The Antioxidant Effects of Radix Astragali (Astragalus membranaceus and Related Species) in Protecting Tissues from Injury and Disease.
Oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of various diseases. Antioxidants protect the cells and tissues from oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals and reactive oxygen species. These antioxidants may be endogenous or exogenous. Plants are considered as potential and powerful exogenous source of antioxidants. Astragalus species (spp.), especially Astragalus membranaceus, have a long history of medicinal use in traditional Chinese medicine. Specifically, constituents of the dried roots of Astragalus spp. (Radix Astragali) provide significant protection against heart, brain, kidney, intestine, liver and lung injury in various models of oxidative stress-related disease. Different isolated constituents of Astragalus spp., such as astragalosides, flavonoids and polysaccharides also displayed significant prevention of tissue injury via antioxidant mechanisms. In this article, the antioxidant benefits of Astragalus spp. and its isolated components in protecting tissues from injury are reviewed, along with identification of the various constituents that possess antioxidant activity.
Muhammad
M
Shahzad
Arham
A
Shabbir
Ken
K
Wojcikowski
Hans
H
Wohlmuth
Centre for Kidney Disease Research, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane 4102, Australia. g.gobe@uq.edu.au.
Glenda C
GC
Gobe
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D027883:Astragalus Plant / Q000737:chemistry*; D027885:Astragalus propinquus / Q000737:chemistry; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D018517:Plant Roots; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C027492:Huang Qi