Chinese physicians prescribed astragalus as an immune booster for cancer patients after chemotherapy or radiation. Of all the herbs that enhance our immune system, astragalus ~ or also known as "milk vetch root" ~ may be perhaps the most effective. Astragalus is one of the largest groups of flowering plants with roughly 1,750 documented species. Some of its forms such as locoweed are highly toxic. But the astragalus found in health food stores is safe to eat.
The species used for medical treatment is commonly found in China and grows abundantly in open woods along the edges of forests.
Astragalus can be ingested in many forms including tea, tinctures, capsules, powders, and its dried root. The roots ae usually harvested after a particular plant is four or five years old. The roots are sliced into pieces that look like tongue depressors. Those pieces are then generally boiled in an herb cooker and the juice bottled and refrigerated. Astragalus is good for you, either hot or cold in that particular form.
This root is the most widely used herb in China, where it has been prescribed as a medical treatment for at least two thousand years. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, astragalus is used as an immune - enhancing tonic for the treatment of fatigue, loss of appetite, cancer, and blood disorders. The root can also be used in combination with other herbs to help restore what the Chinese call Qi (pronounced "chee"), the energy of life (known also as life force.)
Astragalus is an adaptogenic herb which means it helps restore balance and normal functioning to a disrupted body system. Herbalists think that astragalus enhances the immune system and promotes tissue regeneration through substances called polysaccharides which astragalus root has in abundance. Scientific studies of this root in the 1970's confirmed the plant's ability to stimulate the immune system, which helps the body to fight viruses and bacteria. In 1975, researchers began a study that showed how astragalus supplements enhanced bone marrow production of white blood cells, the body's first line of defense against foreign microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses. The researchers also documented that astragalus neutralizes toxins in patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments. After taking the root, their quality of life increased positively. Some researchers also found that this root may increase sperm mobility, which can help with infertility problems as well.
Astragalus is mainly used to treat colds, flu, and chronic fatigue and as an overall strengthening and conditioning elixir. Astragalus has many other adaptogenic capabilities, such as helping to reduce blood pressure, dialate blood vessels, improve blood circulation, and protect the liver from toxicities.
