Astragalus Uses and Plant Monograph
During the dark, cold months of the year, you will most likely find a pot of astragalus simmering on our woodstove. This herb is so loved in our household that our small family of two goes through several pounds every year. Its deeply nourishing gifts support our immune systems as well as our energy levels. The benefits of astragalus aren’t simply in the short term; it’s also an important herb to support longevity and quality of life in the elder years.
Originally from China, where it is commonly used in medicinal formulas as well as prepared in food, astragalus has been widely adopted by Western herbalists. The root and polysaccharide extracts have been studied extensively for applications in cancer, heart disease, blood sugar imbalances, and wound healing.
Astragalus Uses & Plant Profile Summary
- Botanical Name: Astragalus propinquus (syn. A. membranaceus)
- Other Common Names: Huang qi, Mongolian milkvetch, Radix Astragali
- Family: Fabaceae (pea/bean)
- Parts Used: Root
- Energetics: Slightly warming
- Taste: Sweet
- Plant Properties: Adaptogen, antioxidant, cardioprotective, diuretic, hepatoprotective, immunomodulator
- Plant Uses: Anemia, angina, asthma, fatigue, hepatitis, hypertension, immune system dysfunction (from frequent colds and flu to cancer), prolapsed organs, type 2 diabetes
- Plant Properties: Decoction, cooked with food, powder, capsule, tincture
Energetics
Astragalus is a sweet tonic herb that is slightly warming. Like many sweet herbs, it is used to nourish and build. Western herbalists commonly use it for people who have low energy or who frequently get upper respiratory illnesses like colds and the flu (influenza).
Astragalus is often compared to ginseng (Panax ginseng) in regard to its adaptogen and strengthening qualities. While they are similar in action, astragalus is less heating and stimulating than ginseng. It is sometimes said that younger people will benefit most from astragalus, while older people may find ginseng more beneficial.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), astragalus is considered to be a Spleen Qi tonic and a Lung Qi tonic. As a Spleen Qi tonic, it renews energy, increases appetite, improves digestion, and lifts prolapsed organs.
As a Lung Qi tonic, astragalus root is useful for those who are frequently coming down with colds and the flu, who have difficulty breathing (such as in asthma), or who sweat spontaneously.
In TCM, the Lungs house what is called the Wei Qi (pronounced “way chee”), sometimes referred to as the defensive or protective Qi. A simple way to describe the Wei Qi in Star Trek terms, is that it is like a force field for our body, protecting us from invading pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses). When the Lungs or Wei Qi is weak, we are more prone to illness, may have dull skin, and may have difficulty breathing.
“In Chinese medical terms, astragalus builds up the protective chi. Imagine that there is a protective shield around your body, just below the surface of the skin, that keep out cold and other external influences. It vitalizes the non-specific immune defenses and wards off infections. This is the protective chi, and astragalus is the premier herb in Chinese herbalism to strengthen it.”
Paul Bergner
Immune System
Astragalus root is renowned for its beneficial effects on the immune system. It has been shown to reduce the occurrence of common respiratory illnesses, inhibit tumor growth, and bolster immune system activity in general.
Astragalus has also been shown to have antiviral activity. One in vitro study showed that polysaccharides derived from astragalus may disrupt the Epstein-Barr virus lifecycle and could possibly be beneficial for people with this virus.2 Another in vitro study showed that an extract of astragalus had “potent anti hepatitis B activity.”3
A couple of older studies have shown promising results using astragalus injections in patients with tuberculosis, an infectious disease usually caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. One study concluded that astragalus injections enhanced the therapeutic effects of the conventional tuberculosis treatment.4
“I frequently combine astragalus with reishi mushroom (Ganderma lucidum) to improve immunity and instruct patients who easily get sick to drink a daily dose of the two throughout fall and winter. Similarly, it may be included in soups or cooked with grains and eaten on a weekly basis to help the whole family get through the winter without a single cold (people are always impressed with how well they feel and how well they avoid colds and flu)”
Lesley Tierra
Using Astragalus in TCM
Typically, astragalus is used as a decoction of the root or it is cooked into food like stew or rice (the root will need to be removed before eating). Most of my TCM texts recommend simmering it for a minimum of a half hour to a full hour. This is a mild, food-like herb that can be taken in larger quantities with recommendations anywhere from 10 – 30 grams (1/3 of an ounce to 1 ounce).
Herbs are almost always formulated in TCM and rarely used as simples (simples = using just one herb at at time). Astragalus is a part of many formulas and is often paired with Ligusticum and Ginseng. One classic formula that includes astragalus is Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang.
