Research Progress on Active Constituents of Astragalus Membranaceus and Its Compatibility in Traditional Chinese Medicine for Oncology Therapy

Abstract

Malignant neoplasms remain a significant threat to human health, with continually rising incidence, mortality, and metastasis rates in recent epidemiological data. The treatment of various malignancies persists as a global research priority. Clinical applications of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have demonstrated the antitumor efficacy of Astragalus membranaceus, which has been empirically validated and preserved through generations of medical practice. Modern pharmacological studies have identified its primary active antitumor constituents, including Astragalus polysaccharides (APS), flavonoids, and astragalosides, all exhibiting well-documented oncostatic effects. Given the distinctive therapeutic approach of TCM compared to contemporary molecular-targeted therapies, researchers have investigated its compatibility with other medicinal agents. These studies reveal that formula combinations based on TCM theory (including principle-method-formula-herb systematics) demonstrate enhanced therapeutic outcomes in clinical practice.This review synthesizes decade-long research on bioactive constituents of Astragalus membranaceus and its Traditional Chinese Medicine compatibility in oncotherapy, aiming to provide references for subsequent antitumor component analysis and novel drug development. Furthermore, it proposes new research directions for investigating the interventional effects of complex macromolecules formed through herb-herb interactions on neoplastic processes.