Herb Of The Week - Astragalus - By David Hoffman

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Astragalus

 

C David L. Hoffmann B.Sc. (Hons), M.N.I.M.H.

 

 

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Astragalus membranaceus

 

Leguminosae

 

 

Names: Milk-vetch root, huang qi

 

 

Part Used: Root.

 

 

Constituents: Glycosides, Polysaccharides, choline, betaine,

rumatakenin, [[beta]]-sitosterol

 

 

Actions: Immunomodulator

Indications: Used since ancient times in Traditional ,

it has become an important remedy in the west since its effects upon the

immune system came to light. As the power of immunological research is

focused on medicinal herbs a whole new array of effects are being

discovered. The polysaccharides in Astragalus have been shown to

intensify phagocytosis of reticulo-endothelial systems, stimulate

pituitary-adrenal cortical activity and restore depleted red blood cell

formation in bone marrow. Astragalus is also one of the herbs known to

stimulate the bodies natural production of interferon. The therapeutic

potential offered is very exciting. The conclusion being drawn by most

western herbalist's is that Astragalus is an ideal remedy for anyone who

might be immuno-compromised in any way. This can range from someone who

easily `catches' colds to someone with cancer.

 

Preparations & Dosage:

 

 

Decoction: put l teaspoonful of the root into a cup of water, bring to

boil and simmer for l0-l5 minutes. This should be drunk three times a

day.

 

 

Tincture: take 2-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

 

 

 

 

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Citations from the Medline database for the genus Astragalus:

 

 

Astragalus, Chai ZN [Effects of Codonopsis pilosular-Astragalus

injection on the cyclicnucleotide levels and phosphodiesterase activity

in platelets]

 

 

Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (1984 Aug) 4(8):486-7 (Published In

Chinese)Chai ZN [Effects of Codonopsis pilosulae-Astragalus injection on

superficial activity and ultrastructure of platelets]

 

 

Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (1984 Aug) 4(8):484-5 (Published In

Chinese) Chang CY Hou YD Xu FM [Effects of Astragalus membranaceus on

enhancement of mouse natural killer cell activity]

 

 

Chung Kuo I Hsueh Ko Hsueh Yuan Hsueh Pao (1983 Aug) 5(4):231-4 Chen LJ

Shen ML Wang MY Zhai SK Liu MZ [Effect of Astragalus polysaccharides on

phagocytic function in mice(author's transl)]

 

 

Chung Kuo Yao Li Hsueh Pao (1981 Sep) 2(3):200-4 (Published In Chinese)

Chu DT Lepe-Zuniga J Wong WL LaPushin R Mavligit GM Fractionated extract

of Astragalus membranaceus, a Chinese medicinal herb, potentiates LAK

cell cytotoxicity generated by a low dose of recombinantinterleukin-2.

 

 

J Clin Lab Immunol (1988 Aug) 26(4):183-7 Chu DT Wong WL Mavligit GM

Immunotherapy with Chinese medicinal herbs. II. Reversal of

cyclophosphamide-induced immune suppression by administration of

fractionated Astragalus membranaceus in vivo.

 

 

J Clin Lab Immunol (1988 Mar) 25(3):125-9 Chu DT Wong WL Mavligit GM

Immunotherapy with Chinese medicinal herbs. I. Immune restoration of

local xenogeneic graft-versus-host reaction in cancer patients by

fractionated Astragalus membranaceus in vitro.

 

 

J Clin Lab Immunol (1988 Mar) 25(3):119-23 Dong DC Zhou LF Chen JX

[Changes in proteinuria, renal function and immunity after treatment

withinjections of a solution of Astragalus membranaceus]

 

 

Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (1987 Jul) 7(7):403-4, 388 (Published

InChinese) Geng CS [Advances in immuno-pharmacological studies on

Astragalusmembranaceus]

 

 

Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (1986 Jan) 6(1):62-4 (Published In

Chinese) He ZP Wang DZ Shi LY Wang ZQ Treating amenorrhea in vital

energy-deficient patients with angelicasinensis-astragalus membranaceus

menstruation-regulating decoction.

 

 

J Tradit Chin Med (1986 Sep) 6(3):187-90 Hikino H Funayama S Endo K

Hypotensive principle of Astragalus and Hedysarum roots.

 

 

Planta Med (1976 Dec) 30(4):297-302 Li WS Liao JZ Yue ZS Liu XF Wu ZM

Kang TP Effects of codonopsis pilosula-astragalus injection on platelet

aggregationand activity of PGI2-like substance.

 

 

J Tradit Chin Med (1986 Mar) 6(1):9-12 Liao JZ Chai ZN Li WS Liu XF Wang

S Qin L Guo WQ Pharmacologic effects of codonopsis pilosula-astragalus

injection in thetreatment of CHD patients.

 

 

J Tradit Chin Med (1988 Mar) 8(1):1-8 Pan SY [Pharmacological action of

Astragalus membranaceus on the central nervoussystem in mice]

 

 

Chung Yao Tung Pao (1986 Sep) 11(9):47-9 Ponomarenko AP [The effect of

astragalus on the functional status of the liver in patientswith chronic

circulatory insufficiency]

 

 

Vrach Delo (1966 Apr) 4:72-4 Published In Russian Qian ZW Li YY

[synergism of Astragalus membranaceus with interferon in the treatment

ofcervical erosion and their antiviral activities]

 

 

Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (1987 May) 7(5):268-9, 287, 259 Shen ML

[biological activities of Astragalus polysaccharides]

 

 

Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (1984 Oct) 4(10):615-7, 581 Skakun NP

Blikhar EI Oleinik AN [use of Astragalus dasyanthus in lesions of the

liver in patients withpulmonary tuberculosis]

 

 

Vrach Delo (1988 Jun) (6):51-4 Published In Russian Sun Y Hersh EM Lee

SL McLaughlin M Loo TL Mavligit GM Preliminary observations on the

effects of the Chinese medicinal herbs Astragalus membranaceus and

Ligustrum lucidum on lymphocyte blastogenicresponses.

 

 

J Biol Response Mod (1983) 2(3):227-37 Wang DY Yang WY [Effect of

Astragalus polysaccharides on ribonucleic acid metabolism of spleen and

liver cells of mice]

 

 

Chung Kuo Yao Li Hsueh Pao (1982 Sep) 3(3):204-7 (Published In Chinese)

Wang DY Zhang W Xu GY [Protective effect of Astragalus polysaccharide on

ribonucleases and theribonuclease inhibitor system]

 

 

Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (1987 Feb) 7(2):93-6, 70 (Published

InChinese)

 

 

Zhang YD Shen JP Song J Wang YL Shao YN Li CF Zhou SH Li YF Li DX

 

 

[Effects of Astragalus saponin 1 on cAMP and cGMP levels in plasma and

DNA synthesis in the regenerating liver]

 

 

Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao (1984 Aug) 19(8):619-21 Zhang YK Wang HY Wang SX

[The effect of the Chinese medical herbs Astragalus membranaceus and

Angelica sinensis on 3 kinds of experimental nephritis]

 

 

Chung Hua Nei Ko Tsa Chih (1986 Apr) 25(4):222_5, 254 Zhao YH

[Preliminary observation on the therapeutic effect of Astragalus

membranaceus in experimental anti-glomerular basement membrane nephritis

in rabbits]

 

 

Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (1983 Sep) 3(5):302-3 (Published

InChinese)