Medicinal Plant Research 2025, Vol.15, No.5, 224-232 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/mpr 224 Systematic Review Open Access Systematic Review of Clinical Applications of Astragalus membranaceus in Respiratory Disorders Yuhong Huang1, Minghui Huang2 1 Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China 2 Institute of Life Science, Jiyang College of Zhejiang AandF University, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding author: minghui.huang@cuixi.org Medicinal Plant Research, 2025, Vol.15, No.5 doi: 10.5376/mpr.2025.15.0024 Received: 15 Aug., 2025 Accepted: 17 Sep., 2025 Published: 22 Oct., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Huang and Huang, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Huang Y.H., and Huang M.H., 2025, Systematic review of clinical applications of Astragalus membranaceus in respiratory disorders, Medicinal Plant Research, 15(5): 224-232 (doi: 10.5376/mpr.2025.15.0024) Abstract Astragalus membranaceus, as a fundamental herb in traditional Chinese medicine, has garnered increasing attention for its application in respiratory disorders. This study reviews the clinical evidence of Astragalus membranaceus in the treatment of both acute and chronic respiratory diseases, including upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, COPD, asthma, and pulmonary fibrosis. The results indicate that Astragalus membranaceus and its active constituents possess multiple pharmacological mechanisms—anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-fibrotic—contributing to improved lung function, symptom relief, and enhanced quality of life. When combined with conventional Western medicine or traditional herbal formulas, it demonstrates potential synergistic effects and reduced adverse reactions. Despite these promising findings, limitations remain, such as small sample sizes, low methodological quality, and insufficient standardization in current clinical trials. Astragalus membranaceus holds broad application prospects in respiratory medicine, but its safety and efficacy need further validation through high-quality, multicenter clinical studies to support its integration into evidence-based medical practice. Keywords Astragalus membranaceus; Respiratory diseases; Clinical application; Pharmacological effects; Evidence-based research 1 Introduction Astragalus membranaceus (Huangqi) is a foundation herb of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), employed more than two millennia ago to "tonify qi," bolster the immune system, and enhance resistance to disease (Wang et al., 2019). It is an archetypal herb in traditional formulas for fatigue, chronic disease, and states of deficiency. In practice today, A. membranaceus is found in numerous decoctions, granules, and injections, a testament to its versatility in prevention and treatment. The principal bioactive molecules of A. membranaceus are polysaccharides, saponins (specifically astragalosides), and flavonoids. Polysaccharides exhibit immunomodulatory and antioxidant activities, and enhance macrophage function as well as cytokine synthesis. Saponins possess anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and antiviral activities, while flavonoids are attributed to antioxidant activity and protection of cells. All these molecules are responsible for the extensive pharmacological action of A. membranaceus, rendering it of clinical value in multiple organ systems (Nguyen et al., 2024). Respiratory diseases, including acute respiratory tract infection, bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and pulmonary fibrosis, are severe global health burdens. A. membranaceus was found to have the capacity to inhibit inflammation, enhance immune response, and repress oxidative stress in these conditions. Its combination with standard therapies has been shown to add benefit to clinical endpoints like symptom palliation, lung function, and quality of life and is a useful adjunctive or complementary treatment in respiratory medicine (D'Avino et al., 2023). This study systematically distills clinical evidence of A. membranaceus use in acute and chronic respiratory disease. It evaluates pharmacological mechanisms, therapeutic effects, safety profiles, and dosing regimens, with the goal of constructing a definitive portrait of its clinical usefulness. By synthesis of modern research, we seek to
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