Project Description
Astragalus membranaceus
Actions: Adaptogenic (supports adrenal glands), immune enhancing, tonic, cardio tonic and hypotensive (lowers high blood pressure). 🍃Astragalus is my first choice of herb for tick bites and acute Lyme disease, which makes it a very important herb to have on hand if you live in a tick prone habitat. Keep it in the first aid kit when camping.
🍃In an initial Lyme or tick borne infection, or as a prophylaxis treatment when bitten by a tick or other vectors, I recommend therapeutic doses of this herb.
🍃Generally, in traditional naturopathic practice, astragalus is not recommended for acute infections, but in the case of acute Borreliosis, this is an exception. Borrelia bacteria have been known to change the TH1 and TH2 balance at the site of initial infection creating a dominant TH2 environment. Mice studies show Astragalus can boost the TH1, interleukin 2 and interferon gamma immune cells (Mao et al 2004). 🍃Other studies show how Astragalus will help balance the T helper cells in chronic auto immune diseases (Wang et al, 2006).
🍃Astragalus is also useful for chronic immune deficiency especially when patients experience Lyme cardiovascular symptoms like palpitations, tachycardia and tightness of the chest. 🍃Other indications for using this herb are fatigue, debility, night sweats and leukopenia (low white blood cells).
I often use Astragalus together with Echinacea in chronic Lyme cases to support immune modulation and function. 🍃
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