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Astragali Radix (Huangqi)

Sweet in flavor, slightly warm in nature. Non-toxic. Primarily treats chronic, unhealed sores from carbuncles and ulcers; expels pus and relieves pain; treats leprosy caused by severe wind pathogens; treats five types of hemorrhoids and scrofula (lymphatic tuberculosis); tonifies deficiency; treats various diseases in children; treats wind-pathogen invasion of the uterus in women; drives out evil blood between the five zang organs; tonifies deficiency and damage in men; alleviates emaciation and weakness due to the five labors; stops thirst; treats abdominal pain, diarrhea, and dysentery; benefits qi; promotes the flow of yin qi. Astragali Radix produced in Baishui has a cold nature and possesses tonifying properties. Its stems and leaves treat thirst, as well as muscle spasms, carbuncles, swellings, and ulcers. Also known as Daishen, Daishen, Dushen, Jicao, Shuzhi, and Baiben. Grows in the valleys of Shujun, Baishui, and Hanzhong; harvested in February and October; dried in the shade. (Incompatible with Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum.)

Tao Hongjing stated: The best quality comes from Taoyang in Longxi, yellowish-white in color, sweet and delicious, but now hard to obtain. Next is that from Dangchang in Heishui, white in color, coarse texture, newly harvested ones are also sweet, warm, and tonifying. There is also that from Canling Baishui, which surpasses those from Shuzhong in luster and texture but is cold in nature and tonifying. There is also red-colored variety, suitable for making plasters to dissipate carbuncles and swellings; commonly used in secular prescriptions, but not required by Daoist physicians. *Bencao Tujing* notes: The leaves resemble ferns or Tribulus seeds. It has a single stem or grows in clusters. Currently, those from Yuanzhou and Huayuan are the best; those from Shu and Han are no longer adopted. Ministers Yu Xi et al. respectfully followed the *Shuben Tujing*: Leaves resemble fern grass, single stem, branches spread out, purple flowers, roots like Glycyrrhizae Radix, yellow skin and white flesh, about two to three chi long. Those from Yuanzhou are good; those from Yizhou and Ningzhou are also excellent. *Yaoxing Lun* states: Huangqi, also named Wangsun. Treats back carbuncles, internally tonifies, primarily treats deficiency asthma, kidney decline, deafness, and treats chills and fever. Lower grade from Longxi, tonifies the five zang organs. From Shu Baishui with red skin, slightly cold, used to treat external heat pathogens. Xiao Bing stated: Grows in Guzi Mountain valley of Huayuan, Yuanzhou, yellow flowers. Ri Huazi stated: Huangqi is incompatible with Dictamni Cortex. Assists qi, strengthens sinews and bones, increases flesh, nourishes blood, breaks up masses and accumulations, treats scrofula, goiter, warts, intestinal wind, metrorrhagia, leukorrhea, bloody and non-bloody dysentery, all diseases before and after childbirth, irregular menstruation, wasting-thirst, phlegm-cough, and treats headache due to wind, red eyes due to heat-toxin, etc. As a tonic herb, it is called "Mutton." Furthermore, Baishui Huangqi is cool and non-toxic. Expels pus, treats blood disorders, and烦热闷毒 (stifling-heat toxic pathogens), bone-steaming consumptive fever. Its efficacy is secondary to Huangqi. Chishui Huangqi is cool and non-toxic. Treats blood disorders, clears heat toxins, and other efficacies are the same as above. Mu Huangqi is cool and non-toxic. Treats stifling heat, expels pus. Its strength is weaker than Huangqi; if Huangqi is unavailable, double the dosage.

