Huang Qi
StarAstragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge.
Traditionally used for
- Cough & breathing
- Urinary & fluids
- Energy & fatigue
- Skin
☯ TCM Properties
Tonifies Qi and Strengthens Yang; Consolidates the Exterior and Stops Sweating; Promotes Urination and Reduces Edema; Promotes tissue regeneration and expels pus; Tonifies Qi and Generates Blood; Unblocks stagnation in Qi deficiency
Traditional Chinese Uses
Huang Qi (astragalus root) is one of the most important Qi-tonifying herbs in Chinese medicine, particularly renowned for strengthening the body's defensive Wei Qi. It addresses Spleen and Lung Qi deficiency presenting as fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, and recurrent colds. It consolidates the Exterior to stop spontaneous sweating, lifts sinking Qi for organ prolapse, and promotes the healing of chronic wounds and sores slow to close due to Qi deficiency.
Western Herbalism Properties
Pharmacological Effects
- Immunologic: Polysaccharides (i.p.) countered prednisolone-induced immune-organ atrophy and leukopenia, acted as adjuvant, and increased spleen response and macrophage phagocytosis in mice; extract increased NK cytotoxicity 5-6-fold with interferon-α; oral herb raised nasal SIgA/IgG and interferon induction in cold-susceptible subjects.
- Antiviral: Oral or intranasal decoction protected mice against parainfluenza virus type I (28 experiments, 1299 mice); promoted interferon production; reduced viral titre in rat renal cell culture.
- Cellular metabolism: 0.3-0.5% herb in culture medium increased viability and doubled life-span of human, hamster and mouse renal cells and delayed ageing of human diploid lung cells.
- Diuretic / nephritis: In humans 0.2 g/kg raised urine output 64% and sodium excretion 14.5%; powdered herb pretreatment reduced proteinuria in rat nephrotoxic nephritis.
- Antiinflammatory / hypotensive: Astramembrannin I (5 mg/kg i.v. or 50 mg/kg orally) inhibited serotonin/histamine vascular permeability and carrageenin edema in rats; 10-15 mg/kg i.v. lowered blood pressure in cats and rats.
- Hepatoprotective: Astramembrannin I (10 mg/kg i.v.) raised plasma cAMP in rabbits; saponin increased DNA synthesis in regenerating mouse liver.
Source: Zhu YP. Chinese Materia Medica: Chemistry, Pharmacology and Applications. Harwood Academic, 1998, p. 560.
Used In Formulas (97)
Relationships
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Botanical Description
Astragalus membranaceus (syn. A. mongholicus) is a perennial herbaceous legume in the family Fabaceae, native to the grasslands, sunny slopes, and forest margins of northern and northeastern China, Mongolia, Korea, and the Russian Far East. The plant grows 50-150 cm tall from a long, fibrous, yellowish taproot that may extend more than a meter into sandy or loamy soils. Stems are erect to ascending and finely hairy, bearing alternate pinnately compound leaves with 12-18 pairs of small elliptical leaflets covered in fine white hairs. Pale yellow to creamy pea-like flowers, 12-20 mm long, are borne in axillary racemes during summer, followed by inflated, papery, hairy pods 2-3 cm long containing several brown seeds. The species favors well-drained, deep, sandy soils in full sun and tolerates cold winters and dry summers.
Active Constituents
Astragaloside IV
Cycloartane-type triterpenoid saponinConcentration: approx. 0.02-0.1% (pharmacopoeial marker; >=0.040% required by Chinese Pharmacopoeia)
The official quality-control marker and a major bioactive. It is cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic, improves endothelial function and reduces proteinuria and glomerular injury in models of diabetic kidney disease.
Astragalus polysaccharides (APS)
Heteropolysaccharides (glucans)Concentration: qualitative (a major fraction, several % of the root)
The principal immunomodulatory constituent, enhancing macrophage, T-cell and NK-cell activity and antibody production; also shows anti-fatigue and hypoglycaemic activity, underpinning the herb's traditional Qi-tonifying and Wei-Qi-consolidating actions.
Calycosin and calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside
Isoflavonoid / isoflavone glycosideConcentration: approx. 0.02% (calycosin-7-O-glucoside is a pharmacopoeial marker, >=0.020%)
Antioxidant, phyto-oestrogenic and vasodilatory; promotes angiogenesis and endothelial protection and is a second official marker compound.
Formononetin
IsoflavonoidConcentration: qualitative (minor)
Oestrogen-receptor-active isoflavone with antioxidant, vasorelaxant and osteogenic activity; contributes to cardiovascular and tissue-regenerative effects.
Astragalosides I-VII and isoastragalosides
Cycloartane triterpenoid saponinsConcentration: qualitative (astragaloside IV predominant)
The wider saponin family contributing immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and cardiotonic activity.
gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) and free amino acids
Amino acidsConcentration: qualitative (minor)
GABA content has been associated with mild antihypertensive activity in some preparations.
⚠ Drug Interactions
Immunosuppressants (cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, tacrolimus)
Astragalus polysaccharides stimulate cellular and humoral immunity, which could in theory oppose the intended action of immunosuppressive drugs. (Conversely, in oncology it is studied to offset chemotherapy-induced immune suppression.)
Clinical note: Use cautiously in transplant recipients and others requiring maintained immunosuppression.
Antidiabetic agents
Astragalus polysaccharides and saponins can lower blood glucose and improve insulin sensitivity, potentially adding to the effect of glucose-lowering drugs.
Clinical note: Monitor blood glucose when combined with insulin or oral hypoglycaemics.
Antihypertensive agents
Vasodilatory flavonoids and GABA may modestly lower blood pressure, potentially additive with antihypertensive medication.
