INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Radix Astragali |
| Common English: | Astragalus Root Milk-Vetch Root |
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
Sweet |
Slightly Warm (Lukewarm) |
Lung Spleen |
9-30g Exceptional cases: 30-60g Tincture: 2-4ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Tonifies Qi and Blood |
Postpartum fever due to Qi and Blood Deficiencies Recovery from severe Blood loss |
Strengthens the Spleen and raises the Yang Qi of the Spleen and Stomach |
Spleen Qi Deficiency with anorexia, fatigue and diarrhea Central Qi Sinking (prolapse) Lung and Spleen Qi Deficiencies Qi Failing to contain Blood Qi and Blood Deficiencies Fever from Qi Deficiency |
Tonifies Wei Qi, stabilizes the exterior and tonifies the Lungs (aids circulation of moisture downward from the face) |
Wei Qi Deficiency with spontaneous sweating Lung Qi Deficiency with frequent colds or shortness of breath Excessive sweating associated with Qi, Yang or Yin Deficiency Dampness in the head |
Promotes urination and reduces edema |
Spleen Deficiency edema or superficial edema with reduced urination (It can be used as a stand-alone herb for this) |
| Promotes the discharge of pus, generates flesh and expels toxins | Chronic ulcerations and sores that either have trouble forming pus or have formed pus but are not draining well |
| Generates Body Fluids | Wasting and thirsting disorder Bi Syndrome with numbness of the limbs and paralysis |
| Relieves numbness and pain | Numbness and pain due to Deficiencies of Qi and Blood |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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INCOMPATIBILITIES |
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
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Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae
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Qi Deficiency with general debility, anorexia, fatigue, tired extremities and spontaneous sweat |
Yang Deficiency with spontaneous sweat |
Spleen Qi Deficiency with weakness, lassitude and loose stools |
Arillus Longan |
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis |
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Insomnia and other signs of Qi and Blood Deficiencies |
Blood Deficiency due to hemorrhage with fatigue, low grade fever, irritability, and thirst in patients with a weak pulse due to Qi and Blood Deficiencies Qi and Blood Deficiencies with chronic non-healing sores, numbness, painful obstruction and paresthesias |
Bleeding due to Qi Deficiency |
Spleen Qi Sinking with rectal and/or uterine prolapse or excessive uterine bleeding |
Spleen and Lung Qi Deficiencies |
Wei Qi Deficiency with spontaneous sweat |
Concha Ostreae |
Rx. Ophiopogonis |
Rx. Rehmanniae |
Sweating that occurs during the day but worsens at night |
Nightsweats |
Yin Deficiency with night sweats |
Rx. Stephaniae Tetrandrae |
Rx. Stephaniae Tetrandrae |
Rx. Stephaniae Tetrandrae |
Wind edema with sweating, heavy sensations of the body and aversion to Wind |
Edema and proteinuria from chronic nephritis |
Superficial floating edema with swelling of the extremities |
Squama Manitis |
Rx. Stephaniae Tetrandrae |
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Yin type suppurative sores that do not perforate or only produce a thin clear discharge |
Flat sores that do not pustulate or ulcers that do not heal |
Wind edema with numbness, pain, swelling of the face and extremities, sweating, sensitivity to Wind, and reduced urination |
Rx. Dioscoreae |
Ram. Cinnamomi |
Rx. et Rz. Notopterygii |
Wasting and Thirsting Disorder |
Qi and Blood Deficiencies and Ying and Wei Deficiencies with numbness and painful obstruction of the musculature |
Wind-Damp painful obstruction of the shoulder |
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis |
Rx. Codonopsis |
Cx. Lycii |
Sequelae of Windstroke with Qi Deficiency and Blood Stasis |
Side effects of chemotherapy or radiation in cancer patients |
Counteracts the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy |
Rz. Cimicifugae |
Sm. Tritici Levis |
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Increases phagocytosis |
Raises Yang Qi of the Spleen, allowing turbid Yin to descend and be eliminated, treating chronic diarrhea, a dragging sensation in the abdomen, fatigue, shortness of breath, uterine bleeding and prolapses |
Treats spontaneous sweating due to Qi Deficiency and nightsweats due to Qi Deficiency. |
Poria |
Yang Tonics |
Rx. Ginseng |
Loose stools or diarrhea due to Spleen Deficiency |
Spleen Yang Deficiency |
Qi and Blood Deficiencies with shortness of breath, and a pale face |
Hb. Schizonepetae |
Ganoderma |
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis |
Hematemesis, hematochezia, and profuse menstrual bleeding from leakage of Blood due to Spleen Not Governing Blood |
Qi Deficiency due to chemotherapy and radiation |
Qi and Blood collapse (use 60-120g Huan Qi) |
Concha Ostreae |
Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata |
Rx. Rehmanniae |
Spontaneous perspiration due to Exterior Deficiency |
Profuse perspiration and extreme fatigue due to Yang Deficiency |
Nightsweats due to Qi and Yin Deficiencies |
Squama Manitis |
Rx. Ginseng |
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis |
Chronic non-ulcerating sores with pus |
Chronic sores with underlying Deficiency |
Flat chronic sores and non-healing ulcers |
Rx. Ginseng |
Ram. Cinnamomi |
Rx. et Rz. Notopterygii |
Qi Deficiency lesions in children |
Skin and muscle numbness and pain due to Qi and Blood Deficiencies |
Numbness and pain in the extremities due to Wind-Dampness Invasion with Disharmony between the Ying and Wei |
Extremitas Radicis Angelicae Sinensis |
Rx. Dioscoreae |
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Post-stroke complications |
Wasting and Thirsting with Interior Heat |
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- Its action of stabilizing the exterior may produce therapeutic sweat when diaphoretics do not work.
- It can cause Qi Stagnation.
- It is better than Rx. Codonopsis Dang Shen for Blood Deficiency.
- This herb promotes other herbs, especially those that strengthen overall energy, digestion, blood production and blood circulation.
- Both Huang Qi and Rx. Ginseng Ren Shen tonify primal Qi. Huang Qi also supports the Yang and is most appropriate for disorders that involve sinking of clear Qi. It also stops sweating, promotes the discharge of pus, generates flesh and facilitates urination, none of which Ren Shen can do. Ren Shen also generates fluids and its tonic effect is stronger and longer lasting than Huang Qi.
- Dry-fried Astragalus Chao Huang Qi has stronger Spleen warming and tonifying properties.
- Wine-fried Astragalus Jiu Chao Huang Qi has a greater ability to reach the exterior and allows it to tonify without being cloying. It also is better able to treat Qi Deficiency patterns involving Cold, such as wheezing due to Qi Deficiency with Cold in the Lungs or Qi Deficiency with Cold in the Stomach causing diarrhea.
- Honey-prepared Astragalus Mi Zhi Huang Qi allows the Huang Qi to travel internally to raise the clear Qi of the Middle Jiao. It is also slightly moistening and is appropriate when Blood Deficiency or Spleen Dryness is involved.