Astragalus membranaceus: a review of its potential effects
Astragalus membranaceus is a very important medicinal herb in the practice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
It is commonly used in many formulations to treat a wide variety of bodily diseases and disorders.
The main components of Astragalus membranaceus are: Polysaccharides, Flavonoids and Saponins
Science has investigated the plant, its extracts and components.
After many scientific publications, different effects have been attributed includingantioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, anticancer, hypolipidemic, antihyperglycemic, hepatoprotective, expectorant, diuretic, significant protection against cardiac, brain, kidney, intestinal, hepatic and pulmonary lesions in several models of diseases related to oxidative stress.
From here many people could draw quick and misleading conclusions.
A first thought would be to think that you have to take this plant or get a food supplement based on Astragalus.
However, food supplements cannot be taken lightly.
No, without first knowing what you are consuming.
For example, Astragalus membranaceus includes more than 2000 species.
Of the most commonly used we find the Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)
Bge.
(Fam Leguminosae) and Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)
Bge.
Var.
mongholicus (Bge.).
On the other hand, in traditional Chinese medicine they use Astragali Radix, which is the root of Astragalus membranaceus.
Astragalus membranaceus
Currently, more than 200 compounds of Astragalus membranaceus have been isolated and identified.
Its fractions of total polysaccharides, saponins, flavonoids and several isolated compounds have been the most studied.
These carry the biological activities of Astragalus membranaceus.
Specifically, flavonoids include flavones, flavonols, flavanones, flavanonols, chalcones, auronas, isoflavonoids, and pterocarpals.
Among them, isoflavonoids are divided into two groups: isoflavones and isoflavans.
And other components such as Astragalan, an acid polysaccharide isolated from Astragalus membranaceus, have also been attributed anti-aging effects.
In fact, if we review the different publications as https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29344421/ we will realize that it is more difficult than it seems. Not only must we know why we have to take Astragalus but also what part of the plant we have to consume. Because as we have seen, different studies have been analyzed with flavonoids, saponins, polysaccharides, etc., and each one has its particular active ingredient.
In addition, we must take into account other factors such as oral bioavailability, its plasma protein binding rate, its very frequent poor intestinal permeability, its high molecular weight, low lipophilicity and its paracellular transport.
A saponin from Astragalus membranaceus (TA-65®) with the ability to increase telomerase activity has been studied
And what is telomerase?
It is an enzyme whose role is to repair the terminal tips (telomeres) of our chromosomes that make up our genetic material within the nucleus of the cell.
If these tips or telomeres are damaged or very short, our cells die.
This is considered one of the main causes of why we age.
Telomeres are associated with aging
Telomeres are essential genetic elements responsible for the protection of chromosomes, and short telomeres are associated with aging and many diseases.
Thus, an active ingredient that activates telomerase could be said to be an active ingredient that acts by delaying aging.
If we remember the theories of aging
Aging is defined as a progressive decline in intrinsic physiological function, leading to an increase in the age-specific mortality rate and a decrease in the age-specific reproduction rate.
The main theories of aging include the theory of telomere shortening, the theory of genetic regulation and epigenetics, the theory of stem cells and mitochondrial dysfunction, metabolic and immune dysregulation, loss of proteostasis, and theory of the regulation of the gut microbiota.
Therefore, addressing these pathological changes could reverse aging and treat age-associated diseases.
If we return to Astragalus, after learning about the benefits of the plant, and we return to the need to take an effective food supplement. TA-65®contains a saponin from the root of this plant, of which tons of the dried root are needed to concentrate it.
So we could say that we would not achieve the same effects by taking an infusion of the plant or a capsule with the powder of the root as if we took the TA-65® that concentrates said saponin in its extract.
Which saponin uses TA-65® as an active ingredient?
There are more than 161 saponins including:
- About 142 types of cycloartane-type saponins
- Approximately 19 types of oleanan-type saponins.
Among them, 5 major saponins, including astragalosides I, II, and IV, and isoastragalosides I and II, all cycloartan-type triterpenoids, constitute more than 80% of total saponins.
And Astragalloside IV is the biomarker of qualitative control.
TA-65® improvement of certain indicators of health duration
TA-65® is composed of one of these saponins, but as it is protected by patent we cannot know which one.
However, its effects on age reversal on the immune system have been shown in different studies conducted on both rats and humans.
These effects cannot be attributed and extrapolated to the many other Astragalus extracts that we can find on the market.
TA-65®, a single chemical entity isolated from the root extract of Astragalus membranaceus, has been shown in published studies to lead to an improvement of certain indicators of health duration, including glucose tolerance, osteoporosis, and skin improvement, without significantly increasing the overall incidence of cancer in female mice [206].
The anti-aging and health effect of TA-65®
Several studies have shown that telomerase activation can maintain telomere length, slow aging, and reverse tissue degeneration due to age:
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 117 relatively healthy cytomegalovirus-positive patients aged 53 to 87 years showed that TA-65®can lengthen telomeres.
Another study that looked at 7000 person-years over a 5-year period, found that TA-65®improved markers of metabolic, bone, and cardiovascular health, with no adverse events.
This suggests that TA-65®improves health and may reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality.
TA-65®increased telomerase activity in a telomere shortening cell model: IMR90 cells
TA-65®can also lengthen the telomere length of red blood cells and produce higher rates of feather turnover in captive zebra finches.
Accordingly, TA-65®can activate telomerase to increase the average telomere length in haploinsufficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts and in aged mice, decrease the percentage of DNA damage and remodel the relative proportions of circulating leukocytes, reduce the percentage of cells with short telomeres, and improve the structure of multiple tissues, at the same time.
In old female mice, administration of TA-65®for 4 months improved the duration of health, but had no impact on mean or maximum longevity.
TA-65® Immunoregulation
In the human body, TA-65®exerts positive immune-remodeling effects, including significant decreases in the percentage of senescent cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells, especially in cytomegalovirus-seropositive subjects over a period of 1 year relative to baseline values.
In cultured human CD4 and CD8 T cells from six healthy donors, TA-65®was found to increase telomerase activity by regulating the specific MAPK pathway and increasing proliferative activity.
In summary, our review focuses on the function and underlying mechanisms of Astragalus membranaceus in lifespan extension, anti-vascular aging, brain aging and anti-cancer effects, based on experimental and clinical studies, but as the topic is very extensive, I recommend that if you have time and those who like science the most to read the different reviews and meta-analyses that I mention in the section on Bibliography.
Astragalus is usually taken in combination with other herbal supplements.
When used properly, astragalus appears to be very safe and have few side effects.
Very high doses can suppress the immune system.
Therefore, patients should avoid using astragalus if they are taking immunosuppressive medications.
Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not use astragalus root.
If a person has an immune system disease, such as multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or another condition known as an “autoimmune disease,” that person should not use talus root.
As with any herbal supplement, it is always advised to consult your pharmacist or doctor or other healthcare professional before use.
The proper dosage of astragalus depends on several factors, such as the user’s age, health status, and several other conditions.
Bibliography
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29344421/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5758356/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26916911/
