Milkvetch mainly tonifies kidney and liver in TCM

What is milkvetch (Sha Yuan Zi)?
Medicinally it mainly refers to Astragalus complanatus R. Br., which is a plant in the bean or pea family (Leguminosae). Its seeds are commonly used as medicine called Sha Yuan Ji Li in mandarin. In China it is primarily produced in Inner Mongolia, the northeast and northwest regions. The mature seeds are usually harvested in the late autumn and early winter when they do not crack yet, or the whole plant is pulled up by the roots. And then it needs to dry in the sun, strike them for the seeds, and remove the impurities. It is used raw or fried with salt water.

Milkvetch is a tall perennial herb, up to 1 meter in height, covered with short bristles all over the body, and with long thick taproot, and slightly flat accumbent stems. Odd-pinnately compound leaves are alternate and with a short handle; small stipules are lanceolate; petiole is short; blades are elliptic, 6 to 14mm long, 3 to 7mm wide, obtuse or emarginate apex, obtuse to rounded obtuse base, entire margin, green and hairless upper surface, and gray-green lower surface. Axillary racemes are with slender peduncle and 3 to 9 small flowers; bell-shaped calyx is green and with 5-lobed tip; butterfly-shaped corolla is yellow, and nearly rounded vexil, base with claw, shorter ala, and carina equal to vexil in length; stamens are 10; pistil is beyond stamen; ovary is superior, densely covered with white pubescence, and with gynophore; style is glabrous; stigma is with brush-like white beard. Pod is in the shape of fusiform, 3 to 4cm long, covered with short black bristles and with apex with a long beak, slightly flat back and belly, and 20 to 30 seeds inside. Kidney-shaped seeds are round. Bloom time is from August to September and fruiting time is from September to October.

Milk vetch health benefits
Milkvetch seeds were once a tribute in Tang Dynasty due to its amazing medicinal uses. Today, it is reported that this herb is capable of reducing inflammation, inhibit cancer cell growth, decreasing lipid, lower high blood pressure, protect liver, and more. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, it mainly tonifies kidney and liver, arrests Seminal Emission, and improves eyesight. And its modern pharmacology has said it all.

Modern pharmacological actions of astragalus seed
1) It can significantly prolong the swimming time of mice, which shows that it has anti-fatigue effect;
2) It can protect from the accumulation of the liver glycogen and reduce enzyme;
3) It has antihypertensive effect;
4) It can significantly lower serum cholesterol and triglycerides;
5) It can increase the cerebral blood flow;
6) It can improve the blood rheology indices in patients and inhibit platelet aggregation;
7) It can enhance immunity and improve the body’s specific and nonspecific immune function;
8) It can increase body weight and human tolerance to cold weather; 9) It has analgesic, sedative, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diuretic effects.