Astragalus Research
45 peer-reviewed studies · Evidence score: 7/10
Efficacy and potential pharmacological mechanism of Astragalus-Salvia miltiorrhiza combination in diabetic nephropathy: integrating meta-analysis, network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation
Liang H et al. • Renal failure (2025)
Through rigorous experimental validation, our study demonstrates AS's significant clinical efficacy in managing DN.
- Meanwhile, when the treatment duration exceeds 12 weeks, AS demonstrated a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose levels, indicating a time-dependent effect.
- Through rigorous experimental validation, our study demonstrates AS's significant clinical efficacy in managing DN.
- Specifically, AS has been shown to enhance renal function, ameliorate renal fibrosis, and positively influence iron metabolism.
Evaluating efficacy and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in diabetes treatment: a meta-analysis and network pharmacology study
Tang S et al. • Frontiers in endocrinology (2025)
TCM has demonstrated considerable effectiveness in managing diabetes.
- TCM has demonstrated considerable effectiveness in managing diabetes.
- Through meta-analysis and network pharmacology research, this translational study establishes Level 1a evidence for TCM's antidiabetic efficacy while decoding its systems-level mechanisms.
- The integrated methodology provides a paradigm for evaluating complex herbal interventions in metabolic disorders.
Efficacy and safety of astragalus polysaccharides in patients with malignant tumors: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Li Q et al. • Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology (2025)
The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
- No substantial distinctions were noted between the two groups in terms of CD8 + T cell count [MD = -1.74, 95% CI (-4.66, 1.17), P = 0.242].
- Regarding adverse reactions, the incidence of symptoms such as hand-foot numbness and weakness was low, indicating a high safety profile.
- Supplementation with APS can improve treatment outcomes, enhance immune function, and demonstrate a high level of safety in malignant tumor patients, making it a promising option for clinical use.
Efficacy of astragalus combined with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers in the treatment of stage III diabetic nephropathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Lin YQ et al. • Renal failure (2024)
The astragalus-RAAS blocker combination treatment is safe and improves outcomes; however, rigorous randomized, large-scale, multi-center, double-blind trials are needed to evaluate its efficacy and safety in stage III DN.
- Meanwhile, the latter significantly decreased the urinary microprotein (β2-MG).
- The astragalus-RAAS blocker combination treatment is safe and improves outcomes; however, rigorous randomized, large-scale, multi-center, double-blind trials are needed to evaluate its efficacy and safety in stage III DN.
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Evaluating traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Jie Geng and Huang Qi combination on reducing surgical site infections in colorectal cancer surgeries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Chen S et al. • International wound journal (2024)
International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
- Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, we focused on seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 1256 patients, examining the incidence of PWIs within 30 days post-surgery, alongside secondary outcomes such as length of hospital stay and antibiotic use.
- These findings suggest that Jie Geng and Huang Qi in TCM could be an effective adjunct in postoperative care for colorectal cancer surgeries, underscoring the need for further high-quality RCTs to substantiate these results and explore the underlying mechanisms.© 2024 The Authors.
- International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
The combination of astragalus injection and ambroxol hydrochloride in the adjuvant treatment of COPD: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Zhou Z et al. • Scientific reports (2023)
This meta-analysis examined the effects of Astragalus.
- The combination of astragalus injection and ambroxol hydrochloride could be a selection of COPD patients as an adjuvant treatment.
- However, further validation is required to evaluate the effectiveness of combining astragalus injection and ambroxol hydrochloride as an adjunctive treatment for patients with COPD.© 2023.
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Astragalus membranaceus formula for moderate-high risk idiopathic membranous nephropathy: A meta-analysis
Wang D et al. • Medicine (2023)
Adjunctive use of A membranaceus preparations combined with supportive care or immunosuppressive therapy have a promising treatment for improving complete response rate, partial response rate, serum albumin, and reducing proteinuria, serum creatinine levels compared to immunosuppressive therapy in people with MN being at moderate-high risk for disease progression.
- Given the inherent limitations of the included studies, future well-designed randomized controlled trials are required to confirm and update the findings of this analysis.
- Published in Medicine (2023)
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Systematic evaluation of combined herbal adjuvant therapy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy
Huai B et al. • Frontiers in endocrinology (2023)
The combination of traditional Chinese medicine adjuvant therapy has a good curative effect on PDR patients.
- The combination of traditional Chinese medicine adjuvant therapy has a good curative effect on PDR patients.
- However, the relevant clinical trials are few and more high-quality clinical trials are still needed, what's more the attention should be paid to the exploration of its safety.
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
The Efficacy and Safety of Astragalus as an Adjuvant Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Hong KF et al. • Journal of integrative and complementary medicine (2024)
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42022338491.
- The total effective ratio of the OG is more effective than CG (RR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.26-1.40, P = 0.000), the significant effective ratio (RR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.48-1.93, P = 0.000).
- Conclusions: Astragalus may provide specific benefits for T2DM patients as an adjuvant treatment.
- Nonetheless, the certainty of the evidence and risk of bias fell short of optimal performance, indicating the need for additional clinical research to ascertain potential effects.
Efficacy of astragalus in the treatment of radiation-induced lung injury based on traditional Chinese medicine: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 25 RCTs
Pang XM et al. • Medicine (2022)
The traditional Chinese medicinal preparation containing astragalus can effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms of RILI, reduce the toxic side effects, and is safe to use in clinic.
- The traditional Chinese medicinal preparation containing astragalus can effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms of RILI, reduce the toxic side effects, and is safe to use in clinic.
