This is a powerful immune stimulator for anti-viral immunity and it powerfully inhibits the cytokine storm. Most immune stimulators activate the microglia. When this is done frequently, the microglia can be chronically activated, resulting in an outpouring of inflammatory cytokines and glutamate. There have been studies examining the TNF-α cytokine which is typically increased with immune stimulators, but astragalus, in particular, DECREASES TNF-α cytokines. I cannot tell you exactly why this happens, but there have been a few studies indicating that it does. Astragaloside IV Attenuates Glutamate-Induced Neurotoxicity in PC12 Cells through Raf-MEK-ERK Pathway https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4427284/ It [...]