What are the medicinal effects of the traditional Chinese medicine Astragalus?

Anyone who has been to a traditional Chinese medicine hospital knows that most of the medicines prescribed by doctors are Chinese herbal medicines. Nowadays, people know less and less about Chinese medicine. Many times, we don’t even know the names of some common herbs in our lives. Someone asked what Astragalus is used for. Regarding this herb, some relevant knowledge is given below for your reference.

Other names: Jianqi, Baiben, Wangsun, Jinqi

Sweet in taste, warm in nature. It enters the lung and spleen meridians.

It has the functions of supporting sores, promoting tissue regeneration, replenishing and consolidating the exterior. It is mainly used to treat chronic nephritis, spontaneous sweating due to physical weakness, diabetes, long-term diarrhea, uterine prolapse, physical weakness and edema, rectal prolapse, chronic ulcers, and wounds that do not heal for a long time.

1. Fangji Huangqi Decoction (Golden Chamber Synopsis) Treats Qi deficiency, weak defense, rheumatism, heaviness of the whole body, pain in joints, or edema of the legs and feet, sweating, aversion to wind, and floating pulse. 12g of Fangji, 15g of Huangqi, 9g of Baizhu, 6g of Zhigancao, add four slices of ginger and one jujube, decoct in water, remove the residue and take warm. After taking it, it will feel like a worm crawling in the skin, and from the waist down it will feel like ice. Then sit on the quilt, and wrap another quilt around the waist, warm it and sweat slightly, and it will heal. Huangqi in this prescription replenishes Qi, strengthens the spleen and lungs, and can especially consolidate the surface and promote water. Paired with Fangji, it can remove wind without hurting the surface, consolidate the surface without leaving evil, and enhance the function of promoting water without hurting the vital energy. They are both monarch drugs.

2. Huangqi Jianzhong Decoction (from Synopsis of the Golden Chamber) is used to treat asthenia, deficiency of both yin and yang, qi and blood. It is now used for chronic wasting diseases of the stomach, heart, lungs, etc. Xiao Jianzhong Decoction plus 12g of Astragalus. Boil in water and remove the residue. Add malt sugar and melt over low heat. Take 1 dose daily, divided into 3 times and take warm. This prescription is made up of Xiao Jianzhong Decoction plus Astragalus. When Astragalus is combined with maltose, its sweet, warm and Qi-invigorating effects are better; when combined with cinnamon twig, it warms the yang and invigorates Qi; when used together with peony, it has the effects of invigorating Qi and harmonizing the circulation.

3. Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction (from "Jinkui Yaolue") is used to treat blood stasis. Both Yin and Yang are weak, the Cun pulse is small and tight, and the external symptoms are numbness of the body, like rheumatism. Astragalus 9g, Paeonia lactiflora 9g, cinnamon twig 9g, ginger 18g, 12 jujubes (one recipe contains ginseng), decocted in water and taken while warm. 3 times a day. In the formula, Astragalus is the main ingredient, which greatly replenishes the Qi of the spleen and lungs, consolidates the exterior and strengthens the defense, thus resisting external pathogens and protecting the body from internal diseases.

The above is an introduction to the relevant knowledge about the traditional Chinese medicine Astragalus. In fact, the effects of Astragalus are far more than that. In traditional Chinese medicine, Astragalus has many uses. Astragalus has many wide applications in traditional Chinese medicine today. In addition, traditional Chinese medicine has made great progress and common diseases can be cured very easily. Finally, I wish your grandfather good health.