Astragalus & ER+ breast cancer

mellee

I just started acupuncture for hot flashes and fatigue and the TCM doctor gave me a mixture of two herbs to drink: Ligustrum lucidum and Astragalus membranaceus.

I looked them up and the first seems to be okay. And most of what I've seen for astragalus is good. There have been positive studies on using it for breast cancer. Both Breastcancer.org and Komen have pages on it and they don't note any concerns. But Sloan Kettering's Herbs database says "Because astragalus has demonstrated estrogenic effects, it is unknown how it may affect hormone-sensitive cancers or hormonal chemotherapy."

I'm going to ask my MO about it, but wondering if anyone else has taken astragalus and what your doctors and/or TCM doc said.

Teddy88

Hi Mellee - I use astragalus when a cold seems to be coming on but never heard any news on its relationship to breast cancer. I did learn that those with autoimmune disease should not use it since it causes the immune system to ramp up. Not the effect that an autoimmune patient wants....Thanks for posting and please let me know what you hear about this herb. Will share what I learn as well! Love, Belle xx

mellee

Thanks, Teddy! I have a call in to my MO. Will post an update here.

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Melle:

How do you take ligustrum lucidum? Fresh leaves infusion or berries? Thank you

mellee

My ligustrum lucidum is a powder. The label says "100g of the concentrated granules extracted from 500g of the raw herbs." I'm supposed to mix three of these small spoons in hot water 3x daily.

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Thank you! I gonna try to get it 👍😘