Astragalus

Latin Name: Astragalus membranaceus
Family: Fabaceae

Part used: Root
Energetics: Sweet, warm
Iris: All types
Interactions: Please check with your Healthcare Provider.

Safe alongside Herb

Aciclovir
Ciclosporin
Cisplatin
Cyclophosphamide
Dexamethasone
Doxorubicin
Enalapril
Etoposide
Fluorouracil
Leflunomide
Methotrexate
Paclitaxel
Paracetamol
Pioglitazone
Vincristine sulfate

Unsure alongside Herb

Agomelatine
Alfentanil
Alprazolam
Amlodipine
Aprepitant
Aripiprazole
Atorvastatin
Boceprevir
Cerivastatin
Chlorpheniramine
Cilostazol
Cisapride
Clarithromycin
Dapsone
Dextromethorphan
Diazepam
Diltiazem
Docetaxel
Domperidone
Eplerenone
Felodipine
Fentanyl citrate
Finasteride
Haloperidol
Hydrocortisone
Imatinib
Indinavir
Irinotecan
Lercanidipine
Lidocaine, lignocaine
Lovastatin
Methadone
Midazolam
Nateglinide
Nelfinavir mesylate
Nifedipine
Nisoldipine
Nitrendipine
Oestradiol
Ondansetron
Pimozide
Progesterone
Propranolol
Quetiapine
Quinidine
Quinine
Risperidone
Ritonavir
Salmeterol
Saquinavir
Sildenafil
Simvastatin
Sirolimus
Sorafenib
Sunitinib
Tacrolimus
Tamoxifen
Taxol
Telaprevir
Telithromycin
Temsirolimus
Terfenadine
Testosterone, testosterone undecanoate, testosterone enanthate, testosterone isocaproate, testosterone phenylpropionate, testosterone propionate, testosterone decanoate, testosterone cypionate
Theophylline
Trazodone
Triazolam
Verapamil
Zaleplon
Ziprasidone
Zolpidem

CONTRA-INDICATIONS

Dry mouth
Acute infection
Avoid when a cold or the flu is coming on
Avoid when taking immunomodulating drugs.

ACTIONS

Adaptogen
Stimulant
Tonic
Anti-bacterial (Strep/ Staph)
Diuretic
Renal tonic
Diaphoretic
Digestive
Anti-neoplastic
Anti-infective
Anti-viral (Coxsackie)
Hypotensive
Hypoglycaemic
Intestinal muscle tonic
Cardio-tonic
Pulmonary tonic
Prostatic tonic

Main Constituents

Essential volatile oil
Triterpenoid saponins (astragaloside)
Flavonoids
Mucilage polysaccharides
Sterols
Amino acids
Vitamin A.

Main Uses

Immune Enhancer-Tonic
Immune System: Increases white blood cell count and production on interferon, Colds/Flu, Chemotherapy/Radiotherapy damage
Respiratory System: Upper respiratory infections, Supports lungs in case of weakness of breath.
Digestive System: Diarrhoea
Nervous System: Improves sleep habits
Endocrine System: Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), Fatigue, Hyperhidrosis
Urinary System: Incontinence, Urinary frequency, Uterine prolapse.

Infections:
Bacteria: Diplococcus pneumoniae, Shigella dysenteriae, Streptococcus hemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus.
Viruses: Adenovirus, Hepatitis B, HIV, Parainfluenza, Coxsackie B, Viral Mycocarditis, Newcastle disease.

More About Astragalus

Also known as Huang Qi, Astragalus is one of the gentlest tonic “adaptogens” available and was traditionally added to soups and congees as a way of encouraging greater nourishment and sustenance via the diet.
Astragalus has a special affinity for improving immune function and for those who appear short of breath with common lung complaints. It improves digestive functioning by moistening and strengthening absorption.
It is a deeply helpful herb for those who feel run down, exhausted, depressed from being overstressed and overtaxed. It improves kidney function by improving metabolism and encouraging diuresis, to reduce fluid retention. Also helpful for inhibiting tumor growth.
Astragalus protects the arteries from free radical damage and promotes blood flow by relaxing the blood vessels. Traditional Chinese Medicine philosophy warns against using this herb when the body is already being attacked by pathogens, but this is in dispute. Combines well with Sage and Panax ginseng.

Recipes:

Cookies with Astragalus, Shiitake and Chocolate

Ingredients:

Approx. 118g of plain flour
Approx. 118g of whole wheat flour
Approx. 118g of oat bran
Approx. 59g of astragalus powder
Approx. 59g of shiitake mushroom powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (Approx. 236g.) salted butter, softened
94g of honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
Approx. 472g oats
Approx. 236g of dark chocolate chips

Method:

In a medium bowl, mix together both types of flours, oat bran, herb powders, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer to combine the butter, honey, and vanilla until it is light and fluffy. (Takes about 1 minute.)
Add the eggs, one by one, to the butter mixture, mixing them in well.
Little by little, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Once well combined, fold in the oat mixture and the chocolate chips.
Using your hands, mold the mixture into a ball within the bowl.
Put this in the freezer for 30 minutes. (This will help keep the cookies from spreading out too thin.)
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Using a greased cookie sheet (or a sheet lined with parchment paper), drop the cookie dough out in approx. 59g amounts.
Bake for 22 minutes or until the edges are softly browned. Do not overbake.
Once cooled, store the cookies in a tightly sealed container.

Best to be eaten within 3 days.
Yield: 17 large cookies

References

Tissue Healing, Antioxidant

The Antioxidant Effects of Radix Astragali (Astragalus membranaceus and Related Species) in Protecting Tissues from Injury and Disease
Different isolated constituents of Astragalus spp., such as astragalosides, flavonoids and polysaccharides also displayed significant prevention of tissue injury via antioxidant mechanisms.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26343107/

Anti-cancer, immunomodulatory

Combining the Anticancer and Immunomodulatory Effects of Astragalus and Shiitake as an Integrated Therapeutic Approach
Preclinical and clinical trials have demonstrated anticancer and immunomodulatory properties of Astragalus,with Astragalus having stronger anticancer than immunomodulating effects.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34444724/

Osteoporosis, osteoblasts, isoflavones

A comparative study on the effect of promoting the osteogenic function of osteoblasts using isoflavones from Radix Astragalus
Radix Astragalus has been shown to exert beneficial effects regarding the prevention postmenopausal osteoporosis.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29044703/

Immune regulation

Systematic exploration of Astragalus membranaceus and Panax ginseng as immune regulators: Insights from the comparative biological and computational analysis
AM (astragalus membranaceus) and PG (panax ginseng) simultaneously showed the ability to strengthen the immune system function including enhancement of spleen and thymus index, proliferation of splenic lymphocytes and cytotoxic activity of NK cells.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31477352/

Immunomodulating, immunorestorative

In vitro and in vivo immunomodulating and immunorestorative effects of Astragalus membranaceus.
Results showed that AI could exhibit mitogenic and co-mitogenic activities on mouse splenocytes, both in vitro and in vivo. Experiments in human cell culture demonstrated that AI was also active on human lymphocytes.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874107002668