Astragalus

[Edward E. WaldenStudent]

OK. I’ve been doing some studying (try not to act too shocked) about astragalus and it appears to be truly amazing herb.

It has a long list if medicinal uses including cancer treatment. So I have to ask:

What does astragalus do best or what is astragalus best used for?

This is of course coming from a “student of herbal medicine” who wants to be a “real herbalist” some day.

I don’t plan on tackling cancer any time soon. 🙂

[IdahoHerbalist]

I learned recently thought Doc’s Respiratory module that it CAN ward off a cytokine storm if taken early and often enough.

Is that it’s ROCK STAR feature? I guess that depends on what you need it to do.

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

Astragalus has several really wonderful properties.

It has the power to enhance and harmonize the effects of other herbs. It is one of the important overall tonics in Chinese medicine. It’s especially good as a tonic for folks under 40.

It’s a specific for any kind of wasting or exhausting disease.

It’s also a good immune stimulant and a good diuretic. It’s on my list of things to learn to grow.

Doc

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[IdahoHerbalist]

Doc Jones wrote: It has the power to enhance and harmonize the effects of other herbs.

I guess that makes it an adaptogen then, right?

[Edward E. WaldenStudentTopic Author]

Doc Jones wrote: …It’s on my list of things to learn to grow.

Doc

We have seeds and are planning on getting them into the ground this spring. From what I have read, we will be two to four years to harvest.

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

I’ve planted it a time or two without any luck. Let us know how you do.

Doc

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[Patricia W LamStudent]

I have been reading that many of the couple thousand cultivars of Astragalus (Milkvetch) are extremely toxic to cattle; just a few ounces can kill a full grown cow and unlike most toxic plants they really like it.

If it is difficult to grow I am probably very safe in keeping it out of my cow pasture, but just in case I am successful I would like to be sure I am planting a non-toxic Astragalus (just in case seeds find their way to the cows). The word is that even botanists have a hard time distinguishing the toxic from the non-toxic.

Can you help me on this?

[Author]

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