This section is for Healthcare professionals only.
Astragalus
A unique monocomponent Active Longevity product with a wide spectrum of action.
Astragalus membranaceus is best known for its use in traditional Chinese medicine. Historically used as an immunomodulator to treat colds, diarrhea, fatigue and anorexia.
The main actions of astragalus:
- Adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory – increasing resistance to infections. The saponins in astragalus have been shown to protect against sepsis by suppressing inflammation. By weakening inflammatory factors, astragalus suppresses tissue damage, such as tissue edema, including pulmonary edema.
- Anti-infective – prevention of viral infections, including colds, respiratory infections and infectious liver diseases (infectious hepatitis).
- Immunomodulating and supporting the immune system – the activity of astragalus root in this direction has been proven. In relation to patients with a tumor process, astragalus increases resistance to infections in these patients.
- Antitumor – used to stimulate apoptosis (natural programmed death of cancer cells). There is an improvement in the side effects of chemotherapy (nausea, vomiting and diarrhea). In this case, the maximum effectiveness of astragalus is observed during the first week of treatment.
- Cardiotonic and vasodilator – improving heart function and reducing the severity of symptoms of heart disease. Astragalus dilates blood vessels and increases the amount of blood pumped from the heart.
- Lowering and controlling blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes. Adding astragalus to the diet helps control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes, both after periods without food (such as sleep) and after meals, when used daily for 4 months.
- Reducing body weight by improving carbohydrate metabolism.
- Improving kidney function and maintaining kidney health. Improves protein levels in the urine (proteinuria), a sign of kidney damage or dysfunction. Astragalus helps prevent infections and the risk of inflammation in people with reduced kidney function when taken daily for 3-6 months.
- Tonic – reduces the manifestations of chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Anti-allergic – relieves the symptoms of seasonal allergies (sneezing, runny nose).
- Geroprotective – the ability of astragalus to stop cellular aging and slow down the shortening of telomeres has been proven. Telomeres are “protective caps” on chromosomes that thin with age and are a sign of cellular aging. Dr. Bill Edwards, USA, discovered the enzyme telomerase in germ cells, which restores telomeres to transmit age information to subsequent generations. Astragalus slows and reverses telomere shortening and restores and improves cellular function.