Astragalus has similar Qi-strengthening properties to ginseng but is less heating and stimulating. It is often said that those younger in years will benefit most from astragalus while those more seasoned with years may find ginseng more beneficial.
You’ll often hear that it is best to take astragalus to prevent colds and the flu but it should be avoided during acute illness. While I would say that is generally true, it is much more complicated. If someone is sick and with a lot of deficiency symptoms, astragalus might be used to strengthen the person’s reserves to boost them towards wellness.
Cancer
Astragalus has long been used in TCM to support people diagnosed with cancer. Today, it is commonly used in formulas as adjunctive medicine during cancer treatments.
In an in vitro trial, polysaccharides extracted from astragalus were shown to block breast cancer cells by upregulating the level of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-α.6 Other in vitro studies have shown that astragalus polysaccharides have promising results against lung cancer cells and human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.7,8
Sometimes cancer becomes resistant to chemotherapy treatments. One in vitro trial found that astragalus polysaccharides “may increase the sensitivity of cervical cancer HeLa cells to cisplatin (chemotherapy) by regulating the cell autophagy.”9
Another species of astragalus, A. boeticus, was shown to be effective against colon cancer in vitro.10
While astragalus is being increasingly studied in regard to its benefits against cancer, it’s important to note that, while these initial studies are promising, we do not have human clinical trials to draw any conclusions from.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease with many causes. Reversing type 2 diabetes requires a holistic approach that involves improving diet, sleep habits, movement, and more. Herbs can also play a role in addressing type 2 diabetes. In recent years, astragalus has been shown to have some interesting beneficial effects for people with type 2 diabetes.11
One review finds that astragalus “could improve insulin resistance by reducing inflammatory factors in plasma, increasing glucose transport in skeletal muscle, enhancing liver glycogen synthesis, and activating insulin-sensitizing hormone secretion.”12 In other words, astragalus can both protect people from the harmful effects of type 2 diabetes while also increasing insulin sensitivity, which addresses the root cause of the disorder.
Another preliminary in vitro study showed that astragalus polysaccharides may be beneficial for people with diabetic cardiomyopathy, a disorder of enlarged heart muscle.13
Longevity and Resilience
Could astragalus help people live longer with less age-related disease? Researchers are studying this!
When studying longevity, researchers often look at telomeres. A telomere is a structure found at the end of a chromosome and is a region of repetitive DNA. Its job is to prevent deterioration of the chromosome. Shortened telomeres are associated with poor health and aging.
One in vitro studied showed that astragalus can slow telomere shortening as well as reducing DNA damage and increasing the improvement of DNA repair ability.14
In a 2019 human clinical trial researchers showed that healthy volunteers taking a mixture of astragalus polysaccharides and S-adenosyl-methionine (SAMe) had significantly longer telomeres than those taking a placebo. They also showed that this was especially significant in older participants. The study concluded that this mixture could be used in the treatment of chronic age-related disorders.15
Astragalus may also promote longevity by increasing autophagy and by reducing oxidative stress.16 “Auto-phagy” literally means “self-eating” and it is a normal process that maintains cellular, tissue, and bodywide balance through removal and recycling of damaged or dysfunctional cellular components.
Heart and Liver
Astragalus root has long been used in TCM to protect the heart and lungs. Recent studies have confirmed these protective qualities.
In one study patients with coronary heart disease were split into two groups: a placebo group and a group taking a Chinese herb formula that included astragalus. After three months, those taking the Chinese herb formula had “improved arterial functions and reduced inflammatory factor activities.”17
Astragalus root has been shown to protect the liver in the case of injury, possibly due to its ability to decrease oxidative stress.18
Winston and Maimes, authors of Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina and Stress Relief, recommend using astragalus with other liver protecting herbs like milk thistle (Silybum marianum), schisandra (Schisandra chinenesis), and turmeric (Curcuma longa).19
Fluids
Astragalus is commonly used in TCM to stop spontaneous sweating, such as night sweats and menopausal hot flashes. But while it can be used to stop the loss of fluids, it’s also a diuretic, which can promote the flow of urine and be used to address edema (swelling caused by excess water in body tissues).
“[Astragalus] helps to regulate fluid metabolism, and those who consume it regularly are said to rarely suffer from fluid retention and bloating.”
Lungs
In TCM, astragalus is considered to be a Lung Qi tonic and is commonly used in formulas to strengthen lung health.
