What is Astragalus? 

Astragalus is  a plant native  to Asia. The  Chinese name of  the herb, huang qi, means "yellow leader", because the root is yellow and it is considered  to be one  of the most important herbs  in traditional Chinese medicine. The part of  the plant used medicinally is the root. 

In traditional Chinese medicine, astragalus is usually made into  a decoction -  the roots are boiled in water then removed. It's often combined with other herbs, such as ginseng.  Astragalus can also be found in supplement form at some health food stores. 

Why Do People Use Astragalus 

Astragalus is  used in traditional Chinese medicine for night sweats, diarrhea  and for energy tonics that are taken daily at certain times of  the year. 

• Immune Function 

One of the key uses for astragalus is to improve  immune function. Although more evidence  is needed, one of the ways astragalus is thought to work is by increasing the production of immune cells. It may also have mild antiviral activity  and help with the prevention of colds. There's little evidence from human studies, however, on the effectiveness of astragalus  as an antiviral. 

• Heart Disease 

Astragalus is also used for various heart conditions. It may have a diuretic effect which would lower blood pressure and it may cause blood vessels to relax. It hasn't been explored in human studies, so it shouldn't be used as a replacement for conventional care. 

Side Effects and Safety Concerns 

People with autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes or systemic lupus erythematosus shouldn't use astragalus unless recommended by a qualified healthcare practitioner. People who have had transplant surgery should not use astragalus. 

The safety of astragalus in pregnant  or nursing women or children isn't known. 

Possible Interactions 
Astragalus may interfere  with the effectiveness of corticosteroid medications,  such as: 

• Nasacort (triamcinolone) 
• Beconase, Vancenase (beclomethasone) 
• Decadron (dexamethasone) 
• Deltasone (prednisone) 
• hydrocortisone
• Medrol (methylprednisolone) 
• prednisolone  

Astragalus may decrease  the effectiveness of drugs that suppress  the immune system, such as Imuran (azathioprine), CellCept, cyclosporine, Prograf, Rapamune and Zenapak. 

Theoretically, astragalus can increase the effectiveness of antiviral medications such as acyclovir and amantadine.