WNK2 and kidney disorder: Astragalus has been shown to have strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidative stress effects in different cell types, including kidney cells, through suppression of p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase), NF-κB (nuclear factor κB), and Toll-like receptor–mediated pathways [28, 29]. Astragalus has been shown to reduce proteinuria and attenuate kidney injury in several animal models of kidney disease [9].