Collectively, astragalus-mediated modulation of key autophagy pathways—including the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, TLR4/NF-κB, ROS-mTOR, PI3K/AKT/AS160, AMPK/mTOR, PINK1-Parkin, DCP1A/WDFY3/Atg12, and TMSB4X/Akt/Atg5/Atg12 pathways—can inhibit the therapeutic efficacy against multiple pathologies, such as PD, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, renal disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and cervical carcinoma. The gene discussed is ATG12; the disease is Parkinson disease.