Astragalus (Herb/Suppl)

Brand and Other Names:Astragalus membranaceus

Suggested Dosing

Powder

1-30 g/d PO

Doses > 28 g/day not recommended, no additional benefit and might cause immune suppression

Decoction

0.5-1 L per day (maximum of 120 grams of whole root per liter of water)

Next:

Suggested Uses

URI, common cold, other infections, hepatitis

Breast, cervical, lung cancer (in combo with glossy privet [Ligustrum lucidum])

Efficacy

Insufficient reliable evidence to rate use in breast cancer, lung cancer, hepatitis and the common cold

Previous
Next:

Interactions

Interaction Checker

and Astragalus

No Results

     activity indicator 
    No Interactions Found
    Interactions Found

    Contraindicated

      Serious - Use Alternative

        Significant - Monitor Closely

          Minor

            All Interactions Sort By:
             activity indicator 

            Contraindicated (0)

              Serious - Use Alternative (0)

                Monitor Closely (27)

                • adalimumab

                  adalimumab increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • alefacept

                  alefacept increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • anakinra

                  anakinra increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • antithymocyte globulin equine

                  antithymocyte globulin equine increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • antithymocyte globulin rabbit

                  antithymocyte globulin rabbit increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • azathioprine

                  azathioprine increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • basiliximab

                  basiliximab increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • canakinumab

                  canakinumab increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • cyclosporine

                  cyclosporine increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • etanercept

                  etanercept increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • everolimus

                  everolimus increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • glatiramer

                  glatiramer increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • golimumab

                  golimumab increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • hydroxychloroquine sulfate

                  hydroxychloroquine sulfate increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • infliximab

                  infliximab increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • leflunomide

                  leflunomide increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • mercaptopurine

                  mercaptopurine increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • methotrexate

                  methotrexate increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • muromonab CD3

                  muromonab CD3 increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • mycophenolate

                  mycophenolate increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • rilonacept

                  rilonacept increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • sirolimus

                  sirolimus increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • tacrolimus

                  tacrolimus increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • temsirolimus

                  temsirolimus increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • tocilizumab

                  tocilizumab increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor. .

                • tongkat ali

                  tongkat ali increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • ustekinumab

                  ustekinumab increases and astragalus decreases immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.

                Minor (3)

                • acyclovir

                  astragalus increases effects of acyclovir by pharmacodynamic synergism. Minor/Significance Unknown.

                • echinacea

                  astragalus and echinacea both decrease immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Minor/Significance Unknown.

                • maitake

                  astragalus and maitake both decrease immunosuppressive effects; risk of infection. Minor/Significance Unknown.

                Previous
                Next:

                Warnings

                Contraindications

                Hypersensitivity

                Previous
                Next:

                Pregnancy & Lactation

                Pregnancy Category: N/A

                Lactation: N/A

                Pregnancy Categories

                A: Generally acceptable. Controlled studies in pregnant women show no evidence of fetal risk.

                B: May be acceptable. Either animal studies show no risk but human studies not available or animal studies showed minor risks and human studies done and showed no risk.

                C: Use with caution if benefits outweigh risks. Animal studies show risk and human studies not available or neither animal nor human studies done.

                D: Use in LIFE-THREATENING emergencies when no safer drug available. Positive evidence of human fetal risk.

                X: Do not use in pregnancy. Risks involved outweigh potential benefits. Safer alternatives exist.

                NA: Information not available.

                Previous
                Next:

                Pharmacology

                Mechanism of Action

                Saponins (e.g. astragaloside), Flavonoids, Polysaccharides

                Antioxidants, stimulates interferon, IgA, IgG

                Previous
                Medscape prescription drug monographs are based on FDA-approved labeling information, unless otherwise noted, combined with additional data derived from primary medical literature.