Lung cancer ranks among the most prevalent malignant tumors, with an extremely high mortality rate. However, current treatments still face challenges. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy can easily cause side effects such as bone marrow suppression, while targeted therapy is limited by its target dependence and acquired drug resistance. The treatment of lung cancer still requires safe and effective supportive treatments. Astragalus, often called a key herb for replenishing qi in traditional Chinese medicine, has attracted widespread attention for its potential value. The core active ingredients are astragaloside IV, Astragalus polysaccharides and flavonoids, which are the key basis for exerting pharmacological effects. The active ingredients of astragalus, such as astragaloside IV and astragalus polysaccharides, can exert anti-lung cancer effects by regulating the cell cycle and activating apoptotic pathways. In clinical applications, astragalus membranaceus and its active components can enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, improve outcomes in immunotherapy, and help reduce side effects such as bone marrow suppression and gastrointestinal reactions. In the future, it is necessary to deepen the research on the mechanism and carry out well-designed clinical trials to provide stronger evidence for its use as a supportive treatment in lung cancer.

Mechanisms of astragalus polysaccharide enhancing STM2457 therapeutic efficacy in m6A-mediated OSCC treatment

Assessment of the structural characterization and anti-inflammatory activities of various parts of Astragalus (root, stem, leaf, flower) from a polysaccharide perspective.

Peroxynitrite plays a key role in the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Natural products, owing to their rich bioactivities, are frequently utilized in the discovery of candidate drugs. High-throughput screening based on monitoring peroxynitrite levels represents a promising strategy for identifying natural products. However, the inherent complexity and multipharmacology of natural products make it difficult to screen for traditional effective therapeutic drugs; thus, establishing robust high-throughput screening methodologies constitutes a critical objective to accelerate bioactive component discovery. Herein, we reported a sensitive probe (RNF) based on a peroxynitrite response and established a high-throughput screening platform to discover antioxidative protective agents. Through screening, astragalus polysaccharides (APS) were identified as potential natural antioxidants. The therapeutic mechanism has been demonstrated to activate the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting oxidative stress. This research developed a novel sensing strategy for the early detection of DN and provided an efficient platform for screening natural antioxidants.

Astragalus polysaccharide protects mouse cornea from type 1 diabetes and activates AMPK-dependent autophagy.

METTL3-mediated m6A modification of SIRT1 mRNA modulates podocyte autophagy in diabetes nephropathy with the treatment effect of Astragalus polysaccharide.

Synergistic efficacy of astragalus polysaccharides and chitosan in treating Aeromonas veronii infections in saline-alkaline water-cultured nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): integrating early bactericidal and long-term immunoregulatory effects.

Construction of carboxymethyl chitosan/oxidized Astragalus polysaccharide cross-linked gel microspheres in alginate system: Improving the tolerance and functional characteristics of Lactobacillus paracasei.

Dietary salidroside and astragalus polysaccharides enhance the growth performance and hypoxia tolerance of juvenile Chinese mitten crabs (Eriocheir sinensis)

ABSTRACT Despite extensive surveillance and intervention efforts, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains a significant global public health threat. Vaccination is recognized as the most effective strategy for controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the immunogenicity of current COVID-19 vaccines, particularly protein subunit vaccines, requires further enhancement, highlighting the development of novel adjuvants to improve vaccine efficacy. In this study, we systematically evaluated the immunoenhancing effects of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS), a natural adjuvant, on SARS-CoV-2 recombinant protein vaccines using a BALB/c mouse immunization model. Our results demonstrate that APS significantly augments COVID-19 vaccine immunogenicity by promoting antibody production, activating antigen-specific IgG+ germinal center (GC) B cells and T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, and enhancing T cell-mediated immune responses. Transcriptomic sequencing analysis revealed that APS enhances immune responses through B cell-mediated mechanisms by upregulating pathways associated with antibody secretion and cellular immunity, thereby providing broad and long-lasting immune protection against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Notably, the combination of APS with aluminum adjuvant synergistically improved the immunogenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 recombinant protein vaccine without inducing systemic toxicity. These findings suggest that APS, as a potent immunomodulatory adjuvant for subunit protein-based vaccines, offers a promising strategy to address the limitations of current vaccine platforms.

