04/10/2022
Astragalus Membranceus Root Powder
Astragalus (Astragali radix, huang-qi) is one of the most widely used traditional Chinese herbal medicines with the several beneficial effects including anti-inflammation, antioxidant, immunomodulation and antitumor activities.
Studies have showed that Astragalus can protect against the progression of renal fibrosis by inhibiting inflammation in renal disease.
Anti-inflammation
Inflammatory plays an important role in the pathogenesis of kidney diseases.
Activated by foreign bodies or pathogens, receptors on cell membrane then activate its downstream inflammation signaling pathway, and in turn activate the expression of inflammatory genes such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) cyclooxygenase (COX-2) tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) interleukin-6 (IL-6). Cytokines and other pathological factors produced during renal ischaemia–reperfusion injury are also strong stimulators of inflammation signaling pathway.
Astragalus help inhibit inflammation via the inflammation signaling pathway which thereby protecting against progression of renal fibrosis.
Antiproteinuria effect
Proteinuria is one of the criteria to prognosis the progression of renal diseases, and also lowering proteinuria may slow the progression of renal diseases. In animal trial, Astragalus has been shown to ameliorate the proteinuria by suppressing the over expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and inhibiting the oxidative injury in Doxorubicin nephropathy rats.
Class 1 toxicology and adverse effects classified by American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), the national trade association and voice of the herbal products industry, founded in 1982, to promote the responsible and sustainable commerce of herbal products to ensure that consumers have informed access to a wide variety of safe herbal goods.
Safety Class 1 is to determine the herbs that can be safely consumed when used appropriately.
• History of safe traditional use
• No case reports of significant adverse events with high probability of causality
• No significant adverse events in clinical trials
• No identified concerns for use during pregnancy or lactation
• No innately toxic constituents
• Toxicity associated with excessive use is not a basis for exclusion from this class
• Minor or self-limiting side effects are not bases for exclusion from this class"
Reference :
Guo Z, Lou Y, Kong M, Luo Q, Liu Z, Wu J. A Systematic Review of Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics on Astragali Radix: Implications for Astragali Radix as a Personalized Medicine. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Mar 22;20(6):1463. doi: 10.3390/ijms20061463. PMID: 30909474; PMCID: PMC6470777.
McGuffin M, Gardner Z. 2013. American Herbal Products Association’s Botanical Safety Handbook, Second Edition. CRC Press.
Wynn SG, Fougère BJ. Veterinary Herbal Medicine: A Systems-Based Approach. Veterinary Herbal Medicine. 2007:291–409. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-323-02998-8.50024-X. Epub 2009 May 15. PMCID: PMC7151902.
Yiu WH, Lin M, Tang SC. Toll-like receptor activation: from renal inflammation to fibrosis. Kidney Int Suppl (2011). 2014 Nov;4(1):20-25. doi: 10.1038/kisup.2014.5. PMID: 26312146; PMCID: PMC4536963.
You H, Lu Y, Gui D, Peng A, Chen J, Gu Y. Aqueous extract of Astragali Radix ameliorates proteinuria in adriamycin nephropathy rats through inhibition of oxidative stress and endothelial nitric oxide synthase. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011 Mar 8;134(1):176-82. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2010.11.064. Epub 2010 Dec 3. PMID: 21130857.
Zhang H, Sun SC. NF-κB in inflammation and renal diseases. Cell Biosci. 2015 Nov 16;5:63. doi: 10.1186/s13578-015-0056-4. PMID: 26579219; PMCID: PMC4647710.
Zhong Y, Deng Y, Chen Y, Chuang PY, Cijiang He J. Therapeutic use of traditional Chinese herbal medications for chronic kidney diseases. Kidney Int. 2013 Dec;84(6):1108-18. doi: 10.1038/ki.2013.276. Epub 2013 Jul 17. PMID: 23868014; PMCID: PMC3812398.
Zhou X, Sun X, Gong X, Yang Y, Chen C, Shan G, Yao Q. Astragaloside IV from Astragalus membranaceus ameliorates renal interstitial fibrosis by inhibiting inflammation via TLR4/NF-кB in vivo and in vitro. Int Immunopharmacol. 2017 Jan;42:18-24. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2016.11.006. Epub 2016 Nov 14. PMID: 27855303.
