We use essential cookies (authentication, your saved goals/stack) by default. With your permission we'll also enable privacy-respecting analytics (Vercel Web Analytics, anonymous load-time metrics) and error-replay diagnostics (Sentry — DOM snapshots only when an error fires) so we can fix bugs faster. Learn more
Ast7.0
Astragalus Research
Probably helpsHigh safety
42 peer-reviewed studies
What the evidence says
Probably helps
Astragalus helped in about half (2/4) of the studies that measured an effect — promising, but not unanimous.
Most evidence is from high-quality meta-analyses and randomised trials published 2003–2026 with a typical study size of 1,443 participants.
Based on 42 studies · 16 meta-analyses · 4 RCTs · 39,616 total participants
Confidence
High
What the studies found
2helped1unclear1didn't help· 38 more without graded effect data
By outcome
Therapeutic & clinical
Mostly mechanism / observational22 studies
Immune supportEnhanced immune cell function · 4-8 weeks
34 studies in the last 5 years · Latest meta-analysis: 2026
200320142026
1Diabetic nephropathy managementMeta-AnalysisCited 3×n=1,443 · large study2025
Through rigorous experimental validation, our study demonstrates AS's significant clinical efficacy in managing DN.
Liang H et al. · Renal failure (2025)
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.
2Diabetes management effectivenessMeta-AnalysisCited 2×n=7,318 · very large study2025
TCM has demonstrated considerable effectiveness in managing diabetes.
Tang S et al. · Frontiers in endocrinology (2025)
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.
3CD8+ T cell count and adverse reactionsMeta-AnalysisCited 3×n=2,648 · very large study2025
Li Q et al. · Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology (2025)
No clear effect
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Could be chance
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.
4Urinary microprotein (β2-MG) in stage III diabetic nephropathyMeta-AnalysisCited 6×n=2,462 · very large study2024
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.
Lin YQ et al. · Renal failure (2024)
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.
5COPD treatment effectivenessMeta-AnalysisCited 4×n=1,070 · large study2023
This meta-analysis examined the effects of Astragalus.
Zhou Z et al. · Scientific reports (2023)
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.
6Complete response rate, partial response rate, serum albumin, and proteinuria reductionMeta-AnalysisCited 6×n=3,423 · very large study2023
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.
Wang D et al. · Medicine (2023)
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.
The combination of traditional Chinese medicine adjuvant therapy has a good curative effect on PDR patients.
Huai B et al. · Frontiers in endocrinology (2023)
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.
8Total effective ratio and significant effective ratioMeta-AnalysisCited 4×n=953 · large study2024
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42022338491.
Hong KF et al. · Journal of integrative and complementary medicine (2024)
Large harm
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Likely real
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.
9Serum myocardial enzymes and cardiac troponin I levelsSystematic ReviewCited 18×n=2,522 · very large study2020
In conclusion, the findings suggested that AM is a cardioprotection candidate drug for VM.
Zheng Q et al. · Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity (2020)
Borderline
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).
10Spinal cord injury treatment outcomesMeta-AnalysisCited 20×n=1,961 · large study2020
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.
Zheng Y et al. · The American journal of Chinese medicine (2020)
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.
11Meta-AnalysisCited 56×n=2,253 · very large study2019
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.
Zhang L et al. · Journal of ethnopharmacology (2019)
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.
12Renal protective effect and systemic state improvementMeta-AnalysisCited 99×n=1,804 · large study2011
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.
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.
Sheng X et al. · Integrative cancer therapies (2025)
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).
15Proinflammatory cytokinesMeta-AnalysisCited 4×n=94 · small study2023
This systematic review and meta-analysis provide evidence supporting the immunomodulatory effects of Astragalus on humoral and cellular response.
Zhang X et al. · Complementary medicine research (2023)
Huge benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Likely real
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.
16CKD progression prevention and treatmentSystematic ReviewCited 7×2024
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.
TMs appear to be effective and safe in the prevention of chronic OIPN, especially severe chronic OIPN.
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.
However, quality-assured trials with long-term follow-up for exploring inflammatory factors and preliminary research on core TMs and pharmacological pathways are needed.
Wang C et al. · Alternative therapies in health and medicine (2023)
In all studies, all heterogeneous (P < .01, I2 = 94%, the intervention groups had a significantly greater reduction in 24-h UP than the control groups did (P < .05).
The heterogeneity for a treatment course of ≤4 weeks was P < .01, I2 = 97%, and for a course of >4 weeks was P < .01, I2 = 87%.
A. membranaceus and R.
20Systematic ReviewCited 15×2023
This systematic review for the first time provides meaningful information for the further study of the pharmacodynamic material basis and pharmacological mechanism of QM granules, and also provides a basis for further study of quality markers and quality control of QM granules.
Huang Y et al. · Journal of ethnopharmacology (2023)
This systematic review for the first time provides meaningful information for the further study of the pharmacodynamic material basis and pharmacological mechanism of QM granules, and also provides a basis for further study of quality markers and quality control of QM granules.