- Published in Medicine (2022)
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Clinical and Preclinical Systematic Review of Astragalus Membranaceus for Viral Myocarditis
Zheng Q et al. • Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity (2020)
In conclusion, the findings suggested that AM is a cardioprotection candidate drug for VM.Copyright © 2020 Qun Zheng et al.
- In clinical study, AM significantly reduced serum myocardial enzymes and cardiac troponin I levels and improved the clinical treatment efficiency in VM patients compared with the control group (P < 0.05).
- Significant increase of the survival rate and decrease of the cardiac cardiology score, cardiac enzymes, and cardiac troponin I were compared with the placebo group in animal studies (P < 0.05).
- There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions (P > 0.05).
Chinese Herbal Medicine in Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Zheng Y et al. • The American journal of Chinese medicine (2020)
However, considering the low quality, small size, and high risk of the studies identified in this meta-analysis, higher methodological quality, rigorously designed RCTs with large sample sizes are needed to confirm the results.
- In addition, there were no serious and permanent adverse effects in the two groups.
- The methodological quality of the most included RCTs was poor and the quality of evidence for the main outcomes was from very low to moderate according to the GRADE system.
- Current evidence suggests that CHM is an effective and safe treatment for SCI and could be treated as a complementary and alternative option with few side effects.
Astragalus membranaceus (Huang Qi) as adjunctive therapy for diabetic kidney disease: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Zhang L et al. • Journal of ethnopharmacology (2019)
The low quality of evidence suggested that adjunctive use of A. membranaceus preparations in addition to conventional therapies may be effective and tolerated for short-term reduction of albuminuria, proteinuria, and serum creatinine in DKD patients.
- An anti-albuminuria effect was also observed in the oral A. membranaceus preparation group (four RCTs, 236 participants; SMD: 1.27 [-1.82, -0.73], I2 = 73%).
- The low quality of evidence suggested that adjunctive use of A. membranaceus preparations in addition to conventional therapies may be effective and tolerated for short-term reduction of albuminuria, proteinuria, and serum creatinine in DKD patients.
- The findings should be considered with caution due to the lack of high-quality RCTs and significant heterogeneity and publication bias.
Meta-analysis of the clinical value of Astragalus membranaceus in diabetic nephropathy
Li M et al. • Journal of ethnopharmacology (2011)
Astragalus injection had more therapeutic effect in DN patients including renal protective effect (BUN, SCr, CCr and urine protein) and systemic state improvement (serum albumin level) compared with the control group.
- Astragalus injection had more therapeutic effect in DN patients including renal protective effect (BUN, SCr, CCr and urine protein) and systemic state improvement (serum albumin level) compared with the control group.
- Published in Journal of ethnopharmacology (2011)
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Adjuvant therapy with Astragalus membranaceus for post-stroke fatigue: a systematic review
Xu L et al. • Metabolic brain disease (2020)
However, stronger evidence is needed for a promising conclusion and more rigorous designs of RCTs are merited in the future.
- The evidence was poor in quality with unclear or high risks of bias.
- In conclusions, adjuvant therapy with CHM-HQ may benefit in managing fatigue and quality of life in stroke patients.
- However, stronger evidence is needed for a promising conclusion and more rigorous designs of RCTs are merited in the future.
Efficacy of Astragalus Membranaceus (Huang Qi) for Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies
Sheng X et al. • Integrative cancer therapies (2025)
Registered 20 July 2023.
- The effect size was estimated using relative risk and mean difference with a corresponding 95% confidence interval.
- More high-quality evidence is needed in the future to further validate the use of Astragalus membranaceus in the treatment of clinical cancer-related fatigue.
- Registration: A review protocol was developed and registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO).
The Effect of Astragalus on Humoral and Cellular Immune Response: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Human Studies
Zhang X et al. • Complementary medicine research (2023)
This systematic review and meta-analysis provide evidence supporting the immunomodulatory effects of Astragalus on humoral and cellular response.
- The analysis of humoral immune markers revealed a significant reduction in proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, following Astragalus intervention (SMD -2.8765, 95% CI: -3.2385 to -2.5145, p < 0.0001).
- In the cellular immunity domain, Astragalus was found to significantly increase CD3 levels and the CD4/CD8 ratio (SMD 2.4629, 95% CI: 1.9598; 2.9661).
- This systematic review and meta-analysis provide evidence supporting the immunomodulatory effects of Astragalus on humoral and cellular response.
Potential Effects of Bioactive Compounds of Plant-Based Foods and Medicinal Plants in Chronic Kidney Disease and Dialysis: A Systematic Review
Josa E et al. • Nutrients (2024)
These results suggest that bioactive compounds of plant-based foods and medicinal plants have promising effects in terms of preventing or treating CKD progression and appear to improve inflammation and antioxidant capacity and support cardiovascular benefits and renoprotective effects; however, it is recommended that further studies be carried out.
- Systematic review examining Astragalus efficacy
- Published in Nutrients (2024)
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Changes in the Gut Microbiota after the Use of Herbal Medicines in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Systematic Review
Huang M et al. • Nutrients (2023)
Herbal medicine modulates GM and is associated with increased genera in obese individuals.
- Herbal medicine modulates GM and is associated with increased genera in obese individuals.
- Published in Nutrients (2023)
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Efficacy and safety of traditional plant-based medicines for preventing chronic oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neurotoxicity in patients with colorectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis with core herb contribution
Han J et al. • Journal of ethnopharmacology (2024)
TMs appear to be effective and safe in the prevention of chronic OIPN, especially severe chronic OIPN.
- TMs appear to be effective and safe in the prevention of chronic OIPN, especially severe chronic OIPN.
- However, quality-assured trials with long-term follow-up for exploring inflammatory factors and preliminary research on core TMs and pharmacological pathways are needed.
- Further research warranted to confirm findings