Astragalus propinquus
Encyclopedia
Astragalus propinquus also known as huáng qí (yellow leader) or běi qí , huáng hua huáng qí , is a flowering plant
in the family Fabaceae
. It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine
. It is a perennial plant
and it is not listed as being threatened.
, where it is used to speed healing and treat diabetes. In western herbal medicine, Astragalus is primarily considered a tonic for enhancing metabolism and digestion and is consumed as a tea or soup made from the (usually dried) roots of the plant, often in combination with other medicinal herbs. It is also traditionally used to strengthen the immune system
and in the healing of wounds and injuries. Extracts of A. propinquus are used in Australia as part of a commercially available pharmaceutical MC-S to stimulate production of peripheral blood lymphocytes
.
A. propinquus has been asserted to be a tonic that can improve the functioning of the lung
s, adrenal gland
s and the gastrointestinal tract
, increase metabolism
, sweating
, promote healing and reduce fatigue. A mix of Astragali Radix and Salviae Radix, has been used to treat patients with chronic fatigue.
There is a report in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology
that Astragalus membranaceus can show "immunomodulating and immunorestorative effects.", The herbal extract supplementation in drinking water can induce an immune stimulation response in immunosuppressed chickens. It has been shown to increase the production of interferon
and to activate immune cells such as macrophages.
There is a report in the journal Rejuvenation Research
claims that an extract of Astragalus propinquus called TA-65
can activate telomerase
, extending the lengths of the shortest telomeres which protect the terminal DNA at the ends of all chromosomes. Telomere loss is associated with errors in cell division and is thought to be the primary cause of aging. In October of 2010 Intertek/AAC Labs, an ISO 17025 internationally recognized lab, found the largest component of TA-65 to be Cycloastragenol.
The active constituents of the roots (Radix Astragali) include polysaccharides, triterpenoids (astragalosides) as well as isoflavones (including calycosin
and formononetin
) along with their glycosides and malonates.
, which is used in pharmaceuticals and textile
s, is obtained from Astragalus tragacanthus.
alkaloids, aliphatic nitro compounds and accumulated selenium
. None of these constituents have been detected in the medicinal species Astragalus membranaceus used in dietary supplements and TCM
preparations.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
in the family Fabaceae
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
. It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
. It is a perennial plant
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
and it is not listed as being threatened.
Herbalism
A. propinquus is used in traditional Chinese medicineTraditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
, where it is used to speed healing and treat diabetes. In western herbal medicine, Astragalus is primarily considered a tonic for enhancing metabolism and digestion and is consumed as a tea or soup made from the (usually dried) roots of the plant, often in combination with other medicinal herbs. It is also traditionally used to strengthen the immune system
Immune system
An immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...
and in the healing of wounds and injuries. Extracts of A. propinquus are used in Australia as part of a commercially available pharmaceutical MC-S to stimulate production of peripheral blood lymphocytes
Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes
Peripheral blood lymphocytes are mature lymphocytes that circulate in the blood, rather than localising to organs . They comprise T cells, NK cells and B cells....
.
A. propinquus has been asserted to be a tonic that can improve the functioning of the lung
Lung
The lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
s, adrenal gland
Adrenal gland
In mammals, the adrenal glands are endocrine glands that sit atop the kidneys; in humans, the right suprarenal gland is triangular shaped, while the left suprarenal gland is semilunar shaped...
s and the gastrointestinal tract
Gastrointestinal tract
The human gastrointestinal tract refers to the stomach and intestine, and sometimes to all the structures from the mouth to the anus. ....
, increase metabolism
Metabolism
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...
, sweating
Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis is the condition characterized by abnormally increased perspiration, in excess of that required for regulation of body temperature.-Classification:Hyperhidrosis can either be generalized or localized to specific parts of the body...
, promote healing and reduce fatigue. A mix of Astragali Radix and Salviae Radix, has been used to treat patients with chronic fatigue.
