Astragalus Root Can Prevent Telomere Shortening

One of the recommendations from yesterday's video is taking antioxidants,

especially for older women, to help offset DNA damage from the aging process
(GreenFertility likes whole foods-based Super Nutrition's Antioxidant Power).
So this story about astragalus root came off the wire yesterday, about how some
chemical that they are feverishly trying to extract from this common Asian
medicinal herb helps shorten telomeres. Telomeres basically are an indication of
the age of a chromosome, they shorten as the chromosome ages. Interestingly, in
a recent study they did on how STRESS ages us, they used parents of autistic
children as their stress-bucket test subjects, which seemed to me to be pretty
appropriate (and yes, we do have telemores that shorten at a faster rate).
I just think it's funny (sad?) that there's this sudden rush to extract, synthesize,
and probably to genetically engineer this (and of course patent for $$$) when
people in Asia have been taking this for thousands of years, and yes, my elders
are always saying, "Eat this! You'll live longer!" I always feel using the
unprocessed plant part is better And yes, it's good for fertility by virtue of it
being an adaptogen, like ginseng.

Here's the post I did at my "old" blogging job at Adoption.com :

http://blogs.fertilitycommunity.com/weblogs/astragalus-whang-ki-huang-qi
How to add some whang-ki to your life? Easy! Click for the FertilityBitch's
chicken soup recipe.

A good source to buy some organic astralagus/whang-ki: Mountain Rose Herbs.

From Newswise, the journalists'-only site:

------------------------------------------

Newswise — Like other kinds of cells, immune cells lose the ability to divide as
they age because a part of their chromosomes known as a telomere becomes
progressively shorter with cell division. As a result, the cell changes in many
ways, and its disease fighting ability is compromised.

But a new UCLA AIDS Institute study has found that a chemical from the
Astragalus root, frequently used in Chinese herbal therapy, can prevent or slow
this progressive telomere shortening, which could make it a key weapon in the
fight against HIV.
The study, to be published in the Nov. 15 print edition of the Journal of
Immunology, is available online at
www.jimmunol.org/cgi/content/full/181/10/7400.

A telomere is a region at the end of every cell chromosome that contains repeated
DNA sequences but no genes; telomeres act to protect the ends of the
chromosomes and prevent them from fusing together — rather like the plastic
tips that keep shoelaces from unraveling. Each time a cell divides, the telomeres
get shorter, eventually causing the cell to reach a stage called replicative
senescence, when it can no longer divide. This seems to indicate that the cell has
reached an end stage, but, in fact, the cell has changed into one with new genetic
and functional characteristics.

Generally, the telomeres in cells are sufficiently long that they can divide many
times without a problem. Moreover, when fighting infections, T-cells can turn on
an enzyme called telomerase, which can prevent the telomeres from shortening....

Previous studies have shown that injecting the telomerase gene into T-cells can
keep the telomeres from shortening, enabling them to maintain their HIV-
fighting function for much longer. This gene-therapy approach, however, is not a
practical way to treat the millions of people living with HIV.

For the present study, rather than utilizing gene therapy, the researchers used a
chemical called TAT2, which was originally identified from plants used in
traditional Chinese therapy and which enhances telomerase activity in other
cell types...

"The ability to enhance telomerase activity and antiviral functions of CD8 T-

lymphocytes suggests that this strategy could be useful in treating HIV disease,
as well as immunodeficiency and increased susceptibility to other viral
infections associated with chronic diseases or aging," the researchers write.

http://forum.lef.org/default.aspx?f=43&m=41122

http://whyweage.com/node/11

http://www.mindandmuscle.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=36242
http://www.asianhealthsecrets.com/letha/?p=2454

http://www.hghtalk.com/telomeres/astragalus-has-telomere-restoration-
benefits/

http://truthinaging.com/ingredient-spotlight/astragalus-antiaging-and-telomeres

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astragalus_propinquus

http://www.astragalusresearch.com/astragalus/anti-aging-telomere-therapy-
with-astragalosides

http://www.astragalusresearch.com/astragalus/does-consumption-of-herb-
astragalus-root-really-affect-your-breast-size

http://www.astragalusresearch.com/astragalus/anti-aging-telomere-therapy-
with-astragalosides

http://www.astragalusresearch.com/astragalus/astragalus-medicinal-uses-
interactions-side-effects-dosage

http://www.astragalusresearch.com/astragalus/does-anyone-know-about-
astragalus
Astragalus – Medicinal Uses, Interactions, Side
Effects, Dosage

Astragalus(Astragalus membranaceous)rating:

The Astragalus species that is obtained from China is A. membranaceous, also

known as Mongolian milk vetch, or by its Chinese name, huang qi. It is quite
different from other species of Astragalus, known as locoweeds, which
contain large amounts of selenium and other potential toxins, and from the
Middle Eastern plant, A. gummifer, which is the source of gum tragacanth.