Clinical note: Monitor blood pressure; clinical significance is generally low.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 9–30 g | Daily | — | — | 中国药典 2020 【用法与用量】9～30g。 【性味与归经】甘，微温。归肺、脾经。 — Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020, quoted verbatim; route and cautions preserved. Replaces a cleared category-filler value. |
Preparation Methods
Raw / unprocessed (sheng huang qi)
Parts: root
The dried, sliced root used unprocessed. The raw form is preferred to consolidate the exterior and stop sweating, promote urination and reduce oedema, and to promote discharge of pus and generate flesh in chronic sores. Typical decoction dose 9-30 g, and considerably higher (up to 60-120 g) in some Qi-and-Blood or edema formulas.
Honey-fried (mi zhi huang qi)
Parts: root
The slices are stir-fried with diluted honey until golden and no longer sticky (about 25 g honey per 100 g herb). Honey-frying makes the herb warmer and more strongly tonifying, enhancing its ability to tonify the Spleen and Lung Qi and to raise sunken Qi; this is the form used in central-Qi-raising formulas.
Dui Yao — Herb Pairs
The classical two-herb combinations this herb appears in, each with an action neither herb has alone.
Qi is tonified strongly so that it can generate blood, turning a qi tonic into an effective blood-building combination.
Classic for blood deficiency with fever from exhaustion or after blood loss.
Core pair of a classical formula — Dang Gui Bu Xue Tang, Nei Wai Shang Bian Huo Lun (Li Dongyuan)
Tonification of defensive qi is combined with gentle dispersal of wind, securing the exterior without trapping pathogens.
Spontaneous sweating and frequent colds from exterior deficiency.
Core pair of a classical formula — Yu Ping Feng San, Jiu Yuan Fang (recorded in Yi Fang Lei Ju)
Qi is tonified while the channels are warmed and yang is unblocked, moving blood to relieve numbness from blood painful obstruction.
Core pair of a classical formula — Huang Qi Gui Zhi Wu Wu Tang, Jin Gui Yao Lue (Zhang Zhongjing)
Qi is strengthened to secure the exterior while water and wind-damp are drained, treating edema from qi deficiency.
Wind edema or wind-damp with sweating, heaviness and aversion to wind.
Core pair of a classical formula — Fang Ji Huang Qi Tang, Jin Gui Yao Lue (Zhang Zhongjing)
Astringing sweat combined with tonifying qi and securing the exterior, which stops spontaneous and night sweating from deficiency.
Spontaneous sweating worse at night with palpitations from exterior insecurity.
Core pair of a classical formula — Mu Li San, Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang
Together they give a broad, powerful tonification of original, spleen and lung qi.
Named pairing — Bensky et al., Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica (3rd ed.)
Qi is tonified and raised while heat is cleared and yin moistened, so the warmth of one is tempered by the coolness of the other.
Used by Zhang Xichun in many formulas, e.g. Sheng Xian Tang for sinking of the great qi.
Named pairing — Lü Jingshan, Shi Jinmo Dui Yao
Evidence Tier
Strong evidence · 2 studiesRecorded studies by study design, strongest design at the top. This is a study-design tier only, not a GRADE rating: it does not weigh risk of bias, consistency or precision.
Systematic review / meta-analysis
2
2 verified · 0 unverified
Randomized controlled trial
0
Other clinical trial
0
Observational / case report
0
In vitro / animal
0
Other / unclassified
0
Verified: design read from PubMed for a DOI that resolves to the cited paper Unverified: taken from the study's recorded description
Clinical Studies
Astragalus membranaceus (Huang Qi) as adjunctive therapy for diabetic kidney disease: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Pooling multiple RCTs, Astragalus added to conventional therapy reduced proteinuria (24-h urinary protein) and serum creatinine and improved estimated GFR compared with conventional therapy alone in diabetic kidney disease, with a generally acceptable safety profile, though trial quality varied.
Meta-analysis of the clinical value of Astragalus membranaceus in diabetic nephropathy
Astragalus injection combined with conventional treatment produced greater reductions in blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and urinary protein and raised serum albumin compared with control, supporting a renoprotective adjunctive role while cautioning that many included trials were of limited methodological quality.
⚠ Safety & Contraindications
Contraindications
Its use is cautious in patients with exterior excess pattern and exuberance of pathogens, qi stagnation and dampness obstruction, food accumulation, carbuncle-abscess in the initial stage, or yin deficiency and yang hyperactivity.
Source: Xi S, Gong Y. Essentials of Chinese Materia Medica and Medical Formulas. Academic Press/Elsevier, 2017, pp. 330–340.
Side Effects
- No adverse reactions in mice within 48 h at oral doses of 75 or 100 g/kg; 0.5 g/kg/day i.p. for one month produced no behavioral or excretory changes.
Source: Zhu YP. Chinese Materia Medica: Chemistry, Pharmacology and Applications. Harwood Academic, 1998, p. 560.
Historical Texts
Shennong Bencao Jing (Divine Husbandman's Classic of Materia Medica)
Han dynasty, c. 200 CEBencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen
Ming dynasty, 1578 CEReferences
- Bensky D, Clavey S, Stoger E. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd edition . Eastland Press, Seattle (2004) [DOI]
- Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission. Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, Volume I (Huangqi / Astragali Radix) . China Medical Science Press, Beijing (2020) [DOI]
- Zhang L, Shergis JL, Yang L, et al.. Astragalus membranaceus (Huang Qi) as adjunctive therapy for diabetic kidney disease: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis . Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2019) [DOI]
- Li M, Wang W, Xue J, Gu Y, Lin S. Meta-analysis of the clinical value of Astragalus membranaceus in diabetic nephropathy . Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2011) [DOI]
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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