Flatstem Milkvetch seed - Sha Yuan Zi

For a list of herbs used in Chinese medicine, see Chinese Herbs.

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Astragalus complanatus Research Update
[Depressive effect of total flavonoid fraction of Astragalus complanatus R. Br and its influence upon hemodynamics in SHR]
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2002 Nov;27(11):855-8.
Xue B, Li JX, Chen LB.
Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
To investigate effects of total flavonoid fraction of Asttragalus complanatus on blood pressure in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR) and hemodynamics in anesthetized SHR. Blood pressure was recorded with tail-culf method and hemodynamics was recorded with polygraph after administration of total flavonoid fraction of Asttragalus complanatus. Total flavonoid fraction of Asttragalus complanatus (100, 200 mg.kg-1) could decrease blood pressure of conscious SHR (decreasing 7% and 9%, respectively). Meanwhile there was no significant change in heart rate(HR). R Br (200 mg.kg-1) could decrease total peripheral resistance (TPR) (decreasing 20%, P < 0.05) but did not influence the cardiac output(CO) and heart rate in anesthetized SHR. Total flavonoid fraction of Asttragalus complanatus possesses obvious hypotensive effect, mainly by means of decreasing the TPR.

[Studies on the efficacious constituents of Astragalus complanatus]
Yao Xue Xue Bao. 1997;32(1):59-61.
The petroleum ether extract of Astragalus complanatus R. Br. showed activity for lowering the transaminase levels in mice. From this extract six compounds were isolated. Among them five were identified as rhamnocitrin, formononetin, stigmasterol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol. The other one was shown to be a new p-coumaroyl derivative, 11-O-p-coumarylnepeticin. Their structures were elucidated by spectrometric and chemical analyses. All the six compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time.

[Chemical constituents of the seed oil of Astragalus complanatus R. Brown]
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 1990 Apr;15(4):225-6, 255.
beta-sitosterol and fatty acids were obtained from the oil of seeds of Astragalus complanatus. The fatty acids were separated and their molecular weights determined by GC-MS. Fourteen of them were identified as heptenoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, octadecenoic acid, octadecanoic acid, octadecadienoic acid, linolenic acid, eicosanoic acid, eicosenoic acid and docosanoic acid, etc.