There is a report in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
The Journal of Ethnopharmacology is an academic journal dealing with the traditional medicinal use of plants and other substances....
that Astragalus membranaceus can show "immunomodulating and immunorestorative effects.", The herbal extract supplementation in drinking water can induce an immune stimulation response in immunosuppressed chickens. It has been shown to increase the production of interferon
Interferon
Interferons are proteins made and released by host cells in response to the presence of pathogens—such as viruses, bacteria, or parasites—or tumor cells. They allow communication between cells to trigger the protective defenses of the immune system that eradicate pathogens or tumors.IFNs belong to...
and to activate immune cells such as macrophages.
There is a report in the journal Rejuvenation Research
Rejuvenation Research
Rejuvenation Research is a multidisciplinary peer-reviewed bimonthly scientific journal published by Mary Ann Liebert that investigates rejuvenation therapies.The editor-in-chief is Aubrey de Grey...
claims that an extract of Astragalus propinquus called TA-65
TA-65
TA-65 is an isolate of a proprietary extract of the dried root of Astragalus membranaceus, which is found to be connected with an "age-reversal" effect in the immune system, in that it leads to declines in the percentage of senescent cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells after six to twelve...
can activate telomerase
Telomerase
Telomerase is an enzyme that adds DNA sequence repeats to the 3' end of DNA strands in the telomere regions, which are found at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. This region of repeated nucleotide called telomeres contains non-coding DNA material and prevents constant loss of important DNA from...
, extending the lengths of the shortest telomeres which protect the terminal DNA at the ends of all chromosomes. Telomere loss is associated with errors in cell division and is thought to be the primary cause of aging. In October of 2010 Intertek/AAC Labs, an ISO 17025 internationally recognized lab, found the largest component of TA-65 to be Cycloastragenol.
The active constituents of the roots (Radix Astragali) include polysaccharides, triterpenoids (astragalosides) as well as isoflavones (including calycosin
Calycosin
Calycosin is a O-methylated isoflavone. It can be isolated from Astragalus membranaceus Bge. var. mongholicus and Trifolium pratense .-Biosynthesis:...
and formononetin
Formononetin
Formononetin is an O-methylated isoflavone. It is found in a number of plants and herbs like the red clover. Along with other phytoestrogens, it predominantly occurs in leguminous plants and Fabaceae, particularly in beans, such as green beans, lima beans, soy and many others, as the free aglycone...
) along with their glycosides and malonates.
Chemistry
The active medicinal ingredient extracted from the root is 7-hydroxy-4'methoxyisoflavone (IUPAC: 7-hydroxy-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)chromen-4-one).Related species
The natural gum tragacanthTragacanth
Tragacanth is a natural gum obtained from the dried sap of several species of Middle Eastern legumes of the genus Astragalus, including A. adscendens, A. gummifer, A. brachycalyx, and A. tragacanthus. Some of these species are known collectively under the common names "goat's thorn" and "locoweed"...
, which is used in pharmaceuticals and textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
s, is obtained from Astragalus tragacanthus.
Toxicology
Other Astragalus spp. are known to cause severe poisonings in livestock due to indolizineIndolizine
Indolizine is a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound that is an isomer of indole. It forms the structural core of a variety of alkaloids such as swainsonine.-External links:*...
alkaloids, aliphatic nitro compounds and accumulated selenium
Selenium
Selenium is a chemical element with atomic number 34, chemical symbol Se, and an atomic mass of 78.96. It is a nonmetal, whose properties are intermediate between those of adjacent chalcogen elements sulfur and tellurium...
. None of these constituents have been detected in the medicinal species Astragalus membranaceus used in dietary supplements and TCM
TCM
-Arts and sciences:* Trinity College of Music, a leading music conservatory, based in Greenwich, London, United Kingdom* Theory of Condensed Matter group, a theoretical physics research group in the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge...
preparations.
See also
- Chinese herbology
- Tremella fuciformis