Chinese folks are as likely as Americans to have soup or stew simmering on the stovetop for the evening meal. Unlike beef stew or tomato soup, though, that Chinese broth probably contains a medicinal element—a few sticks or slices of astragalus root to keep away the colds and flu that come with the winter season. Astragalus is a member of the pea family whose name was derived from an ancient Greek word meaning "ankle bone." These bones were once used as dice, and it’s thought that the name originated because the rattling seed pods of the Mediterranean variety of the plant sounded like rolling dice.
Western herbalists classify astragalus as an adaptogenic herb, meaning that it helps the body return to a condition of normal functioning. In China, this popular herb is believed to strengthen chi, the body’s defensive energy that protects against invading pathogens such as bacteria and viruses.
The root is the medicinal part of the plant, a perennial that can grow to about two feet tall. There are 2,000 species of astragalus worldwide—400 of them in North America—but the medicinal variety is found only in central and western Asia. Also known as huang qi, it was used in China for at least 2,000 years before European botanists wrote about its medicinal qualities in the 1700s.
"For the Chinese, astragalus is really a classic healing herb. It’s thought to have a warm tonic action on chi, the protective energy," says Jennifer Brett, N.D., a naturopathic doctor at the Wilton Naturopathic Center in Stratford, Connecticut. "A lot of elderly people make it a part of their diets."
Defense, Defense
In Western terms, strengthening chi translates to bolstering the immune system, and astragalus appears to have a positive effect on resistance to diseases and infections, says Dr. Brett. It’s like food or nourishment for your immune system, essentially giving it more vitality and "muscle" so it can ward off disease on its own. Some studies in China have shown that it can prevent or shorten the duration of colds.
Chinese doctors usually mix this chi tonic with other herbs, depending on a person’s complaint. It’s been used to combat shortness of breath, weakness, night sweats, respiratory diseases, lingering diarrhea, uterine and rectal prolapse, boils and sores, and other maladies, but its main use is to make the body’s defenses a little tougher, says Dr. Brett.
"It’s an herb that helps you cope with the physical and emotional stress that can make you more susceptible to getting sick," she says. "It doesn’t so much stimulate the body as tone it."
Arming the Body
Astragalus has been used for centuries in fu-zheng therapy, an herbal treatment used by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine to promote or bolster the immune system. In trying to strengthen their patients’ natural defense mechanisms, doctors of oriental medicine have even begun to use fu-zheng therapy to help treat cancer patients. They use astragalus to boost immune function during and after radiation or chemotherapy treatments.
When cancer invades your body, your immune system naturally weakens. In the advanced stages of the disease or after rounds of chemotherapy or radiation—which are lifesaving but very toxic treatments—your immune system can be devastated. Shamelessly opportunistic, a routine cold or flu can storm the weakened defenses and turn into a deadly infection.
SUPPLEMENTSNAPSHOT
| Astragalus Botanical name: Astragalus membranaceus; also known as huang qi. May help: Low immunity due to disease, including cancer; fibromyalgia; stress; chronic fatigue syndrome; and poor appetite. Has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat shortness of breath, weakness, colds and flu, night sweats, respiratory diseases, lingering diarrhea, uterine and rectal prolapse, boils, and sores. Origin: Medicinal species grows only in Asia. Cautions and possible side effects: Generally regarded as safe. |
The effectiveness of astragalus and the fu-zheng treatment was put to the test in a study of cancer patients undertaken at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston in the early 1980s. After giving a specially prepared astragalus extract to 19 cancer patients and 15 healthy people, doctors found that the treatment restored immune system functioning in the majority of the patients. In some cases, it made the cancer patients’ immune systems resemble those of the healthy subjects. The researchers concluded that astragalus contains a potent immune stimulant.
"Those kinds of results really fit with the traditional use of astragalus," says Steven Dentali, Ph.D., a natural products chemist with Dentali Associates in Troutdale, Oregon, and a member of the advisory board of the American Botanical Council. "It’s an herb that supports the immune system."
Down to the Marrow
Astragalus appears to influence the bone marrow, where immune cells are manufactured, says Dr. Dentali. Compounds called polysaccharides seem to stimulate white blood cell production and increase the activity of killer T cells, the body’s defenders that hunt down and destroy invaders.
Astragalus also increases the production of interferon, a natural protein that adheres to the surfaces of cells and stimulates production of other proteins that prevent viral infection. In other words, it makes your cells more thick-skinned so viruses have a harder time getting in.
Dr. Brett recommends astragalus—usually in combination with other herbs—to people who feel run-down or stressed, have poor appetites, or can’t shake colds. "It’s an energy tonic that can do a lot to increase your stamina," she says.
Astragalus can also be useful if you’re making a lot of trips to the bathroom at night. Dr. Brett sometimes recommends it for its diuretic effect. It can temporarily increase urination and clean out the urinary tract, she notes, so if you take it well before bedtime, the diuretic effect kicks in before the lights go out. "The astragalus tends to normalize urination so you don’t have to get up so often," she explains.
In health food stores, you’ll probably find bins of sliced and whole root, sometimes labeled as huang-qi. Either form is good for a tea. You can also take a tincture or capsule.
