HUANG QI ASTRAGALUS MEMBRANACEUS

HUANG QI (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch. ex Link) Bunge) ++

Synonym:
- Phaca membranacea Fisch. ex Link.
Regrettably, PH2 hints that tragacanth and an American species, Astragalus australis, might be
involved in their huang qi concept.

 Activities (Huang Qi) :
- Adaptogen (1; KEB; WAM); Aldose-Reductase Inhibitor (1; MAB); Antiaggregant (1; BO2); Antianginal (2; MAB); Antibacterial (1; DAA; LAF; MAB; WAM); Antidiaphoretic (f; KEB); Antiedemic (1; LAF); Antifatigue (f; MAB); Antihypoglycemic (1; LAF); Antiinflammatory (1; LAF; WAM); Antimetastatic (1; BO2); Antimutagenic (1; KEB); Antinephrotic (1; LAF); Antioxidant (1; AKT; MAB; PH2); Antipyretic (f; MAB); Antiretroviral (1; MAB); Antiseptic (1; MAB; PED); Antispasmodic (f; PED); Antitumor (1; KEB); Antiviral (1; KEB; PH2; WAM); Bitter (f; PED); cAMP-Genic (1; MAB); Cardiotonic (2; AKT; KEB); Carminative (f; PED); Cerebroprotective (1; AKT); CNS-Stimulant (1; AKT); Diuretic (2; FAY; KEB; PH2); Enterotonic (1; AKT); Fungicide (1; LAF); Glutathionigenic (1; AKT); Glycogen-Sparing (1; AKT); Hepatoprotective (1; AKT; KEB; LAF; PH2); Hypoglycemic (1; DAA; LAF); Hypotensive (1; DAA; KEB; FAY; MAB); Immunostimulant (2; FAY; PH2; SKY; WAM); Interferonigenic (1; AKT; FAY; MAB); Interluekingenic (1; BO2); Leukocytogenic (2; KEB); Memorigenic (1; KEB; LAF; PH2); Natriuretic (1; MAB); Pectoral (f; DAA); Peristaltic (1; PH2); Phagocytotic (1; AKT; KEB); Positive Inotropic (1; KEB); Pulmonotonic (f; AKT); Saluretic (1; KEB); SOD-Genic (1; AKT); Tonic (f; FAY); Vasodilator (1; FAY; MAB).

Indications (Huang Qi) :
- Amenorrhea (f; PH2); Anasarca (f; DAA); Angina (2; AKT; KEB; PH2); Anorexia (f; FAY); Autoimmune Disease (1; MAB); Arthrosis (f; DAA); Bacteria (1; DAA; LAF; MAB; WAM); Bronchosis (1; DAA); Cancer (1; FAY; KEB; SKY); Cancer, lung (f; PH2); Cardiopathy (1; AKT; KEB; PH2); Cervicosis (1; MAB); CFS (1; KEB); Chemotherapy (1; FAY; MAB); Cold (2; KEB; LAF; WAM); Cramp (f; PED); Debility (1; DAA; FAY); Diabetes (1; DAA; LAF; PED); Diarrhea (f; MAB); Dyspnea (1; AKT; PH2); Dysuria (f; DAA); Edema (f; DAA; PED); Encephalosis (1; MAB); Fatigue (1; FAY; MAB); Fever (f; KEB; MAB); Fibrosis (f; PH2); Flu (1; FAY; KEB; WAM); Fungus (1; LAF); Gas (f; PED); Hepatosis (1; AKT); Herpes (1; MAB; SHB); High Blood Pressure (1; DAA; KEB; FAY; MAB); HIV (1; KEB; LAF); Immune Dysfunction (1; LAF; SKY); Immunodepression (2; FAY; PH2; SKY; WAM); Infection (1; PED; LAF; MAB); Infertility (1; KEB); Inflammation (1; LAF; MAB; WAM); Ischemia (1; AKT); Leukopenia (1; MAB); Metastasis (1; BO2); Mycosis (1; LAF); Myocardosis (1; AKT; MAB; PH2); Nephrosis (2; AKT; FAY; KEB; LAF; PH2); Night Sweats (f; DAA); Pain (1; AKT); Palpitation (f; MAB); Paralysis (f; MAB); Proctocele (f; DAA); Prolapse (f; DAA; KEB); Proteinuria (1; AKT); Puerperium (f; MAB); Pulmonosis (f; DAA; PH2); Respirosis (f; DAA); Sore Throat (1; SKY); Splenosis (f; DAA); Swelling (1; LAF); Tumor (1; KEB); Ulcer (1; KEB; PED); Urethrosis (f; PED); Uterorrhagia (f; MAB); Uterosis (f; DAA); Viral Hepatosis (1; KEB); Virus (1; AKT; KEB; MAB; PH2; WAM); Water Retention (2; FAY; KEB; PH2).

Dosages (Huang Qi) :
- 2 - 4 tbsp fresh root/day (PED); 1 - 3 g root/day for long-term use (AKT); 10 - 30 g root/day (MAB); 9 - 15 g sliced root (FAY); 3 - 6 g dry root/day (PED); 4.5 g dry root:22 ml alcohol/23ml water (PED); 2 - 6 g dry root/day or 4 - 12 ml fluid extract (1:2) (KEB); 9 - 30 g/day to 69 g in cancer (BO2); 3 - 5 ml tincture 3 ×/day (SKY); 6 (500 mg) capsules/day; 2 (400 mg) capsules 3 ×/day; 2 - 3 tablets or 500 mg capsules/day (SKY).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Huang Qi) :
- Class 1 (AHP). No side effects reported but pregnant women should check with their practitioners before using. Do not use with fever or during pregnancy (WAM). High (more than 30 g day) doses may induce high blood pressure, increased heart rate, insomnia, overstimulation, and/or palpitations (BO2).
No botanist knows all the species of Astragalus, and some very toxic ones look pretty much like the innocuous ones. Some may contain dangerous levels of selenium.

Extracts (Huang Qi) :
- Bitter extracts are antiseptic, antispasmodic, diuretic, immunostimulant, phagocytotic (PED). Antiviral activity perhaps synergistically due to enhanced immunity and possible enhanced interferon production. Oral doses or nasal sprays protect mice from parainfluenza type 1. Prophylactic against common cold. Also effective against Coxsackie B myocardial infec-tions. In vitro augments interferon response and acts synergistically with administered interferon (KEB) (perhaps making it useful in viral hepatosis). At 200 mg/kg root extract (that would be 20 g in me) increases human urine output by 64% and sodium excretion by 14.5%; this could be useful in cardiac patients, and it is demonstrated effective in angina pectoris (KEB). At levels of 1.25 mg/ml aqueous extracts increases 16% the incidence of aberrant cells in vitro (MAB). LD50 astragalus = 39,800 ipr mouse (MAB), LDlo = >100,000 mg/kg orl rat (BO2).