Astragalus, also Tragacanth, Boxthorn or Huang Qi called, is a legume from the family Fabaceae and has been valued for various applications in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) for thousands of years.

Among the around 3000 Astragalus species stands out above all the Mongolian tragacanth (Astragalus membranaceus) out of here. Astragalus membranaceus was originally native to northern China and Mongolia, but today inhabits large parts of the northern hemisphere. Via the Arabian region, Astragalus membranaceus Finally, it began its triumphal march to Europe, where the herbalist Hildegard von Bingen, who lived in the 12th century, also took a liking to the effects of the tragacanth root under the German name “Bocksdorn”.

Normally you wait until the plants of the Astragalus membranaceus four or five years old before they are harvested for medicinal purposes. To use the Roots that contain large amounts of active ingredients, the plants are pulled out. The roots are then cut into strips and then dried.

Mature Astragalus roots fascinate with a variety of interesting ingredients. Of particular value is the specific mix of secondary plant substances – especially astragalosides. These are special saponins (foam-forming bitter substances) that occur exclusively in tragacanth roots and are said to have special effects.

Astragaloside IV is a saponin from the root of the astragalus plant, where it is found in minute amounts. An extremely complex and costly process allows it to be extracted and concentrated to obtain an active ingredient. Commonly sold commercial products, such as astragalus powder or extract, do not contain any detectable or relevant amount of astragaloside IV.

Astragaloside IV has been studied most frequently. This research suggests the following effects of astragalus root and astragaloside IV:

1. Cardiovascular system

• Cardiac protection in myocardial ischemia: Astragaloside IV has shown cardioprotective effects in myocardial ischemia in both in vivo and in vitro studies.
• Improvement of heart function: In patients with congestive heart failure, treatment with IV astragaloside for two weeks resulted in a significant reduction in heart rate from an average of 88 to 64 beats per minute, as well as relief of chest pain and breathing difficulties.

· Astragalus root inhibited 40% of lipid peroxidation in vitro. This property partly explains the cardioprotective and neuroprotective effects of astragaloside IV.

2. Immunomodulation

• Strengthening the immune system: Astragaloside IV can promote specific and nonspecific immunity, increase the body's resistance to disease, and improve the formation of antibodies.Specifically, the following effect on the immune system was observed:
• the increase of stem cells in the spinal cord and lymphatic tissues
• stimulating the production of immunoglobulins and macrophages
• promoting the activation of T lymphocytes and natural killer cells
  
  

3. Anti-aging effects

· One of the factors most involved in aging processes is the decrease in the activity of the enzyme TelomeraseAstragaloside IV can stimulate this enzyme and thus increase telomere number. It activates telomerase and thus prevents premature telomere shortening. This alleviates cell aging and its negative effects on the organism.

4. Anti-inflammatory properties

• Inhibition of inflammatory mediators: Astragaloside IV suppresses the synthesis of inflammatory mediators and thus exhibits potent anti-inflammatory properties.
• In mice, for example, it was found that the ability of Astragaloside IV led to a reduction in the progression of airway inflammation in the case of chronic asthma.
  
  

5. Antiviral and antibacterial effect

• Inhibition of viral infections: Astragaloside IV stimulates the function of macrophages and T cells, promotes the production of interleukin and enables the production of endogenous interferon to achieve antiviral effects.
• Astragaloside IV inhibits the replication of certain viruses, such as the Coxsackie virus, which causes myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle). They induce the endogenous production of interferon in both animals and humans, potentially increasing its activity against viral infections.
• In vitro, the antibacterial effect of Astragalus IV on the bacteria Shigella dysenteriae, Streptococcus haemolyticus, Diplococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus was demonstrated.
  
  
  
  

6. Supports kidney function

• Improvement of kidney function: Astragaloside IV can improve kidney function and help eliminate excess fluid, which helps support normal bladder function and urine flow.

· Astragalus root inhibited 40% of lipid peroxidation in vitro. This property partly explains the cardioprotective and neuroprotective effects of astragaloside IV.

7. Inhibition of the formation of AGEs

· Astragaloside IV inhibits the formation of AGEs (advanced glycation end products), which are the cause of many diseases and aging processes.

8.Nerve protection

· Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses astragalus root extract to treat neurodegenerative diseases. One study has demonstrated the ability of astragaloside IV to protect dopaminergic neurons (progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons is the root cause of Parkinson's disease).

9. Hay fever & allergies

· A study involving 48 hay fever patients showed that tragacanth root actually has anti-allergic effects. In this study, adults with allergic rhinitis took a preparation containing Astragalus membranaceus-root extract as the lead substance. It was shown that taking it led to relief of allergic rhinitis, sneezing, and itching, while those affected regained a better quality of life.

· If you use Astragalus root extract as a natural remedy for allergies, you should start taking it a few weeks before the allergy season (z.B. of pollen count) and continue throughout the entire period of symptoms.

Sources:

Shen, M. et al. 2022. Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Allergic Rhinitis in Children under Data Mining. Comput Math Methods Med. 2022 Jun 1;2022:7007370. doi: 10.1155/2022/7007370. eCollection 2022.

Yu, S. et al. 2022. Research progress of astragaloside IV in the treatment of atopic diseases. Biomed Pharmacother. 2022 Dec;156:113989. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113989. Epub 2022 Nov 8.

Qi, Y. et al. 2017. Anti-inflammatory and immunostimulatory activities of astragalosides. Am J Chin Med. 45(6):1157–67.

Li, C.-X. et al. 2022. Astragalus polysaccharide: a review of its immunomodulatory effect. Arch Pharm Res. 2022 Jun;45(6):367-389. doi: 10.1007/s12272-022-01393-3. Epub 2022 Jun 17.

Wan, CP et al. 2013. Astragaloside II triggers T cell activation through regulation of CD45 protein tyrosine phosphatase activity. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 34(4):522–30.

Matkovic, Z. et al. 2010. Efficacy and safety of Astragalus membranaceus in the treatment of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. Phytother Res. 2010 Feb;24(2):175-81. doi: 10.1002/ptr.2877.

Zhang, C. et al. 2016. Effect of Astragalus membranaceus on Peripheral Blood Th17 in Patients with Allergic Rhinitis. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2016 Nov;36(11):1364-1368.

Matkovic, Z. et al.2010. Efficacy and safety of Astragalus membranaceus in the treatment of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. Phytother Res. 2010 Feb;24(2):175-81. doi: 10.1002/ptr.2877.