The difference between Astragalus and Radix Astragali

Do you know about Beiqi and Huangqi? They are both very common Chinese medicinal materials. You should have heard of Huangqi. Its medicinal value is very great. The main production areas are Changbai Mountain in Jilin and Inner Mongolia. Huangqi can treat many diseases. Beiqi is the same. It is very good for our body. So do you know the difference between Beiqi and Huangqi?

There are many traditional Chinese medicines that people know little about in normal times. Sometimes the names of some traditional Chinese medicines are very similar and easy to confuse. For example, Beiqi and Huangqi, everyone should not know such traditional Chinese medicines. Let’s take a look at the difference between Beiqi and Huangqi.

Astragalus membranaceus

Beiqi, also known as Astragalus membranaceus, is named Beiqi because it is produced in abundance in northern my country. It is mainly produced in Changbai Mountain in Jilin Province, Hengshan Mountain in Hunyuan County, Shanxi Province, and Inner Mongolia and other provinces and regions. Astragalus membranaceus is a perennial herb of the Leguminosae family with a deep, long, club-shaped taproot; an erect stem with many branches at the top; odd-pinnate compound leaves with ovate to lanceolate leaflets, and both stems and leaves covered with white pubescence; opposite racemes with small, light yellow, butterfly-shaped flowers; membranous pods, flowering from July to August, and fruiting from August to September. Astragalus membranaceus prefers a cool and dry climate, and prefers sandy soil with good drainage and deep soil layer. It mostly grows on sunny slopes or on the edge of bushes at an altitude of 800-1300 meters. The root of Astragalus membranaceus is a tonic medicine and was first recorded in "Shennong's Herbal Classic" and listed as a top-grade medicine. Li Shizhen called it "the best tonic medicine" in "Compendium of Materia Medica", which shows that Astragalus membranaceus has a long history as a tonic medicine.

Medicinal properties of Astragalus

Astragalus is cylindrical, rarely branched, thicker at the top, 10-90 cm long and 1-3.5 cm in diameter. The surface is grayish yellow or light brown, with irregular longitudinal wrinkles and transverse lenticels. It is hard and tough, not easy to break, with a strong fibrous and powdery cross section. The bark is yellowish-white, the wood is light yellow with a chrysanthemum heart, and has radial texture and cracks. It has a faint odor, slightly sweet taste, and a slight bean flavor when chewed.

No matter which variety of Astragalus, the strips are thick but not hollow, the skin is fine and soft but not hard, the bark is white when cut, and the wood is bright yellow. The best ones have obvious chrysanthemum core in cross section without strong fibrousness or large cracks, and taste sweet with a beany flavor.

Conceptual Difference

Astragalus is the name of a traditional Chinese medicine, while northern astragalus or northern astragalus can only be said to be the name of a prescription.

Because good quality Astragalus is mainly produced in Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Shanxi. Therefore, in order to emphasize the origin of Astragalus, doctors often use names such as Northern Astragalus (Astragalus produced in Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang) or Western Astragalus (Astragalus produced in Hunyuan, Shanxi) in prescriptions. Because now Astragalus is mainly a cultivated product, and it is generally believed that the one produced in Shanxi is better than that produced in Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang. Therefore, it can be understood that western astragalus is better than northern astragalus.

Now everyone should know some of the differences between Beiqi and Huangqi. In fact, Beiqi is what we usually call Huangqi, but they have different prescription names. You may wish to learn about the medicinal value of Huangqi. It has many functions, and many nourishing soups with functions can be made with Huangqi and many other medicinal materials.