Excerpted from Bensky:  Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, 3rd ed.

• Tonifies the qi and blood:  for postpartum fever due to qi and blood deficiency.  Also used in the recovery stage from severe loss of blood.*
• Tonifies the Spleen and raises the yang:  for Spleen deficiency presenting with lack of appetite, fatigue, and diarrhea.  Used for a wide variety of problems related to Spleen qi deficiency including qi failing to contain the blood, sinking and collapse of the middle qi, Lung and Spleen qi deficiency, insufficiency of both qi and blood, and fever from qi deficiency.*
• Augments the protective qi and stabilizes the exterior:  for deficiency with spontaneous sweating, as the herb stabilizes the protective qi.  It also tonifies the Lungs and is used for frequent colds or shortness of breath.  Depending on the particular combination of herbs, it may be used for excessive sweating associated with qi, yang, or yin deficiency.  Its action in stabilizing the exterior may be used to produce a therapeutic sweat when diaphoretics do not work.*
• Promotes urination and reduces edema:  for edema from deficiency marked by superficial edema and reduced urination.  Can be used as a stand-alone herb for this problem.*
• Promote the discharge of pus and generates flesh:  for chronic ulcerations and sore due to deficiency that either have trouble forming pus, or have formed pus but are not draining or healing well.*
• Also, in appropriate circumstances, for wasting and thirsting disorder, numbness of the limbs, paralysis, and painful obstruction.*

Huang Qi (Astragalus)