Astragalus membranaceus syn Astragalus mongholicus var. dahuricus is the botanical name of the medicinal herb huang qi used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is also known as milk vetch in English. The plant is a perennial herb or subshrub that grows to a height of 200 cm.
While the plant is one of the 50 fundamental Chinese medicinal herbs, 133 species of the genus are found in Europe alone. Astragalus membranaceus is said to have the highest concentration of active molecules.
Astragalus membranaceus is cultivated for medicine in China. The fruit pod of the plant varies in shape, can be shiny to hairy, and contains one to many seeds. Astragalus was well-known to ancient Greek philosophers and scientists such as Theophrastus and Dioscorides. The plant is one of the sources of gum tragacanth, referred to in the Bible.
Medicinal properties of Huang qi
The herb is used in traditional Chinese medicine and in several European and Asian countries. In China, it is a tonic herb that stimulates the immune system and helps reduce blood pressure and elevated blood sugar levels. Some use it as a substitute for ginseng, which comes from multiple species, particularly Panax ginseng.
The root of this plant is sold as a dietary supplement in the United States. The roots contain the highest levels of active ingredients when the plant is 4 to 5 years old. In China, these are dried and sold in various forms, including sliced, whole root, capsule, tea, and tincture products.
Chinese herbalists have utilized plants’ ability to help modulate and build the immune system as an adjuvant medicine for cancer patients. The effectiveness of this use has been validated in multiple experiments conducted by Chinese scientists (Chu et al., 1988).
The plant is regarded in TCM as an immune stimulant, tonic, antioxidant, liver-protective, diuretic, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and expectorant. Chinese scientists recommend further studies on the plant. They believe the plant can provide new drugs and therapies for various diseases. (Fu J et al., 2014)
Its ability to restore the immune system in experimental mice, sheep, and human cells affected by cancer has been documented (Cho & Leung, 2007; Yang et al., 2013). Yang et al.. claim the herb is safe and effective in antitumor therapy.
Today, cancer specialists administer a two-drug regimen of vinorelbine and cisplatin to patients with advanced small-cell lung cancer. An Astragalus injection is claimed to improve the quality of life and survival in such patients (Guo et al., 2012). The herb was also observed to induce cancer cell death in chronic myeloid leukemia cell lines (Huang et al., 2012).
Huang qi supplement
Astragalus root powder is now available on Amazon as a natural immune system booster supplement. Integrative Medicine specialist Dr. Weill recommends iced tea from Astragulus root. You can purchase Astragalus tea in tea bags or prepare your own by simmering the root powder for 10 minutes, straining the decoction, and consuming it.
Planting and gardening of huang-qi
Astragalus can be propagated both from seed and vegetatively. The herb is distributed in Asia, Europe, and North America.
For those who want to grow the plant for its flowers, it is a perennial that flowers in the summer. The plant will grow into a bush when not harvested for the root.
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