A recent human clinical trial showed that astragalus, when used in combination with conventional drugs, has the ability to prevent the occurrence of asthma in children.20 Astragalus extracts have also been shown to improve immune function in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).21
Kidneys and Blood
In an interesting case report, a 79-year-old woman had kidney failure but did not want to receive dialysis. She was instead given an herbal formula that contained astragalus, dang shen (Codonopsis pilosula), Chinese privet (Ligustrum lucidum), American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), and Himalayan rhodiola (Rhodiola sacra). After three months of taking this formula, she had improved kidney function and size.22
Astragalus has been used to treat nephritis caused by complications from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, an autoimmune disorder), when used in conjunction with pharmaceutical drugs.23
Astragalus is also used to build blood and can be considered for those with anemia, especially anemia related to poor digestion or poor assimilation of nutrients.
One study showed that patients with chronic aplastic anemia (failure to produce enough red blood cells in the bone marrow) who received astragalus alongside the drug Stanozolol had significantly better outcomes than those receiving the pharmaceutical alone. The researchers concluded that astragalus injections could promote new blood cell formation.24
In TCM, astragalus is recommended for postpartum fever due to Qi and Blood Deficiency and it is also used in the recovery stage from severe loss of blood.25
Wounds, Injuries, and Bones
While most Western herbalists think of astragalus simply as an immunomodulator, there is some evidence that it can also be used to heal injuries and even build bones.26
In the Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica by Bensky and Gamble, astragalus is recommended to promote the discharge of pus and to generate flesh when there are chronic ulcerations or sores due to deficiency.27
One recent preliminary study shows that astragalus root extract may decrease hyperpigmentation (darkening) of the skin.28
In one interesting randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel study, a mixture using astragalus was shown to increase height in children who had abnormally short stature.29
Botanically Speaking
Astragalus is a perennial plant in the pea/bean family. There are over 2,000 different species in the Astragalus genus. Some of these plants are toxic and most do not have the same qualities as Astragalus propinquus. (A few other species are used medicinally. There is some evidence that the species Astragalus boeticus has similar immune modulating properties.30)
Plant Preparations
Astragalus is a building and nourishing herb. The best results with astragalus are seen when it is taken long term and in fairly high dosages.
You can purchase the fresh or dried root. It also is an easy plant to grow in the garden; however, you’ll need to grow numerous plants over several years to get a good quantity of root. Astragalus likes sandy soil, full sun, and low nitrogen levels.31 Herbal apothecaries frequently carry astragalus root that has been imported from China. More and more herb farmers in North America are starting to grow and sell it.
You can commonly find astragalus being sold as powder, whole roots, sliced roots, or roots that are cut and sifted. I like to buy the sliced roots for my soups, since they are easy to remove before serving, or the cut-and-sifted roots for use in tea/decoction blends.
Astragalus root is typically used as a decoction or it is cooked into foods like soups or rice, where the root pieces will need to be removed before eating.
While Western herbalists commonly use astragalus as a single (simple) herb, it is usually formulated with other herbs in TCM. It is often combined with Chinese privet and ginseng. One classic formula that includes astragalus and ginseng is Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction).
In TCM teachings, it is often recommended to take astragalus to prevent colds and the flu, but to avoid it during acute illness. The phrase that we sometimes hear repeated is, “Don’t feed the thief when he is in your house,” meaning it is best not to tonify a sick person for fear of increasing the strength of the illness. While I would say that this principle is generally true, the use of astragalus in TCM is more nuanced than this simple idiom would suggest. For example, if someone is sick and feeling weak or depleted, astragalus could be used to strengthen and boost them towards wellness.
While astragalus is traditionally used as a decoction or cooked with foods, Western herbalists also commonly use a tincture of astragalus root. Throughout my clinical practice, I recommend using the high dosages found in TCM (10-30 grams/day). It is difficult to get this dose using a tincture or capsules. Many of the promising clinical studies involving astragalus are using concentrated extracts or injections.
Powdered astragalus can be added to smoothies and baked goods.
Dosage Suggestions
- Whole herb (as decoction or powder): 10-30 grams per day
- Tincture (dried): 1:5, 3-5 mL per day32
Special Considerations
- The Botanical Safety Handbook reports that “The T-cell-stimulating activity of astragalus could, theoretically, contradict the effects of immune suppressant drugs such as cyclosporine and corticosteroids.”33
- In TCM, astragalus is avoided when there are signs of Heat or Yin Deficiency.
- Dried astragalus is commonly sold as large, flat, tongue-depressor-looking roots. The more yellow roots are more highly prized. These roots unfortunately are often manipulated with yellow dyes.
Footnotes
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