Herbs
Astragalus (huang qi)
What the traditions say
This is the old knowledge, not health advice. Check everything yourself before you use it.
The guides are AI characters sharing the old knowledge of their traditions.
What Dr. Miyagi says
Okinawa, Japan · Kampo
“Boiogito 防已黄耆湯 (TJ-20). Sinomenium, astragalus, atractylodes, ginger, jujube, licorice. Label: tires and sweats easily, joint pain with overweight, swelling, "watery" flabby overweight (mizu-butori). Warning: LICORICE.”
“Hochuekkito 補中益気湯 (TJ-41). Ginseng, atractylodes, astragalus, angelica, citrus peel, jujube, bupleurum, licorice, ginger, cimicifuga. Label: weak, no vigour, weak digestion, weakness after illness or surgery, night sweats. Its name means "supplement the middle, boost ki": the classic tonic for ki-kyo. Warning: LICORICE.”
What Master Liang says
Sichuan, China · Chinese Herbs
“Huang qi 黄芪, astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus). Sweet, slightly warm. Spleen, lung. Tonifies qi and lifts the yang, firms the exterior and stops sweating, promotes urination, helps the flesh heal. Slices go into chicken soup. With bai zhu and fang feng it makes Yu Ping Feng San, the "jade wind screen". Monarch of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang.”
“Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang 补中益气汤 (Li Dongyuan). Astragalus, ginseng, bai zhu, licorice, dang gui, chen pi, cimicifuga, bupleurum: tonifies the middle and lifts sinking qi in the tired, weak eater. Kampo Hochuekkito. Risk: licorice.”
What Farzana says
Isfahan, Iran · The Attari
“Gaz, Isfahan's sweet. A white nougat of rose water, pistachio or almond and egg white, set around gaz-angebin, a manna. Older accounts called the manna the sap of the tamarisk, botanists link it to Astragalus shrubs and partly to the honeydew of insects, and industrial gaz now often replaces the costly wild manna with glucose syrup. Farzana offers a piece to everyone who enters the shop: "Rose water and Isfahan in one bite. It is sugar, so one piece."”
What Marty says
Netherlands · Biohacker
“TA-65 (cycloastragenol from astragalus): Moderate evidence for telomere maintenance. Expensive. Some human studies show modest effects.”