Astragalus Root – 1 lb (454 g)

Astragalus Root, known in Chinese as 黄芪 (Huángqí) and scientifically as Radix Astragali, is a valued herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This TCM herb has been traditionally used to support natural wellness, maintain vitality, and encourage holistic balance. At TCMforyou.com, we provide premium-quality Astragalus Root carefully sourced to preserve its therapeutic properties.

As a herbal supplement, Astragalus Root helps promote overall well-being and supports natural energy, immunity, and balance. Integrating this herb into your wellness routine offers a gentle, time-tested approach to enhancing daily health. Whether brewed as tea, added to herbal remedies, or taken as part of a TCM formula, Astragalus Root provides a safe, natural way to experience the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine.

Trusted for centuries, Astragalus Root has been used in TCM to harmonize the body and encourage optimal functioning of key systems. At TCMforyou, we prioritize authenticity and quality. Each batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure purity and potency, delivering an herbal product aligned with traditional practices.

Experience the natural support of Astragalus Root, promoting immune health, vitality, and holistic well-being. Embrace the wisdom of TCM and incorporate this gentle, effective herbal remedy into your daily wellness journey.

[Overview] This herb is also known as Huangqi, Dushen, Mianhuangqi, and Mianqi. It is the root of the leguminous plants Mongolian Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao) or Membranous-pod Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge.). The former is mainly produced in Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Hebei, etc.; the latter mainly in Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, etc. It is harvested in spring and autumn, with the fibrous roots and root heads removed, then sun-dried.

[Properties] Sweet in taste, warm in nature. Enters the Lung and Spleen meridians.

[Actions] Tonifies the Spleen and Lung Qi, stabilizes the exterior to stop sweating, promotes urination to reduce edema, supports toxin discharge and promotes wound healing.

[Applications]
1. Used for Spleen and Stomach Qi deficiency with poor appetite, loose stools, fatigue and lack of strength; or Qi failing to contain blood causing vomiting blood, coughing blood, blood in stools or urine, uterine bleeding; or middle Qi sinking causing prolapse of rectum or uterus. For Spleen and Stomach Qi deficiency with poor appetite, loose stools, cough, asthma, shortness of breath, fatigue, it is often combined with Ginseng, Atractylodes, Poria, fried Hyacinth Bean, Coix seed, etc. For Qi failing to contain blood causing bleeding symptoms, it is often combined with Ginseng, Angelica, Longan fruit, as in Gui Pi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction). For chronic Spleen deficiency with Qi sinking causing prolapse, it is combined with Ginseng, Atractylodes, Cimicifuga, Bupleurum, as in Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction). It is also commonly used with Angelica to tonify Qi and generate blood, treating combined Qi and blood deficiency symptoms such as sallow complexion, shortness of breath, dizziness, palpitations, and insomnia, as in Dang Gui Bu Xue Tang (Angelica Decoction to Tonify the Blood).
2. Used for Lung Qi deficiency with chronic cough and asthma, copious thin white phlegm, shortness of breath and fatigue; often combined with Codonopsis, Poria, Aster, Tangerine peel; or with Ginseng and Schisandra, as in Bu Fei Tang (Tonify the Lung Decoction).
3. Used for spontaneous sweating due to Qi deficiency. If the body is weak with exterior deficiency causing spontaneous sweating, often combined with Fang Feng and Atractylodes, as in Yu Ping Feng San (Jade Windscreen Powder); it can also be combined with Oyster shell and Floating wheat, as in Mu Li San (Oyster Shell Powder). If Qi deficiency with Yang weakness causes persistent sweating, it can be combined with Aconite and fresh ginger, as in Shi Fu Tang (Yarrow and Aconite Decoction).
4. Used for edema of limbs due to Spleen deficiency and water retention, often combined with Fang Ji and Atractylodes, as in Fang Ji Huang Qi Tang (Stephania and Astragalus Decoction). Currently commonly used clinically for edema in chronic nephritis.
5. Used for sores and abscesses due to Qi and blood deficiency. For long-standing abscesses with pus not discharging, it can be combined with Angelica, Chuanxiong, Pangolin scales, Gleditsia thorns, as in Tou Nong San (Drain Pus Powder); for sores and abscesses that have discharged pus but fail to heal, often combined with Angelica, Ginseng, Cinnamon, Rehmannia, Atractylodes, as in Shi Quan Da Bu Tang (All Inclusive Great Tonifying Decoction).
Additionally, this herb can be used for numbness of limbs due to Qi deficiency and blood stasis, hemiplegia, often combined with Angelica, Chuanxiong, Earthworm, as in Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang (Tonify Yang to Restore Five Decoction); for blood bi syndrome with numbness, it can be combined with Cinnamon twig, White peony root, fresh ginger, and jujube, as in Huang Qi Gui Zhi Wu Wu Tang (Astragalus and Cinnamon Twig Five-Ingredient Decoction).

