Anti-cancer Foods, Articles, Cancer Related

Anticancer Foods: Astragalus Uses & Benefits

July 6, 2022

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Are you excited to learn about Astragalus? It is one of the world’s favorite medicinal herbs? If you answered “yes,” you are in the right place. For thousands of years, Astragalus has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is usually combined with other herbs to protect the body against disease. Since Astragalus is sweet and nourishing, people also use it in soup recipes. It helps in healing and overall system strengthening. Here are some astragalus uses that you should know about.

What Is Astragalus?

Astragalus, also termed huáng qí or milkvetch, is an herb best known for its traditional Chinese medicine applications. The Astragalus genus contains over 3,000 herb and shrubby species. It belongs to the legumes family Fabaceae and the subfamily Faboideae.

You can find this genus throughout the Northern Hemisphere’s temperate regions. The root is earthy, sweet, and warming. These flavors suggest the presence of polysaccharides, which seem to be responsible for a large number of Astragalus’ medicinal properties.

Some Astragalus Uses

For centuries, Astragalus has been used with other herbs in traditional Chinese medicine. Today it is used in a variety of forms including capsules, liquid extracts, powders, and teas. It is also given intravenously or as an injection in a hospital setting.

Astragalus root extracts contain phytochemicals, including saponins and isoflavone flavonoids, which have been used to enhance lactate in nursing moms.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Astragalus?

Herbalist recognize this as a dietary supplement to help with various conditions such as upper respiratory infections, asthma, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), chronic kidney disease, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Additionally, some experts recommend this for boosting and regulating the immune system. The topical application of Astragalus improves blood flow and speeds wound healing.

According to some research, Astragalus may help people with kidney disease improve their kidney function. It may also help people with impaired kidney function avoid infections.

According to one study, Astragalus may boost the production of white blood cells in the body, which are the immune system’s cells responsible for disease prevention. Studies reveal that when given it to infected mice, Astragalus root helps kill the bacteria and viruses. It may help patients improve their heart function and reduce the symptoms of myocarditis as well.

Chemotherapy has a slew of adverse effects. According to some research, Astragalus may be able to help with some of them. For example, Astragalus may help patients suffering from nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy when given intravenously in a hospital setting.

Studies have also shown Astragalus supplements to assist type 2 diabetic patients to maintain a healthy blood sugar level.

What Makes Astragalus An Anti-cancer Food?

Astragalus may possess anti-tumor properties. According to preliminary research, you can use this plant, particularly against melanoma and leukemia. Moreover, in one study, Astragalus ovinus extract (AOE) had a significant chemopreventive effect in DMBA-induced breast tumors in rats, owing to its antioxidant properties.

In another study, the inhibitory effect of AM (Astragalus membranaceous) extract on cell proliferation and induction of cell apoptosis confirmed AM’s anti-tumor potential. As a result, the findings shed light on the anti-cancer properties of Astragalus as a potentially beneficial agent in the treatment of breast cancer.

According to the findings of another study, APS (Astragalus polysaccharide) may inhibit cell proliferation and slow tumor growth in lung cancer cells.