Astragalus Root (Huang Qi)
| Pharmaceutical Name: | Radix Astragali |
| Botanical Name: | Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. Astragalus membranaceus Bge. Var. mongolicus (Bge.) Hsiao |
| Common Name: | Astragalus Root Milk Vetch Root |
| Source of Earliest Record: | Shennong Bencao Jing |
| art Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: | The four year old roots are dug in spring or autumn, but autumn ones are of better quality. After the fibrous roots are removed, the roots are dried in the sun, soaked again in water and cut into slices. |
| Properties and Taste: | Sweet and slight warm |
| Meridian: | Spleen and lung |
| Functions: | To replenish Qi and cause yang to ascend To benefit Qi and stabilize the exterior To release toxins and promote healing To promote water metabolism, urination and reduce edema Raise the Yang Qi of the spleen and stomach Strengthens the exterior and stops sweating Tonifies Qi and Blood Stimulate immune system function |
| Indications and Combinations: | 1. Deficient Qi of the spleen and lungs manifested as poor appetite, loose stool, shortness of breath and lassitude. *Use with Ginseng (Ren shen) and White Atractylodes (Bai zhu). 2. Deficient Qi and weakened yang manifested as chills and sweating. *Use with Prepared aconite root (Fu zi). 3. Qi sinking in the middle jiao due to weakness of the spleen and stomach manifested as prolapsed anus, prolapsed uterus and gastroptosis. *Use with Ginseng (Ren shen), White Atractylodes (Bai zhu) and Cimicifuga rhizome (Sheng ma) in the formula Buzhong Yiqi Tang. 4. Failure of deficient Qi of the spleen in controlling blood manifested as blood in the stool and uterine bleeding. *Use with Ginseng (Ren shen) and Chinese angelica root (Dang gui) in the formula Guipi Tang. 5. Deficiency of Qi and blood manifested as palpitations, anxiety, insomnia and forgetfulness. *Use with Longan aril (Long yan rou), Wild jujube seed (Suan zao ren) and Polygala root (Yuan zhi) in the formula Guipi Tang. 6. Spontaneous sweating due to exterior deficiency. *Use with Oyster shell (Mu li), Light wheat (Fu xiao mai) and Ephedra root (Ma huang gen) in the formula Muli San. 7. Night sweating due to yin deficiency and excessive fire. *Use with Fresh rehmannia root (Sheng di huang) and Phellodendron bark (Huang bai) in the formula Danggui Liuhuang Tang. 8. Deficiency of the spleen leading to dysfunction in transportation and transformation of water manifested as edema and scanty urine. *Use with Tetrandra root (Fang ji) and White Atractylodes (Bai zhu) in the formula Fangji Huangqi Tang. 9. Boils and ulcers due to Qi and blood deficiency manifested as sores that have formed pus but have not drained or healed well. *Use with Cinnamon bark (Rou gui), Chinese angelica root (Dang gui) and Ginseng (Ren shen). 10. Retardation of circulation of the blood due to deficiency of Qi and blood manifested as hemiplegia. *Use with Chinese angelica root (Dang gui), Chuanxiong rhizome (Chuan xiong) and Earthworm (Di long) in the formula Buyang Huanwu Tang. |
| Dosage: | 10-15 g (The maximum dosage can be 30-60 g.) |
| Cautions: | This herb is contraindicated during Yin deficiency and hyperactivity of Yang, Qi stagnation and accumulation of dampness, retention of food, exterior excess syndrome, and the early stage of carbuncles and furuncles. |