Astragalus Vitamins

Astragalus is not a vitamin, it is a perennial herb that is native to China, and it has been used medicinally for thousands of years. People continue to use the roots of the plant today for a variety of health-promoting purposes and it is sold in whole root, powdered, capsule, tincture and extract form. As with any herbal product, you should talk to your health care practitioner before taking astragalus supplements.

Medicinal Properties

Astragalus root contains a variety of active constituents including multiple trace minerals, amino acids and fatty acids. It also contains numerous phytochemicals such as saponins and flavonoids -- compounds found naturally in plants -- that help prevent and treat disease in humans. In addition, astragalus is a potent antioxidant that helps prevent free radical-induced damage to your cells and DNA. According to "Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database," astragalus also has antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, blood-pressure lowering and liver-protecting properties.

Uses

Folk medicine uses astragalus as a general health tonic. Drugs.com states the most common use of astragalus root in the US is as an immunostimulant that helps treat fibromyalgia, anemia, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes and cervical cancer. Astragalus may help prevent the common cold, swine flu and upper respiratory tract infections, due to its immune-boosting and anti-microbial properties; however, more research needs to be done to confirm the efficacy of astragalus for these purposes.

Allergic Rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis is an inflammation of the nose and/or eyes that occurs when you breath in something that you are allergic to such as pollen or dust. A placebo-controlled study cited in the February 2010 issue of "Phytotherapy Research" journal, examined the effectiveness of 160 mg of a specific astragalus root extract, taken twice daily for three to six weeks, for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. The astragalus extract resulted in significant improvements in allergic rhinitis symptoms and the subjects taking it experienced a notable reduction in stuffy nose, sneezing and itching.

Breast and Lung Cancer

Astragalus may be a useful adjunctive aid for the treatment of breast and lung cancer. Preliminary research suggests that conventional breast cancer therapy combined with an herbal formulation containing both astragalus and glossy privet may increase the survival rate of breast cancer patients, states "Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database." In addition, taking astragalus-containing herbal products may help increase the effectiveness of platinum-based chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Studies have been small scale so far however, and more evidence is needed to rate astragalus for these uses.

Considerations

For general health-supporting purposes, 4 to 7 g of astragalus per day is commonly used. In some cases, people have used 30 to 60 g per day of astragalus powder. This should be avoided because some research suggests that doses exceeding 28 g per day offer no additional benefit and may even suppress the immune system. There are no reported drug interactions or side effects from astragalus. Due to its potential immuno-stimulating properties, patients with autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis should only take the herb under the recommendation of a health care practitioner.