BackgroundNon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a prevalent malignancy where adjuvant therapy is crucial. Astragalus polysaccharide injection (APS-I) has shown potential as an adjunct due to its immunomodulatory properties, but its impact on survival outcomes requires further validation.ObjectiveThis study employed propensity score matching (PSM) to evaluate the efficacy of APS-I combined with conventional therapy versus conventional therapy alone in the adjuvant treatment of NSCLC.MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, NSCLC patients receiving adjuvant therapy between January 2018 and December 2024 were enrolled. After 1:1 PSM, 54 matched pairs were allocated to the APS-I + conventional therapy group or the conventional therapy alone group. Outcomes included objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), immune function, quality of life (QoL), and adverse events.ResultsThe APS-I group demonstrated significantly superior short-term efficacy, with higher ORR (77.8% vs 33.3%, P<0.001) and DCR (96.3% vs 70.4%, P<0.001). Survival outcomes were significantly improved: median PFS was 12.8 months versus 8.2 months (Hazard Ratio [HR]= 0.143, 95% CI: 0.082–0.250, P<0.001), and median OS was 23.3 months versus 17.0 months (HR= 0.249, 95% CI: 0.154–0.401, P<0.001). The APS-I group also showed a significantly higher Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) improvement rate (60.5% vs 27.9%, P=0.003) and a lower incidence of adverse events (11.1% vs 33.3%, P=0.014).ConclusionAPS-I combined with conventional therapy shows promise in improving survival and quality of life, but multicenter RCTs are warranted to validate efficacy before clinical adoption.

Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), a major bioactive component of Astragalus membranaceus, has received considerable attention for its potential in treating diabetes and its complications. However, whether its renoprotective effects in diabetic nephropathy (DN) involve autophagy modulation remains poorly understood. Here, Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DN rats and high glucose (HG)-exposed mouse podocyte clone-5 (MPC5) cells were established as in vivo and in vitro models, respectively. APS effects were evaluated using renal function indicators, renal histopathology, and autophagy markers. Autophagic flux was assessed by MDC staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Furthermore, SIRT1 silencing or overexpression in vitro was used to confirm its role in regulating autophagy and its interaction with the FOXO3a/BNIP3 pathway. APS treatment significantly reduced fasting blood glucose proteinuria, and glomerular hypertrophy in DN rats. Mechanistically, APS upregulated SIRT1 deacetylase activity, promoted FOXO3a nuclear translocation and activated BNIP3-mediated podocyte autophagy. In vitro, APS restored autophagic flux in MPC5 cells, evidenced by increased Beclin 1 expression, elevated LC3 II/LC3 I ratio and reduced p62 accumulation. MDC staining and TEM further confirmed enhanced autophagosome formation in podocytes following APS treatment. These findings demonstrate APS alleviates DN by enhancing podocyte autophagy via the SIRT1/FOXO3a/BNIP3 axis, thereby protecting renal function.

Potential mechanisms of Astragalus polysaccharide in diabetic wound healing: From biological functions to therapeutic applications.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), often arising from liver fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), remains a leading cause of cancer-related death. Targeting the gut-liver axis offers new therapeutic opportunities to prevent this progression. In this study, colon-targeted chitosan/pectin-based nanoparticles loaded with Astragalus polysaccharide (APs-CS/PT-NPs) were developed to modulate gut microbiota and inhibit liver tumorigenesis. The nanoparticles exhibited robust physicochemical stability and pH-responsive release. In vivo, oral administration of APs-CS/PT-NPs attenuated hepatic steatosis, reduced inflammatory cytokines, and suppressed NAFLD-induced HCC development. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed restoration of microbial diversity and enhanced production of short-chain fatty acids, especially acetate. Mechanistically, transcriptomic profiling and functional analysis identified acetate as a key mediator, acting via G-protein-coupled receptor 43 (GPR43) to inhibit the NF-κB pathway. These results highlight the therapeutic potential of APs-CS/PT-NPs in modulating the gut-liver axis, rebalancing intestinal microbiota, and suppressing pro-inflammatory signaling. This nanoparticle-based strategy offers a promising food-derived preventive intervention for liver fibrosis-HCC transition.

This article aims to explore the potential and application prospects of Astragalus membranaceus (AM), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), in anti-tumor therapy. In recent years, the incidence rate of cancer has continued to rise, with high mortality rates for malignant tumors such as pancreatic cancer. Astragalus, as a traditional medicinal herb for nourishing qi and supporting vital energy, has been found to contain various active ingredients such as polysaccharides, astragaloside IV, and flavonoids, which exhibit direct or indirect anti-tumor effects. Through an analysis of existing research, this article points out that astragalus polysaccharides can interfere with the tumor cell cycle and inhibit proliferation, astragaloside IV can inhibit epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to block metastasis, and flavonoids alleviate oxidative stress through antioxidation. Additionally, astragalus can protect bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells from radiation damage, reverse paclitaxel resistance in breast cancer, enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy, and maintain good safety. Despite societal skepticism about the efficacy of botanical drugs, scientific evidence demonstrates that astragalus has significant value in assisting radiotherapy and chemotherapy and improving patients’ quality of life. Future clinical research is needed to verify its efficacy in humans and optimize medication regimens, promoting astragalus to become an important adjuvant in the integrated treatment of tumors with traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

Effects of dietary supplementation with astragalus polysaccharides on growth performance, serum parameters, and rumen microbial function of yaks.

