Huang Qi, Astragalus
membranaceus or Radix astragali, is a plant native to Asia. The part of the plant used medicinally is the
root. Huang Qi is one of the most
important herbs in Chinese medicine. I
just went through my collection of Traditional Chinese Medicines pills ranging
from pills for treating cold, cough, digestive illness, respiratory illness, to
pills for treating inflammation, pretty much every one of these medicines includes
Huang Qi as an ingredient.
Huang Qi, slightly
sweet taste, has been prescribed for centuries in China for general debility,
chronic illness, and to increase the overall vitality of the body. Huang
Qi is “warm” in nature and affects both the spleen and the lung meridians. The herb is useful in treating spleen
deficiency symptoms such as diarrhea, fatigue, spontaneous sweating, and lack
of appetite. In addition, the herb
tonifies the lungs and is used to treat cold, shortness of breath, sore throat,
and respiratory inflammation.
Systematically, the herb is often included in formulas for treating
wasting disorders, night sweats, chronic ulcerations and sores, numbness and paralysis
of the limbs, edema, and high blood sugar.
Have you counted how many diseases this herb has been used to
treat? That’s right—if you have a common
illness, you can’t go wrong with using Huang Qi!
Chemical composition wise, Hwang Qi contains polysaccharides, isoflavones such as formononetin, kumatakenin, astraisoflavan, astrapterocarpan, 2’-3’-dihydroxy-7,4’- imethooxyisoflavone,
and isoliquiritigenin, triterpenodis
such as astragaloside
I,II,III,IV, and steroids such as calyxosin, cycloastragenol, daucosterol, beta-sitosterol, and soyasaponin I. In addition, the herb contains L-3-hydroxy-9-methoxpterocarpan, D-ß-asparagine, palmitic acid, choline, betaine, folic acid, and antibacterial ingredient.
According to
modern pharmacological studies, astragalus polysaccharides are shown to boost
immune system by increasing the amount of B cells, serum IgG level, and
conversion percentage of lymphocytes.
The isoflavones and flavonoids have been shown to improve cardiovascular
activity. In addition, the herb abstracts
demonstrated in vitro antibacterial activity against various common bacteria.
Huang Qi shot
to the fame in 2009 because of a research suggesting the herb’s anti-aging
effect. In an article titled “Anti-aging
pill targets telomeres at the ends of chromosomes,” Scientific American reported
a compound, TA-65, isolated from Astragalus, capable of activating the enzyme telomerase
(hTERT) –the enzyme acts to maintain or lengthen telomeres. hTERT is usually
inactive in adult cells, except in immune, egg and sperm, and in malignant
cancer-forming cells. The enzyme is in
fact the same enzyme that allows cancer cells to stop aging or to become immortal. The safety and side-effect of TA-56 seems to
be in dispute.
With that said, in Chinese medicine, Huang Qi usually is
taken in herbal form rather than the abstracts form (as in TA-56 pill). The common use of the herb over thousands of
years does not seem to indicate any significant side effect at the herbal
consumption level.
So, how do you incorporate Huang Qi in your skincare
routine? I was not able to find any
indications in Chinese herbal medicine books using Huang Qi in topical
formula. So, I would suggest you to
incorporate Huang Qi in your diet.
During my menstrual period, I often drink a tea including a mix of Huang
Qi, Korean ginseng, Dang Gui (I talked about this herb in the past), and dried dates. The tea can “warm” the system, help the
menstrual flow, and often shorten the period.
Also, when making soups with pork or beef ribs, oxtails, or beef, I often
throw a few slices of Huang Qi in the stew.
The herb not only improves the taste but also provides additional health
benefits as noted above.
Thanks for reading!
Connie
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