Uses and Benefits:

In Chinese traditional medicine, the root of A. membranaceous is a popular

and potent tonic used for numerous specific indications, especially infections.
It is thought to improve depressed immunity, and therefore it has been
recommended for the treatment of AIDS and other viral diseases, and as an
adjuvant in cancer therapy. The herb is now advocated for a wide variety of
illnesses, including the common cold, influenza, respiratory insufficiency,
diabetes, hypertension, liver disease, cardiac ischemia, heart failure, vascular
insufficiency, and nephritis.

Pharmacology:

The important constituents include numerous triterpene saponins, known as

astragalosides and related compounds such as soyasaponins. A number of
polysaccharides, such as astragalans I-IV, have been isolated. Important
flavonoids include quercetin and kaempferol; among its many other
constituents are isoflavonoids, sugars, amino acids, and linoleic acid. It is
unclear which of the numerous constituents are of therapeutic value.
However, the polysaccharides and saponins have been suggested to be the
major agents.

The polysaccharide fractions of the root extract have been reported to have
in vitro effects that suggest an immune-enhancing capability. There is some
evidence that astragalus can potentiate the effect of interferon against
viruses and can increase IgA and IgM in nasal secretions in humans. Animal
experiments have shown that extracts of astragalus can restore the immune
properties of cancer patient T-cells in vitro. A more recent rat study does not
confirm earlier reports that astragalus extract can prevent myelosuppression
by cyclophosphamide.

Clinical Trials:

Almost all of the clinical studies on astragalus are in Chinese medical books or
journals and are therefore not readily evaluated. In an open study on 1000
subjects,8 it is alleged that a 2-month prophylactic course of the herb in a
dosage of 8 g/day in combination with interferon was correlated with a
significant reduction in colds compared to placebo or interferon alone. g .
Benefits in humans for a wide variety of chronic and serious dis�orders also
have been reported. For example, it is asserted that astragalus increases
serum IgM, IgE, and cAMP; enhances left ventricular function and cardiac
output in patients with angina pectoris; improves hemorrhagic indices in
patients with systemic lupus erythematosus; increases survival in lung cancer
when combined with conventional therapy; improves leukopenia; im�proves
liver function in chronic viral hepatitis; and so on
However, none of these reports are evaluable, and the testing applied as well
as the observations made by investigators do not conform to standard
methods used in Western medicine. In general, these studies were
uncontrolled or unblinded, and no reliable clinical studies in support of these
indications have been reported in the English-language peer-reviewed
literature. Thus, there is only very equivocal evidence to support the
numerous clinical claims that are made for astragalus, particularly as an
immune system restorative or as an immune modulator for use in the
treatment of cancer.

Adverse Effects:

Herbalists regard astragalus as very safe based on its reputation as a valued

traditional medication. It is unlikely that astragalus has any serious toxicity,
although there is a lack of reliable clinical data.

Side Effects and Interactions:

There are no recognized drug interactions.

Cautions:

Astragalus can be obtained in combination mixtures, in which other agents

may have a potential for toxicity.

Preparations & Doses:

Sliced astragalus root is often used to make teas, soups, or decoctions. The
usual daily dose varies from 2 to 30 g or more of the dried root ; although
large doses appear to be safe, 8-15 g/day seems to be more reasonable. Some
products contain standardized extracts, packaged in unit doses. Capsules
containing 150-500 mg are commonly marketed, to be taken as often as 8 or 9
times a day; tinctures and fluid extracts are also available. In traditional
Chinese medicine, it is usual to take astragalus in combination with other
herbs.

Summary Evaluation

A membranaceous is a popular Chinese herb that has long been used as a

tonic. Increasing claims suggest that it is of value as an immune restorative to
fight viral diseases, as a treatment for Lancer, and as a cure for other
disorders. However, the scientific evidence of clinical effectiveness is of
unclear quality, and has not I leen validated outside the Asian literature.
Thus, actual benefits ;Ire not substantiated. The fact that large doses can be
taken with reported toxicity suggests that astragalus has minimal
pharmacologic potency.

Astragalus, Telomeres, Cancer Prevention

Published by Letha on July 7, 2010 in Protect Yourself & Family. 4 Comments
Tags: apoptosis, cancer, cell aging, colon cancer, dna, immunity, p16, rna, sod, telomere.

Dried, sliced astragalus sold in Chinese herb shops and supermarkets.

WebMD: July 7, 2010 — Aging cells greatly increase your risk of deadly cancer —
even if you’re still relatively young. Cells stay young as long as they are able to repair
their own DNA. That’s up to telomeres, the proteins at the end of each chromosome.
But every time a cell reproduces, its telomeres get shorter. A startling new study now
shows that people who accumulate a lot of cells with short telomeres have greatly
increased risk of fatal cancers. What increases telomere strand length–thereby
protecting DNA and preventing cancers? Astragalus. Simmer 8 slices in a quart of
water for 30 minutes and drink it between meals for improved energy and immunity.
Here are three important studies.