*Tujing* states: Huangqi grows in the valleys of Shujun, Baishui, and Hanzhong; currently abundant in Hedong and Shaanxi prefectures. Roots are over two to three chi long. Single stem, growing in clusters, branches and stalks two to three cun above ground. Leaves are sparse and fern-like, resembling Tribulus seedlings. Yellow-purple flowers bloom in mid-July; fruits are pods about one cun long. Roots are harvested in August. When broken, the skin feels like cotton, hence called Mian Huangqi (Cotton Astragalus). However, there are several types: Baishui Huangqi, Chishui Huangqi, and Mu Huangqi. Their efficacies are the same, but their strength does not match Baishui Huangqi. Mu Huangqi is short and has transverse grain. Nowadays, many people use Medicago sativa roots to fake Huangqi; the broken skin resembles cotton, easily deceiving the eye. However, Medicago sativa roots are hard and brittle, whereas Huangqi is extremely flexible and tough, with slightly yellow-brown skin and white interior flesh; this is the distinction. In the Tang Dynasty, Xu Yizong, when serving as Military Affairs Officer for Prince Xincai, found Empress Dowager Liu suffering from wind-stroke unable to speak, with a deep pulse and locked jaw. Yizong said, "Since oral medication cannot be administered, steam inhalation with decoction should be used; medicinal vapors will enter the couli (skin pores), and recovery can occur within one day and night." Thus, he prepared several hu of Huangqi and Fangfeng Decoction, placed it under the bed, the vapor resembling smoke; that evening, she could speak. The efficacy of medicinal steaming is thus recorded, allowing skilled physicians to learn from this method.

Lei Gong stated: When using, do not use Mu Huangqi, as the herbs look very similar, except that the leaves are shorter when growing and the roots are horizontal. First, remove the wrinkled skin at the top, steam for half a day, then take out, break into fine pieces by hand, and chop on a locust wood cutting board. *Shenghui Fang*: Treats lung obstruction causing vomiting. Use two liang of Huangqi, pound into fine powder. Take three qian each time, with one zhan of water, decoct until six fen remains, take warm, three to four times daily. Another prescription: Treats slow abscess. Pound one liang into powder, take two qian bi with warm water at any time. *Waitai Miyao*: Mainly treats onychocryptosis (ingrown toenail) with ulceration, swelling and rotting at the edge of the toenail, with red flesh protruding, recurring intermittently. Use two liang of Huangqi, three liang of Ru vegetable, soak in vinegar overnight, add five he of pork lard, simmer over low heat to obtain three he, strain and discard dregs, apply to the wound three times a day or twice, the necrotic flesh will dissolve. *Zhouhou Fang*: Treats alcohol jaundice, mental restlessness and pain, fullness in calves, yellow urine, red-black-yellow spots appearing after drinking, caused by drunkenness exposed to wind and entering water. Two liang of Huangqi, one liang of Magnoliae Officinalis Bark, grind into powder. Take one fangcun bi with wine, three times daily. Mei Shi Fang: Tonifies lungs and expels pus. Use six liang of Huangqi, chop finely, decoct in three sheng of water to obtain one sheng, strain and drink. Chu Yushi treated ingrown nails penetrating flesh, with constant bleeding and pain. Equal parts of Huangqi and Angelicae Sinensis Radix, ground into powder, applied to the wound. If there is necrotic tissue, mix with a small amount of Sulfur powder and apply together. Sun Yonghe: Treats intestinal wind with bloody stool. Equal parts of Huangqi and Coptidis Rhizoma, ground into powder, formed into pills the size of mung beans with wheat paste. Take thirty pills each time with rice water. Xi Yanshang: Treats internal deficiency with heat, coughing with purulent blood, dry mouth, tongue, and throat, where cooling medicines cannot be taken. Four liang of good Huangqi, one liang of Glycyrrhizae Radix, grind into powder. Take three qian each time, mixed like tea, or added to soup or porridge. Bieshuo states: Respectfully following records, Huangqi originally from Mianshang is superior, hence named Mian Huangqi. The Xianshui depicted in *Tujing* is indeed Mianshang, adjacent lands. If defined by flexibility like cotton, it is called Mian Huangqi, but all genuine Huangqi is flexible; fake ones are distinguished by being dry and brittle.

*Yanyi* states: Fangfeng and Huangqi are often used together in the world. Tang Dynasty's Xu Sizong (Si originally pronounced 'yang jin qie', changed to Si due to imperial taboo) served as Military Affairs Officer for Prince Xincai. The Prince's mother suffered from wind disease, unable to speak, with a deep pulse difficult to diagnose, and doctors exhausted their techniques. Sizong said, "Liquid medication cannot be ingested." He boiled dozens of hu of Huangqi and Fangfeng decoction, placed it under the bed, covered with thick vapor, and she could speak that evening.