Cervical cancer is an important malignancy threatening the health of women that has been extensively studied lately due to its impressive anti-tumor and immunomodulatory experiences. Astragalus Polysaccharide (APS), also the primary active constituent of the traditional Chinese medicine Astragalus, is generally gaining immense attention because of its impressive anti-tumor and immunomodulatory properties. As part of the immune system APS both regulates the immune response and directly kills tumor cells: it triggers tumor cell apoptosis and remodels the immune microenvironment to augment the immune response, thereby complementing each other in fighting the tumor. Also, it can affect ERS signaling pathway and enable the reversal of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, inhibition of tumor invasion and metastasis, as well as the increase of the sensitivity of chemotherapy drugs. This paper examines the mechanism of synergy of APS in directly killing tumor cells, multifaceted immune control, and chemosensitization, which have the great potential to help in an adjunct therapy of cervical cancer, provides a theoretical background of development of the new treatment methods, as well states the single shortcoming of clinical application due to the absence of standardized portocol.

The restrictions on antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production make the exploration of safe and effective alternatives necessary. Astragalus polysaccharides (APS), as bioactive macromolecules, have attracted significant interest from poultry scientists. In the current study, a multilevel meta-analysis was conducted to quantitatively evaluate the effects of APS administration on broiler performance, antioxidant status, and gut health. The results revealed that APS supplementation significantly improved average daily gain (ADG; SMD = 0.64 [0.13, 1.15]) and feed conversion ratio (FCR; SMD = -1.20 [-2.03, -0.35]) of broilers. The observed benefits directly correlated with increased superoxide dismutase activity (SOD; SMD = 1.35 [0.78, 1.92]) and decreased malondialdehyde levels (MDA; SMD = -1.07 [-1.54, -0.60]). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that dietary supplementation was more effective than injection for improving ADG and the villus height to crypt depth ratio (VCratio), indicating the importance of direct gut-level interaction of APS. Nonlinear dose-response modelling identified an optimal dietary APS range of 1000-1500 mg/kg for maximising growth and antioxidant parameters. This meta-analysis suggests that APS shows promise as an antibiotic alternative for improving broiler growth performance, warranting further direct comparative studies with antibiotics. In addition, further large-scale trials are required to confirm its consistent efficacy on gut health and microbial composition due to substantial heterogeneity in current datasets.

Astragalus polysaccharide enhances OGT-mediated O-GlcNAcylation to stabilize PINK1 to induce mitophagy in D-galactose treated C2C12 myoblasts.

Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) are a crucial bioactive component known for their various pharmacological properties. Abnormal O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine modification (O-GlcNAcylation) is noted in cases of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Nonetheless, it remains uncertain whether APS regulates the process of O-GlcNAcylation associated with IVDD. We employed molecular docking, cycloheximide chase assay, immunohistochemistry, and immunoprecipitation to investigate APS-mediated OGT/O-GlcNAcylation regulation of Nrf2. The effects of APS and its role in promoting the O-GlcNAcylation of Nrf2 in IVDD through both invivo and invitro studies are discussed. Invitro investigations demonstrated an increase in the levels of OGT and O-GlcNAcylation in nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) following exposure to tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP). APS further facilitated improvements in OGT expression and O-GlcNAcylation processes, restoring the viability of NPCs inhibited by TBHP and promoting the synthesis of collagen II and aggrecan, while reducing apoptosis. Mechanistically, APS promotes the expression of OGT by targeting it. Furthermore, O-GlcNAcylation mediated by OGT stabilizes the expression of Nrf2 via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Rescue experiments indicated that the disruption of either OGT or Nrf2 expression negated the protective role of APS on NPCs. Ultimately, both invitro and invivo studies indicated that APS significantly enhanced OGT expression and O-GlcNAcylation, which subsequently improved Nrf2 expression and contributed to the alleviation of IVDD in rats. APS promotes O-GlcNAcylation through OGT, thereby stabilizing the expression of Nrf2, which in turn contributes to the improvement of IVDD.