Astragalus saponins induce growth inhibition and apoptosis (cell death) in human
colon cancer cells and tumor xenograft

Mandy M.Y. Tin, Chi-Hin Cho1, Kelvin Chan2, Anthony E. James3 and Joshua K.S.
Ko*Pharmacology and Toxicology Laboratory, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong
Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, 1 Department
of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong,
China2 School of Applied Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton
WV1 1SB, UK

3
Laboratory Animal Services Center, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China

*
To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +852 3411 2907; Fax: +852 3411
2461; Email: jksko@hkbu.edu.hk

Astragalus memebranaceus is used as immunomodulating agent in treating

immunodeficiency diseases and to alleviate the adverse effects of chemotherapeutic
drugs. In recent years, it has been proposed that Astragalus may possess anti-
tumorigenic potential in certain cancer cell types. In this study, the anti-carcinogenic
effects of Astragalus saponin extract were investigated in HT-29 human colon cancer
cells and tumor xenograft. Our findings have shown that Astragalus saponins (AST)
inhibit cell proliferation through accumulation in S phase and G2/M arrest, with
concomitant suppression of p21 expression and inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase
activity. Besides, AST promotes apoptosis in HT-29 cells through caspase 3 activation
and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, which is indicated by DNA fragmentation
and nuclear chromatin condensation. Nevertheless, we also demonstrate the anti-
tumorigenic effects of AST in vivo, of which the reduction of tumor volume as well as
pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects in HT-29 nude mice xenograft are
comparable with that produced by the conventional chemotherapeutic drug 5-
fluorouracil (5-FU). In addition, the side effects (body weight drop and mortality)
associated with the drug combo 5-FU and oxaliplatin are not induced by AST. These
results indicate that AST could be an effective chemotherapeutic agent in colon cancer
treatment, which might also be used as an adjuvant in combination with other orthodox
chemotherapeutic drugs to reduce the side effects of the latter compounds.

Abbreviations: dUTP, 2′-deoxyuridine 5′-triphosphate; PARP, poly(ADP-ribose)

polymerase; PCNA, proliferating cell nuclear antigen; TdT, terminal deoxynucleotidyl
transferase; TUNEL, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP in situ nick-
end labeling. . . Received August 21, 2006; revised October 16, 2006; accepted
November 19, 2006.

Protective Effect of Total Flavonoids Astragalus on DNA Strand Breaks in V79

Cells Induced by Hydrogen Peroxide and Gamma Rays.
Wang Deqing;Shen Wenmei;Tian Yaping;Jiang Cien (Department of Biochemistry,
General Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100853, China).

The protective effect of total flavonoids Astragalus (TFA), one of the natural anti-oxide
agent isolated from Astragalus monghlious, on DNA strand breaks induced by the
hydrogen peroxide and gamma rays has been investigated with the fluorometry assay of
DNA unwinding (FADU). The results showed that the TFA has different degree of
protective effect on DNA strand breaks caused by hydrogen peroxide and gamma rays
respectively. It also showed some protective effect on DNA strand breaks induced by
these two damage factors,when the concentration of TFA were 0.4 g/Land 0. 6 g/L,
respectively. When its concentrations were increased to 0. 8 g/L and I .2 g/L,TFA could
effectively protect DNA from hydrogen peroxide and gamma rays damages. Compared
the protective effect of TFA on DNA strand breaks induced by hydrogen peroxide and
gamma rays, the former was better. The protective mechanism of TFA on DNA strand
break could be related to savenging free radicals.

——

Effects of astragalus root on the expression of P16 mRNA and telomere of human
dermal fibroblasts by serum pharmacology

ZHANG Pengxia,LIANG Yunxia,TANG Xiaoli,et al. Author′s address School of Basic

Medical Science of Jiamusi University, Heilongjiang Jiamusi, 154007

Objective: To observe effects of astragalus root on the changes of the activity of SOD,
the expression of P16 and the length of telomere. Method: The serum of rabbits which
were filled with water decoction of astragalus root and then cultured human dermal
fibroblasts in DMEM contained with astragalus root serum was collected. The activity
of SOD was determined by colorimetric method,the expression of P16 by RT-PCR and
the length of telomere by TRP-Southern blot. Result: Compared with those in the
control group, the activity of SOD increased, the expression of P16 depressed,the length
of telomere lengthened. Conclusion: Astragalus root serum can postpone senescence by
increasing the activity of SOD,depressing the expression of P16 and inhibiting the
shortening of telomere.