treats Burns, Coronary artery disease, Heart failure, Immune stimulation, Smoking cessation, Mental performance, Cancer, Myocarditis/endocarditis, Cardiovascular disease, Diabetes, Anti-viral activity, Hepatitis, Herpes, Chemotherapy side effects, Athletic performance, Upper respiratory tract infection, Kidney failure, Liver disease, Tuberculosis, and HIV
TraditionWARNING: DISCLAIMER: The below uses are based on tradition, scientific theories, or limited research. They often have not been thoroughly tested in humans, and safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. There may be other proposed uses that are not listed below.
Adults (over 18 years old)
In Chinese medicine, astragalus is used in soups, teas, extracts, and pills. In practice and in most scientific studies, astragalus is one component of multi- herb mixtures. Therefore, precise dosing of astragalus alone is not clear. Safety and effectiveness are not clearly established for any particular dose. Various doses of astragalus have been used or studied, including 250 to 500 milligrams of extract taken four times daily; 1 to 30 grams of dried root taken daily (doses as high as 60 grams have been reported); or 500 to 1,000 milligrams of root capsules taken three times daily. Dosing of tinctures or fluid extracts depends on the strength of the preparations. A tincture dose (1:5) of 3- 6 milliliters three times daily by mouth, or 15 to 30 drops twice daily by mouth has been used. Note that tinctures may have high alcohol content.
For herpes simplex keratitis, 0.5 milliliters astragalus (1:1 extract) for three weeks has been used on the skin. For wound healing, a 10% astragalus ointment has been applied to wound surfaces. The maximum level used is 1.3% when used topically in lotions, denture creams, toothpaste,s and cosmetics, according to secondary sources
For non- small cell lung cancer, 60 milliliters has been given intraveneously per day. Injections should only be given under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional.
Note: In theory, consumption of the tragacanth (gummy sap derived from astragalus) may reduce the absorption of drugs taken by mouth, and they should be taken at separate times.
Children (younger than 18 years)
There is not enough scientific data to recommend astragalus for children.