[Dosage and Administration] Internal use: decocted in water, 9–30 g. Raw Astragalus is better at stabilizing the exterior to stop sweating, promoting pus discharge and tissue regeneration, and promoting urination to reduce edema; honey-fried Astragalus is better at tonifying the Spleen and Lung.

[Cautions] Use with caution in cases of exterior excess pathogenic factors, internal accumulation and stagnation, early-stage or unresolved sores with lingering heat toxins, and in Yin deficiency with Yang hyperactivity.

[Modern Research]
1. Chemical constituents mainly include astragalosides, soy saponins, various glucosides, calycosin, formononetin, carotenoids, flavonoids, β-sitosterol, coumarin, polysaccharides, as well as amino acids such as asparagine, canavanine, proline, arginine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and over 20 trace elements including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron.
2. Pharmacological effects: Astragalus significantly enhances non-specific immunity, humoral and cellular immune functions, increases natural killer cell activity, promotes interferon induction, reduces erythrocyte immune adhesion inhibitor activity, and increases enhancer activity. Its immune-enhancing function is comparable to gamma globulin. It has anti-aging effects, can prevent senile arteriosclerosis, improve lung function, and increase superoxide dismutase activity. It has a bidirectional regulatory effect on animal blood sugar but no significant effect on insulin-induced hypoglycemia. Total flavonoids, saponins, and polysaccharides have free radical scavenging effects in the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system. It can increase red blood cells and hemoglobin in anemic subjects, promote recovery of leukocytes and platelets, and improve or restore red blood cell function. It protects myocardial cells and significantly improves cardiac function in viral myocarditis patients. Animal experiments show certain anticancer effects, reducing cancer incidence and prolonging survival. It has diuretic effects, reducing urinary protein and alleviating kidney damage.
3. Clinical reports:
1) Coronary heart disease: Astragalus injection (2 ml per vial containing 4 g crude drug) 24 g added to 250 ml 5% glucose solution, intravenous drip once daily for 14 days. Treated 45 cases, results showed significant improvement in sodium pump activity and reduction of erythrocyte sodium concentration with highly significant difference compared to control. [Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, 1991, 11(11):651]
2) Atrophic gastritis: Astragalus injection (1 g crude drug/ml) intramuscular injection 2 ml twice daily. Treated 50 cases, 11 markedly effective, 35 improved. [Xinjiang Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1992,(4):49]
3) Chronic hepatitis: Shenhuang injection (1 ml contains 2 g Astragalus, 1 g Salvia) intramuscular injection 4 ml once daily. Treated 114 cases (76 chronic persistent hepatitis, 38 chronic active hepatitis), effective rates 89.5% and 69.4% respectively. [Chinese Herbal Medicine, 1980,(12):551]
4) Chronic nephritis: Astragalus injection (1 ml contains 1.5 g crude drug) intramuscular injection 2 ml once daily for 30 days per course. Treated 47 cases of various chronic nephritis, 13 markedly effective, 16 effective, 18 ineffective. [Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, 1987,(7):403]
5) Systemic lupus erythematosus: Astragalus 30–90 g decocted in water, one dose daily for 2–12 months. Treated 17 cases, 6 markedly effective, 11 effective. [Journal of Clinical Medicine, 1983, 2:34]

[Related Preparations]
1. Honey-fried Astragalus (Zhihuangqi): This is the honey-fried processed product of Astragalus root. Its properties and effects are the same as Astragalus but it is more focused on tonifying the Spleen and Lung, especially suitable for Qi deficiency with fatigue and poor appetite with loose stools.
2. Red Astragalus (Hongqi): Also known as Black Qi, Zhenpanzi, Yanhuangqi. It is the root of Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz., a leguminous plant mainly produced in Gansu. Harvested in spring and autumn, fibrous roots and root heads removed, sun-dried. Its properties, effects, applications, and dosage are basically the same as Astragalus and can be used interchangeably.
3. Honey-fried Red Astragalus (Zhihongqi): This is the honey-fried processed product of Red Astragalus, with the same effects as honey-fried Astragalus.