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Activities (Huang Qi) — Adaptogen (1; KEB; WAM); Aldose-Reductase Inhibitor (1; MAB);
Antiaggregant (1; BO2); Antianginal (2; MAB); Antibacterial (1; DAA; LAF; MAB; WAM);
Antidiaphoretic (f; KEB); Antiedemic (1; LAF); Antifatigue (f; MAB); Antihypoglycemic (1; LAF);
Antiinflammatory (1; LAF; WAM); Antimetastatic (1; BO2); Antimutagenic (1; KEB); Antineph-
rotic (1; LAF); Antioxidant (1; AKT; MAB; PH2); Antipyretic (f; MAB); Antiretroviral (1; MAB);
Antiseptic (1; MAB; PED); Antispasmodic (f; PED); Antitumor (1; KEB); Antiviral (1; KEB; PH2;
WAM); Bitter (f; PED); cAMP-Genic (1; MAB); Cardiotonic (2; AKT; KEB); Carminative (f;
PED); Cerebroprotective (1; AKT); CNS-Stimulant (1; AKT); Diuretic (2; FAY; KEB; PH2);
Enterotonic (1; AKT); Fungicide (1; LAF); Glutathionigenic (1; AKT); Glycogen-Sparing (1; AKT);
Hepatoprotective (1; AKT; KEB; LAF; PH2); Hypoglycemic (1; DAA; LAF); Hypotensive (1;
DAA; KEB; FAY; MAB); Immunostimulant (2; FAY; PH2; SKY; WAM); Interferonigenic (1; AKT;
FAY; MAB); Interluekingenic (1; BO2); Leukocytogenic (2; KEB); Memorigenic (1; KEB; LAF;
PH2); Natriuretic (1; MAB); Pectoral (f; DAA); Peristaltic (1; PH2); Phagocytotic (1; AKT; KEB);
Positive Inotropic (1; KEB); Pulmonotonic (f; AKT); Saluretic (1; KEB); SOD-Genic (1; AKT);
Tonic (f; FAY); Vasodilator (1; FAY; MAB).
Indications (Huang Qi) — Amenorrhea (f; PH2); Anasarca (f; DAA); Angina (2; AKT; KEB;
PH2); Anorexia (f; FAY); Autoimmune Disease (1; MAB); Arthrosis (f; DAA); Bacteria (1;
DAA; LAF; MAB; WAM); Bronchosis (1; DAA); Cancer (1; FAY; KEB; SKY); Cancer, lung
(f; PH2); Cardiopathy (1; AKT; KEB; PH2); Cervicosis (1; MAB); CFS (1; KEB); Chemotherapy
(1; FAY; MAB); Cold (2; KEB; LAF; WAM); Cramp (f; PED); Debility (1; DAA; FAY); Diabetes
(1; DAA; LAF; PED); Diarrhea (f; MAB); Dyspnea (1; AKT; PH2); Dysuria (f; DAA); Edema
(f; DAA; PED); Encephalosis (1; MAB); Fatigue (1; FAY; MAB); Fever (f; KEB; MAB);
Fibrosis (f; PH2); Flu (1; FAY; KEB; WAM); Fungus (1; LAF); Gas (f; PED); Hepatosis (1;
AKT); Herpes (1; MAB; SHB); High Blood Pressure (1; DAA; KEB; FAY; MAB); HIV (1;
KEB; LAF); Immune Dysfunction (1; LAF; SKY); Immunodepression (2; FAY; PH2; SKY;
WAM); Infection (1; PED; LAF; MAB); Infertility (1; KEB); Inflammation (1; LAF; MAB;
WAM); Ischemia (1; AKT); Leukopenia (1; MAB); Metastasis (1; BO2); Mycosis (1; LAF);
Myocardosis (1; AKT; MAB; PH2); Nephrosis (2; AKT; FAY; KEB; LAF; PH2); Night Sweats
(f; DAA); Pain (1; AKT); Palpitation (f; MAB); Paralysis (f; MAB); Proctocele (f; DAA);
Prolapse (f; DAA; KEB); Proteinuria (1; AKT); Puerperium (f; MAB); Pulmonosis (f; DAA;
PH2); Respirosis (f; DAA); Sore Throat (1; SKY); Splenosis (f; DAA); Swelling (1; LAF);
Tumor (1; KEB); Ulcer (1; KEB; PED); Urethrosis (f; PED); Uterorrhagia (f; MAB); Uterosis
(f; DAA); Viral Hepatosis (1; KEB); Virus (1; AKT; KEB; MAB; PH2; WAM); Water Retention
(2; FAY; KEB; PH2).
Dosages (Huang Qi) — 2–4 tbsp fresh root/day (PED); 1–3 g root/day for long-term use (AKT);
10–30 g root/day (MAB); 9–15 g sliced root (FAY); 3–6 g dry root/day (PED); 4.5 g dry root:22
ml alcohol/23ml water (PED); 2–6 g dry root/day or 4–12 ml fluid extract (1:2) (KEB); 9–30 g/day
to 69 g in cancer (BO2); 3–5 ml tincture 3 ×/day (SKY); 6 (500 mg) capsules/day; 2 (400 mg)
capsules 3 ×/day; 2–3 tablets or 500 mg capsules/day (SKY).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Huang Qi) — Class 1 (AHP). No side
effects reported but “pregnant women should check with their practitioners before using.” Do
not use with fever or during pregnancy (WAM). High (more than 30 g day) doses may induce
high blood pressure, increased heart rate, insomnia, overstimulation, and/or palpitations (BO2).
No botanist knows all the species of Astragalus, and some very toxic ones look pretty much like
the innocuous ones. Some may contain dangerous levels of selenium.
Extracts (Huang Qi) — Bitter extracts are antiseptic, antispasmodic, diuretic, immunostimulant,
phagocytotic (PED). Antiviral activity perhaps synergistically due to enhanced immunity and
possible enhanced interferon production. Oral doses or nasal sprays protect mice from parainfluenza
type 1. Prophylactic against common cold. Also effective against Coxsackie B myocardial infec-