Astragalus propinquus. Astragalus membranaceus, A. hoantchy  黃 耆 Huáng qí   Astragalus, Locoweed Family: Leguminosae   
PART USED: Root
Nature: Slightly warm  FLAVOR: Sweet, pleasant  CHANNEL: Heart, Lung, Gall Bladder, Large intestine, Small intestine
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Tonify Qi
1. Maintains Zheng Qi- Central Energy. Strengthen Energy.[2]
2. Solidify superficial region. Maintain bodies resistance.[2]
3. Promote urination, drain off pus, produce muscles.[2] Transfers toxins and aids tissue regeneration.[1]
INDICATIONS- All illnesses due to inadequate prime Energy.[1]
1. Deficient conditions- Low body resistance.[1] Shortness of breath, palpitation, deficiency prolapse, excessive perspiration, edema due to deficiency, chronic nephritis, chronic diarrhea, prolapse of anis, prolapse of uterus, carbuncle.[2] Spontaneous perspiration.[1] Hydrosis.[1] Spleen deficient diarrhea.[1]
2. Anemia.[1]
3. Non ripening of boils and non healing of ulcers.[1]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Decoction. Dry root 9-30 g.[1,2]
Extract 1:1 in 25% alcohol.[3] 60%.[4]
    
References
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Constituents.
Research.

Clinical study on effect of Astragalus in efficacy enhancing and toxicity reducing of chemotherapy in patients of malignant tumor-Article in Chinese
Duan P, Wang ZM.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Astragalus membranaceus efficacy enhancing and toxicity reducing on chemotherapy in patients of malignant tumor.
METHODS: One hundred and twenty tumor patients were randomly divided into the treated group and the control group. Both groups were treated with chemotherapy, but to the treated group, Astragalus injection was given additionally by intravenous dripping, 20 ml in 250 ml of normal saline once per day for 21 days as one course and 4 courses were given successively.
RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the treated group showed a lower progressive incidence, lesser decrease of peripheral WBC and platelet count (P < 0.05), accompanied with CD8 significantly lowered (P < 0.05), CD4/CD8 ratio significantly increased (P < 0.01), IgG and IgM levels raised (P < 0.05) and Karnofsky scores elevated more than those in the control group. IgA level was unchanged in both groups.
CONCLUSION: Astragalus injection supplemented with chemotherapy could inhibit the development of tumor, decrease the toxic-adverse effect of chemotherapy, elevate the immune function of organism and improve the quality of life in patients.
Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2002 Jul;22(7):515-7. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Astragalus membranaceus improves exercise performance and ameliorates exercise-induced fatigue in trained mice.
Yeh TS, Chuang HL, Huang WC, Chen YM, Huang CC, Hsu MC.
Abstract
Astragalus membranaceus (AM) is a popular "Qi-tonifying" herb with a long history of use as a Traditional Chinese Medicine with multiple biological functions. However, evidence for the effects of AM on exercise performance and physical fatigue is limited. We evaluated the potential beneficial effects of AM on ergogenic and anti-fatigue functions following physiological challenge. Male ICR strain mice were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 10 per group) for treatment: (1) sedentary control and vehicle treatment (vehicle control); (2) exercise training with vehicle treatment (exercise control); and (3) exercise training with AM treatment at 0.615 g/kg/day (Ex-AM1) or (4) 3.075 g/kg/day (Ex-AM5). Both the vehicle and AM were orally administered for 6 weeks. Exercise performance and anti-fatigue function were evaluated by forelimb grip strength, exhaustive swimming time, and levels of serum lactate, ammonia, glucose, and creatine kinase after 15-min swimming exercise. Exercise training combined with AM supplementation increased endurance exercise capacity and increased hepatic and muscle glycogen content. AM reduced exercise-induced accumulation of the byproducts blood lactate and ammonia with acute exercise challenge. Moreover, we found no deleterious effects from AM treatment. Therefore, AM supplementation improved exercise performance and had anti-fatigue effects in mice. It may be an effective ergogenic aid in exercise training.
Molecules. 2014 Mar 3;19(3):2793-807. doi: 10.3390/molecules19032793. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treatment with Astragalus membranaceus produces antioxidative effects and attenuates intestinal mucosa injury induced by intestinal ischemia-reperfusion in rats.
Chen R, Shao H, Lin S, Zhang JJ, Xu KQ.
Abstract
Astragalus membranaceus, also known as huang qi, a traditional Chinese medicine, is often used in formulas for deficiency of vital energy characterized by limb weakness, pale face, and dizziness. Previous studies have shown that Astragalus membranaceus could attenuate intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury induced by hemorrhagic shock in rats; however, the underlying mechanism still remains unclear. Using a hemorrhagic shock rat model to examine the effect of Astragalus membranaceus on intestinal mucosa injury induced by ischemia-reperfusion, we found that treatment (20 g crude drugs/kg, i.v.) produced antioxidative effects in the intestinal mucosa of rats after ischemia-reperfusion (p < 0.05). We also found that Astragalus membranaceus could partly attenuate intestinal mucosa ischemia-reperfusion injury (chiu's score, apoptosis index p < 0.05). These results suggest that Astragalus membranaceus reduces intestinal mucosa injury induced by ischemia-reperfusion in rats, at least in part, through its anti-oxidative effects.  Am J Chin Med. 2011;39(5):879-87. doi: 10.1142/S0192415X11009275. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Meta-analysis of the clinical value of Astragalus membranaceus in diabetic nephropathy
Review published: 2011.
Bibliographic details: Li M, Wang W, Xue J, Gu Y, Lin S. Meta-analysis of the clinical value of Astragalus membranaceus in diabetic nephropathy. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2011; 133(2): 412-419. Abstract
AIM OF STUDY: Nowadays diabetic nephropathy (DN) has become a serious problem. Astragalus membranaceus is a traditional herb used for thousands of years in China and East Asia for kidney disease. In modern medicine, Astragalus shows significant renal protective effect in DN. We aimed to systematically review the randomized and semi-randomized control trials to ascertain its role in the treatment of DN.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: PUBMED, MEDLINE, Chinese journal full-test database (CJFD), Chinese biological and medical database were searched by computer and manual searching. Two assessors independently reviewed each trial. 25 studies comprising 21 RCTs and 4 CCTs were involved including 1804 patients (945 in treatment group and 859 in control group).
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Astragalus injection had more therapeutic effect in DN patients including renal protective effect (BUN, SCr, CCr and urine protein) and systemic state improvement (serum albumin level) compared with the control group.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: This study investigates the effect of Astragalus in DN patients. It suggests that although of unknown bioactive ingredients and mechanism of renal protection, the role of Astragalus in the treatment of DN can be disclosed and of profound significance.
Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE): Quality-assessed Reviews [Internet]. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov