AEGiS-GMHC: Common Alternative Therapies: Astragalus

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1993. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Common Alternative Therapies: Astragalus

Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 11/12 - Winter, 1993/94
Bree Scott-Hartland

"Astragalus" (Astragalus memranaceious), is an herb used in China, reportedly for the purpose of "boosting" the immune system and preventing chemotherapy-related bone marrow suppression and nausea. In the former Soviet Union and Japan it is used to treat heart attacks and strokes.[1] The active substances are taken from the root of the plant. This non-toxic herb should not be confused with Astragalus lentiginosus, a related but more toxic plant.

It has been reported that an extract of Astragalus, Fraction 3 (F3), has stimulated immune responses in the test tube and in animal studies. In one study, injections of F3 into rats treated with the immunosuppressive drug cyclophosphamide resulted in the rats rejecting grafts of foreign tissue.[2] In the test tube, F3 improved the anti-tumor activity of Interleukin-2 (IL-2) in human lymphokine-activated killer cells.[3] In another test tube study[4], an Astragalus decoction, (obtained by boiling the ground root in water), increased the proliferation of lymphocytes taken from healthy people and cancer patients. A team at Loma Linda University in California used a similar method to obtain an extract that increased the activity of human macrophages in the test tube.[5] Both teams reported that the observed effects decreased at higher doses.[4, 5]

Since no clinical trials of Astragalus in people have been performed, it is unknown whether the effects seen in the test tube can be duplicated in the body. The dose and route of administration are known.

While Astragalus is believed to be non-toxic, there are reports that it can trigger low blood pressure and increase the amount of urine produced, resulting in a feeling of dizziness and fatigue.[6] In addition, the Loma Linda team warned that over-dosing of Astragalus may cause immuno-suppression, and that herbs from different sources may vary in quality and produce differing results.

1. McCaleb R. Better Nutrition. 1990; October: 22-23,32.

2. Chu DT, et al. Journal of Clinical Laboratory Immunology. 1988; 25:125-29.

3. Chu DT, et al. Journal of Clinical Laboratory Immunology. 1988; 26:183-187.

4. Sun Y, et al. Journal of Biological Response Modifiers. 1983; 2:227-237.

5. Lau BHS, et al. International Clinical Nutrition Review. 1990; 10:430-434.

6. Korsia, S. IHITTG. 1992; 7:3-4.

Copyright © 1993 - Treatment Issues. Reproduced with permission. Treatment Issues is published twelve times yearly by GMHC, Inc. All rights reserved. Noncommercial reproduction is encouraged. Subscription lists are kept confidential. GMHC Treatment Issues, The Tisch Building, 119 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10011 fredg@gmhc.org http://www.gmhc.org

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