黄芪（Astragali Radix）主要分布在北半球、南美和非洲，很少分布在北美和大洋洲。在俄罗斯联邦、蒙古、韩国、哈萨克斯坦和中国等地，长期以来一直被用作民族药物。它首次被记录在《神农本草经》中，并包括了补益正气、祛邪、利尿、消肿、活血、通络的功效。本综述系统地总结了黄芪的植物学特征、植物化学、传统使用、药理学和毒理学，以探索黄芪的潜力并扩展其应用。数据来自PubMed、中国知网、万方数据、百度学术和谷歌学术等数据库。收集的资料还包括中国中药经典著作、中国药典、中药辞典、博士和硕士论文。研究了黄芪中异黄酮成分的药理学作用，其中黄芪异黄酮的药理学作用主要体现在其抗炎、抗肿瘤、抗氧化、抗过敏和抗糖尿病等特性以及治疗多种相关疾病的能力。此外，还需要进一步阐明黄芪的药用价值、化学成分、药理活性、毒理学和质量控制。在这里，我们全面回顾了黄芪的植物学、植物化学、传统使用、药理学、毒理学和质量控制，以帮助未来的创新研究，并鉴定和开发涉及黄芪的新药物。Copyright © 2023 Wang, Wang, Zhang, Cao, Kong, Ma and Ren.

Astragali Radix (Huangqi) is mainly distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, South America, and Africa and rarely in North America and Oceania. It has long been used as an ethnomedicine in the Russian Federation, Mongolia, Korea, Kazakhstan, and China. It was first recorded in the Shennong Ben Cao Jing and includes the effects of reinforcing healthy qi, dispelling pathogenic factors, promoting diuresis, reducing swelling, activating blood circulation, and dredging collaterals. This review systematically summarizes the botanical characteristics, phytochemistry, traditional uses, pharmacology, and toxicology of Astragalus to explore the potential of Huangqi and expand its applications. Data were obtained from databases such as PubMed, CNKI, Wan Fang Data, Baidu Scholar, and Google Scholar. The collected material also includes classic works of Chinese herbal medicine, Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Chinese Medicine Dictionary, and PhD and Master's theses. The pharmacological effects of the isoflavone fraction in Huangqi have been studied extensively; The pharmacological effects of Huangqi isoflavone are mainly reflected in its anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-allergic, and anti-diabetic properties and its ability to treat several related diseases. Additionally, the medicinal uses, chemical composition, pharmacological activity, toxicology, and quality control of Huangqi require further elucidation. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the botany, phytochemistry, traditional uses, pharmacology, toxicology, and quality control of Astragalus to assist future innovative research and to identify and develop new drugs involving Huangqi.Copyright © 2023 Wang, Wang, Zhang, Cao, Kong, Ma and Ren.