safety or a harmful interaction with heparin. The study was also too small and brief to exclude uncommon bleeding.
The product remains part of the uncertainty
The inspected abstract does not fully characterize the dong quai preparation. Different extracts and formulas cannot be assumed equivalent. Neither the botanical name nor a laboratory antiplatelet hypothesis supplies a reliable clinical bleeding estimate.
Review use during treatment
Tell the heparin team about the exact supplement before starting or changing it. Report unusual bleeding or bruising promptly; serious bleeding, black stools or vomiting blood needs urgent assessment. Do not change prescribed heparin yourself. A fixed spacing interval or automatic heparin dose adjustment is not established.
Evidence and practical considerations
Side effects & toxicity
No qualifying exact heparin evidence; small named-herb/aspirin study had largely null hemostatic and bleeding findings. Other anticoagulants are not interchangeable.
- Exact scope
- Angelica sinensis oral product; no automatic transfer from warfarin, aspirin, other Angelica species or multi-herb formulas. with Unfractionated heparin sodium intravenous/subcutaneous, active-ingredient bridge to RxCUI5224 IN. Not LMWH or topical therapy.
- Medication form and route
- intravenous or subcutaneous unfractionated heparin; oral supplement
What remains uncertain
- No universal risk estimate, dose adjustment or spacing interval; source-specific limits apply.
Factors that may matter: Exact product; Dose/duration; Other antithrombotics; Bleeding risk; Kidney function.
Read the supporting source summaries
Source 1: current product label
dailymed.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: People receiving parenteral unfractionated heparin.
Heparin can cause hemorrhage; medicines inhibiting platelets can add bleeding concerns. Aldosterone suppression can cause hyperkalemia, especially with predisposing conditions or potassium-sparing medicines. Heparin is not absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract.
How this applies: Exact species, preparation, route and measured endpoints govern applicability; other anticoagulants are not silently treated as heparin.
No botanical interaction specifically named. Not low-molecular-weight heparin, topical heparin cream or an oral anticoagulant; doses and risks of catheter flush products are not automatically equivalent.
Source 2: original human study
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: Healthy volunteers; 24 evaluable for Angelica and 23 for Panax ginseng.
No clinically relevant overall effect on platelet/coagulation function, no added aspirin platelet inhibition, and no significant bleeding manifestations. A few participants had inhibition on one platelet stimulus.
How this applies: Exact species, preparation, route and measured endpoints govern applicability; other anticoagulants are not silently treated as heparin.
25 volunteers recruited per herb; product standardization incompletely described in abstract. Aspirin is not heparin. Small short study cannot exclude rare bleeding.
Research assessment: · Open full citations ↗
Review and change history
- Publication status
- Published research summary
- Clinical review
- Not yet recorded
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| Article prepared | |
| Prepared exact-pair article preserving route, formulation, clinical-outcome and laboratory-endpoint distinctions. | |
| Research summary published |
Article revision: 8c7f323731c01855
This guide brings together the evidence records used by our interaction checker. Each finding retains its own preparation limits, research date, and source summaries.
Full citations require verification. Reading this answer and the source summaries does not.
Taking other supplements or medications?
Use the checker to explore your other combinations. Ask a pharmacist to review the exact products, amounts and medical conditions in your complete list.
Open the interaction checkerInformation, not medical advice. Do not change prescribed treatment based on this guide.