What are the differences between Astragalus and Astragalus?

Speaking of Astragalus membranaceus and Astragalus membranaceus, everyone knows that they are two very common medicinal herbs in life, and both have very high medicinal value. However, because of the one-letter difference in the names, many people often confuse them. The specific difference between Huangqi and Beiqi is still not very clear. The most taboo thing about general medicinal materials is not to understand them clearly. In this case, let's learn about the differences between Huangqi and Beiqi.

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.

Many people may not have read this article before and do not know the specific differences between Astragalus and Beiqi, but it is not too late to understand it now. In fact, the difference between the two is not that big, it just depends on where they are used. However, I still hope that everyone will take the medicine according to the instructions of a professional pharmacist when using it. After all, taking the wrong medicine can still cause harm to your body.