Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40005233›Full record

ArticleMolecules (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Comparison of the Immune Enhancing Activity and Chemical Constituents Between Imitation Wild and Cultivated Astragali Radix.

Shuo Zhao, Xueting Li, Yumeng Wang, Rui Xu, Xu Li, Jiushi Liu, Xiaolin Hou, Haitao Liu

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Shuo ZhaoAnimal Science and Technology College, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China.
Xueting LiState Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-Di Herbs, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China.
Yumeng WangAnimal Science and Technology College, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China.
Rui XuState Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-Di Herbs, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China.
Xu LiAnimal Science and Technology College, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China.
Jiushi LiuState Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-Di Herbs, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China.ORCID 0000-0003-2678-6155
Xiaolin HouAnimal Science and Technology College, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China.
Haitao LiuState Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-Di Herbs, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China.

Funding

the Beijing Natural Science Foundation Z220019the CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences 2023-I2M-QJ-013the National Natural Science Foundation of China U23A20511
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Astragali Radix (AR), a traditional food and medicinal herb used for thousands of years, is widely recognized for its role in enhancing immunity, particularly when combined with adjuvant chemotherapy. The two primary types of AR available in the market are imitation wild AR (grown for seven years) and cultivated AR (grown for two years). However, whether differences exist in their immune-enhancing effects and chemical constituents remains unclear. In this study, a comparative analysis was performed to evaluate the immune activity and chemical composition of cultivated and imitation wild AR. Immune activity was assessed through in vivo animal studies, while metabolomic analysis was used to characterize their chemical profiles. The results demonstrate that AR possesses significant antitumor and immune-enhancing activities, with imitation wild AR showing superior efficacy compared with cultivated AR. Following 16 days of daily AR treatment, both the thymus and spleen coefficients were significantly increased, effectively reversing the immune dysfunction induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX). Moreover, the administration of AR showed no significant toxicity, as evidenced by the stable liver and kidney function indicators, including ALT, UREA, and CRE levels. To investigate chemical differences, a customized chemotaxonomic-based in-house library containing 215 compounds was developed and integrated with the Progenesis QI informatics platform for metabolite annotation. Using multivariate analysis, 48 constituents were identified in total: 46 unique to the imitation wild AR and 45 specific to the cultivated AR. The correlation between chemical constituents and the pharmacological effects of AR was evaluated. Based on orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and S-plot analysis, five potential biomarkers were identified, including Calycosin-7-glucoside, Rhamnocitrin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, Ononin, 3,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid, and Acetylastragaloside I. These biomarkers likely account for the differences in immune-enhancing effects between the two AR types. This study provides a scientific foundation for the rational use of Astragali Radix.

Indexed as

Adjuvants, ImmunologicAstragalus PlantDrugs, Chinese HerbalImmunologic FactorsPlant ExtractsAnimalsAstragalus propinquusCyclophosphamideMaleMetabolomicsMiceSpleenAdjuvants, ImmunologicCyclophosphamideDrugs, Chinese HerbalHuang QiImmunologic FactorsPlant Extractsbreast cancercombination therapycultivated Astragali Radiximitation wild Astragali RadixUPLC-Q-TOF/MS

Identifiers

PMID40005233
PMCPMC11858062

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.