Dried root.
The main use of the astragalus is in the form of a classic energy tonic. Some even consider it superior to the ginseng for use with younger patients. The herbal medical system in China link the herbal remedy to an ability for warming and toning the wei qi - which is the concept of a protective energy, circulating in the human body immediately beneath the skin. This energy is supposed to help the human body to adapt rapidly to external influences and changes in temperature, particularly to cold weather and climates. The resistance of the immune system is also raised by the astragalus and the herbal remedy is also acknowledged for its ability to improve the physical endurance of all users. While its property as a vasodilator - a substance which encourages blood to flow to the skin surface - is acknowledged, the herbal remedies made from the astragalus is also used to rectify cases of excessive sweating, including disorders like sudden night sweats in many individuals. Persistent thirst is also reduced by remedies made from the astragalus and the herbal remedy is also very helpful in bringing relief from fluid retention disorders affecting different individuals. The correcting functioning of the human system is also encouraged by the holistic nature of herbal remedies based on the astragalus herb. The herbal remedy is not meant for the treatment of acute illnesses, though the astragalus is believed to be very useful as a herbal medicine in treating viral infections, including those that cause the common cold and flu.
The grassy hills and the thickets along hillsides in areas such as the northwestern region of China, the province of Manchuria and the country of Mongolia are places where astragalus grows in the wild. If cultivated, the astragalus herb is grown by sowing the seeds during the spring or in the autumn. This herb thrives well in sandy and well-drained soil, which is exposed to plenty of sunlight throughout the year. Autumn is the usual time when the roots of four year old plants are harvested.
The various researches conducted on the astragalus in China have suggested that the astragalus herb also possesses a diuretic action and an ability to lower the blood pressure, aside from its acknowledged ability in increasing physical fitness and endurance in the human body. The ability of the astragalus to restore immune system to normal levels was the subject of recently conducted research in America, the study focused on the ability of the herb to promote immune system function in patients suffering from cancer. When patients are given astragalus along with the other chemotherapeutic drugs or with the radioactive treatment-they seemed to recover faster, these results were suggested by the clinical evidence during the study. Similar results were also obtained when a number of other herbs were utilized in the treatment of cancer patients-herbal supplements such as the astragalus when combined with the drugs enabled patients to recover rapidly and such patients were also likely to live longer lives.
Astragalus contains asparagine, calcyosin, formononetin, astragalosides, kumatakenin, sterols.
The doses recommended in the textbooks of Chinese herbs are about 9-15 grams of the crude herb in decoction form every day of the treatment period. Boiling the astragalus root in some water for a few minutes, followed by brewing the tea is the way to prepare this decoction form of the herb. The usual supplements of the astragalus contain about 500 mg of the herb. The suggested doses of such supplemental forms are about two to three tablets or capsules or if preferred 3-5 ml of the herbal tincture taken thrice every day. The prevention of disease by the invigoration of the immune system functioning is the best effect of the herbal root. The herbal remedy of the astragalus is not very effective in the therapeutic role once sickness already affects the patient. To prevent the occurrence of illness, the astragalus capsules, 3 capsules per day or the herbal tea, a cup every day, can be taken on a regular basis for as long as necessary.
The stimulation of the human immune system remains one of the most important properties of the astragalus as a herbal remedy. Its ability to restore energy in the body has been confirmed by the American and Chinese researchers, this ability to restore energy is especially beneficial in the treatment of conditions that induce long term debilitation as a distinct feature on the body. The herbal remedies made from the astragalus are also extensively used in improving the resistance of the body to various colds and flues. The energizing effect of the herb is similar to that induced by the much more famous, ginseng herbal. Improved recovery times are noted in many cancer patients, who were given astragalus-furthermore the ability of such individuals to withstand the side effects induced by conventional drug treatments was also much better when they took astragalus as a supplemental measure. The diuretic function of the astragalus is another of its major functions; this simply means that the action of this herbal remedy is very strongly seen along the urinary tract. The diuretic action also lowers blood pressure and as a consequence the herbal remedy, can be said to play a major role with respect to the cardiovascular system as well. The use of this herbal remedy is also every beneficial when dealing with physical conditions such as water retention or edema-which is swelling in the tissues because of accumulating excess body water. Cases of anemia can also be treated using astragalus remedies in conjunction with other beneficial herbal remedies. All cases of excessive bleeding connected to the female reproductive system can be acted upon by the remedial properties of the astragalus herb. This herbal remedy is given to treat excess bleeding affecting women, during the menstrual cycle, and to treat women following childbirth due to lost qi-energy and in the treatment of blood deficiency in all individuals. The astragalus remedies are also additionally, used in a beneficial manner to treat cases of prolepses in the uterus and other in the other internal organs. Wound healing is another area where the remedy finds use, particularly in all those cases, which involves ulceration or infection which leads to the giving off of discharges from the wound. The remedies made from the astragalus can also be used to treat digestive weaknesses and to treat the digestive system holistically in cases of poor appetite. According to the Chinese system of medicine, the treatment of the digestive disorder must be done using the herbal remedy which is sweet and slightly warmed.