Astragalus

Astragalus (Common names: astragale, astragale à feuilles de réglisse, beg kei, milk vetch; Latin names: Astragalus membranaceus) has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine in combination with other herbs. Its root is used for health care purposes.

Astragalus membranaceus. Photo: Doronenko/Wikipedia

Commonly combined with other herbs, astragalus has been promoted as a dietary supplement for many conditions, including upper respiratory infections, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome, and chronic kidney disease, among others.

It’s also promoted to strengthen and regulate the immune system.

Topical use (application to the skin) of astragalus is promoted for improving blood flow and speeding wound healing. There are no high-quality studies in people of astragalus for any health condition.

What Have We Learned?

Patients with nephrotic syndrome (health problems related to kidney damage) are susceptible to infections.

A 2013 research review found that taking astragalus may be associated with a lower risk of upper respiratory tract infections in children with nephrotic syndrome than prednisone treatment alone.

An astragalus-based herbal formula didn’t extend the lives of people with advanced lung cancer, a small 2009 trial reported.

Traditional medicine

Astragalus has been used in traditional Chinese medicine over centuries to treat various disorders, but there is no high-quality evidence that it is effective or safe for any medical purpose.

A. mongholicus is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). A. mongholicus is a component in Lectranal, a food supplement used in treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis, though there is limited evidence of its effectiveness.

Phytochemicals and supplements

Extracts of astragalus root include diverse phytochemicals, such as saponins and isoflavone flavonoids, which are purported in traditional practices to increase lactation in nursing mothers.

There is no valid clinical evidence to indicate such use is effective or safe for the mother or infant.

Dietary supplement products containing astragalus extracts may not have been adequately tested for efficacy, safety, purity or consistency. The root extracts of astragalus may be used in soups, teas or sold in capsules.

Chemistry

Chemical constituents of the roots (Radix Astragali) include polysaccharides and triterpenoids (such as astragalosides), as well as isoflavones (including kumatakenin, calycosin, and formononetin) and their glycosides and malonates. It contains the saponin cycloastragenol.

What Do We Know About Safety?

Astragalus may be safe when used orally and appropriately. (Doses up to 60 grams daily for up to 4 months have been used without reported adverse effects.)

Some possible side effects with oral use include rash, itching, nasal symptoms, or stomach discomfort, but these are uncommon.

Astragalus may interact with medications that suppress the immune system.

Some astragalus species, usually not found in dietary supplements, can be toxic to livestock. Several species that grow in the United States contain the neurotoxin swainsonine and have caused “locoweed” poisoning in animals.

Other species contain potentially toxic levels of selenium. Too much selenium can lead to diarrhea, irritability, nausea, skin rashes, and nervous system problems. None of these constituents have been detected in Astragalus mongholicus used in dietary supplements and TCM preparations.

Little is known about whether it’s safe to use astragalus during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Some research in animals suggests that astragalus can be toxic to the mother and fetus. (National Institutes of Health/Wikipedia)

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