Astragalus refers to various species used in alternative medicine, particularly Astragalus membranaceus, a key herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine known as huangqi. This herb contains bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides, flavonoids, and saponins and is often used alone or in combination with Angelicae sinensis in traditional formulations.

Astragalus membranaceus is claimed to have various benefits for conditions such as chronic heart failure, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cancer, but the evidence for these claims in humans is generally low due to methodological issues and biases in studies. Most of the supporting evidence comes from animal and cell-culture experiments, which highlights the need for high-quality randomized controlled trials by independent researchers to validate these therapeutic effects.

The main drawbacks of astragalus include the low quality of research and the lack of clarity regarding which species or parts of the plant are used, as well as the common combination of supplements with other compounds, which make it difficult to ascertain their direct effects. Although there are no serious side effects reported, human studies often do not document any side effects, which is a limitation in the available evidence.

Astragalus membranaceus and its bioactive compounds acts by regulating antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunological pathways, as well as increasing telomerase activity, which can potentially aid in chronic disease treatment. Most evidence comes from in vitro and animal studies, which indicates a need for further clinical research to understand its mechanisms in humans.