[The new progress of the study about volatile oil of the angelica].

To summarize the new progress of the study about volatile oil of the angelica, including the distillable methods, the analysis of the chemical components, the pharmacological effects and the clinical applications. We tracked and searched the correlative references and study reports about volatile oil of the angelica in CNKI data base(1994-2004) and Medline data base (1997-2004). We summarized and compared the different distillable methods of volatile oil of the angelica, meanwhile we summarized many study reports about the analysis of the chemical components of volatile oil of the angelica and it's pharmacological effects, including the toxicity of the volatile oil and it's effects on the uterus smooth muscle, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, central nerve system and immune system. Finally we summarized the clinical application of the volatile oil of the angelica. There are three distillable methods of volatile oil of the angelica . The harvest efficiency of volatile oil is different with different distillable methods. The chemical components are very complicated and the new chemical components are separated and identified. The volatile oil has bidirectional effects on the uterus smooth muscle. It can inhibit the contraction of the uterus smooth muscle induced by different mechanisms. Meanwhile it can depress the blood pressure and ameliorate the cardiac ischemia. The volatile oil can resist the arrhythmia and asthma, restrain the central system, improve the immune function. Nowadays the volatile oil of the angelica is applied to therapy the dysmenorrhea and disorder of the catamenia. The chemical components of the volatile oil of the angelica are very complicated, moreover the pharmacological effects of the volatile oil are comprehensive. People make the new progress of the study about volatile oil of the angelica.