Astragalus safety studies
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Astragalus Safety in Animal Toxicity Studies
Animal studies have shown that Astragalus and its key components are generally safe at high doses. In subchronic toxicity studies, rats given cycloastragenol (a bioactive compound from Astragalus) at doses up to 150 mg/kg/day for over 90 days showed no treatment-related deaths or adverse effects, with a no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) above 150 mg/kg/day. Genotoxicity tests also found no mutagenic or clastogenic effects at high doses, except for a single in vitro result likely due to poor solubility rather than true toxicity . Similarly, a mixture containing Astragalus extract (HT042) and its constituent herbs was safe in rats at single doses up to 5000 mg/kg and repeated doses up to 4000 mg/kg/day, with no deaths or toxicologically significant changes observed .
Astragalus Safety in Clinical and Meta-Analytic Studies
Safety in Diabetes and Diabetic Kidney Disease
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of Astragalus as an adjunct treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) found that Astragalus is generally well tolerated. Adverse event rates were similar between Astragalus and control groups, and some studies even reported reduced rates of hypoglycemia and gastrointestinal side effects when Astragalus was combined with conventional therapies 3689. However, the overall quality of evidence was low due to methodological limitations and potential publication bias, so further high-quality studies are needed 3689.
Safety in Cancer Therapy
In patients with colorectal cancer, Astragalus-containing traditional Chinese medicines combined with chemotherapy reduced the incidence of adverse reactions such as neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and neurotoxicity compared to chemotherapy alone. Rates of hepatic and renal dysfunction were similar between groups, suggesting that Astragalus does not increase the risk of these complications .
Safety in Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Conditions
Ongoing clinical trials are evaluating the safety of Astragalus in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease and diabetic kidney disease, with safety monitoring including physical exams, laboratory tests, and adverse event tracking 410. These studies are designed to provide more robust data on the safety profile of Astragalus in diverse patient populations.
Safety of Astragalus Compounds
Specific compounds from Astragalus, such as astragaloside IV, have been studied for their pharmacological effects and safety. In vitro and in vivo studies indicate that these compounds have favorable safety profiles and do not show significant toxicity at tested concentrations .
Conclusion
Current evidence from animal studies, clinical trials, and meta-analyses suggests that Astragalus and its key components are generally safe when used at recommended doses, both alone and in combination with other therapies. Adverse effects are rare and typically mild, with some evidence suggesting a reduction in certain side effects when Astragalus is used as an adjunct therapy. However, the quality of clinical evidence is often limited, and more rigorous, large-scale studies are needed to confirm long-term safety in humans.
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Most relevant research papers on this topic
Dietary safety of cycloastragenol from Astragalus spp.: subchronic toxicity and genotoxicity studies.
Cycloastragenol (CAG) from Astragalus roots is a safe dietary ingredient with no known adverse effects or genotoxic potential.
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