Kudzu root (Pueraria lobata) is an herb with many fascinating health-promoting properties that have made it a focus of medicine and herbalism for centuries. Originating in East Asia, kudzu root is now gaining popularity around the world. One of the most important active constituents of kudzu root are isoflavones, which are attributed with many therapeutic activities. For some time, kudzu root has also been gaining notoriety as an effective tool in alcohol withdrawal. With its ability to alleviate abstinence syndrome, support the nervous system and the body as a whole, kudzu is one of the most valuable resources in phytotherapy.
Table of contents
- 1 Kudzu root (Pueraria lobata) – a noble plant with Chinese tradition
- 2 Kudzu root – medicinal properties
- 3 Kudzu root – action and composition of the plant. How does kudzu root affect the work of the body?
- 4 Kudzu root in the fight against addictions
- 5 Kudzu and the nervous system, kudzu as an adaptogen
- 6 Kudzu for good cardiovascular function
- 7 Kudzu root as support for the endocrine system
- 8 Kudzu – application. How to dose Pueraria lobata root?
- 9 Kudzu root – side effects and contraindications.
Kudzu root (Pueraria lobata) – a noble plant with Chinese tradition
Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) is a famous medicinal plant from the bean family. It is a climber with purple flowers and large, three-leaved leaves. The most important part of the plant is the bulky, tuberous root, which is the primary medicinal resource. It is used in the diet for multidirectional health support and to strengthen the defense barrier against harmful factors of civilization.
Kudzu root is also one of the most important herbs for helping people quit stimulants, including cigarettes and alcohol. Other names for kudzu include patch resistor or patch lead.
Kudzu naturally occurs in China and on the islands of Oceania and Japan, but has also been imported to other areas of the world, including the Caucasus, Ukraine, North America and Central America. It prefers temperate and subtropical climates.
It grows mainly in forests, mountainous areas, fields, as well as along roadsides and along rivers. A characteristic feature of Pueraria lobata is that it spreads very quickly, even rapidly, and consequently impedes the growth of other plants, so that it is considered an invasive species in many areas of the globe.
Kudzu root has been used in natural medicine since ancient times. kudzu root played a particularly important role in Chinese medicine, where, among other things, it was a remedy for fevers, colds, migraines, diarrhea, allergies. However, due to its abundant composition and more and more scientific reports on the actions of this root, it is nowadays also finding many other uses.
Kudzu root – medicinal properties
The active ingredients contained in the root of the Pueraria lobata edible plant, such as flavonoids and saponins, improve metabolic processes and take care of a well-functioning hormonal balance. They also have a high antioxidant potential, making them a protection for cells throughout the body against the harmful activity of free radicals.
Research on cucurbitacin began in the late 1980s at the University of North Carolina. At that time, kudzu was proven to stabilize the nervous system. In the 1990s, the isoflavones present in kudzu root were discovered.
Here are some key properties of kudzu root:
- relieves headaches,
- helps bring down fevers faster,
- reduces muscle pain,
- improves overall mental and physical well-being,
- normalizes blood pressure,
- reduces inflammation and relieves pain associated with inflammation,
- improves metabolism,
- helps regulate appetite (prevents snacking and overeating),
- reduces the need to reach for stimulants,
- improves brain performance,
- supports hormonal balance,
- helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels,
- improves digestion,
- has anti-emetic properties,
- has anti-allergic properties,
- improves the condition of blood vessels,
- has antimicrobial activity,
- has immunomodulatory properties,
- has antioxidant properties.
Kudzu root – action and composition of the plant. How does kudzu root affect the work of the body?
Kudzu has a high content of starch rich in flavonoid compounds, including isoflavones, which are extremely valuable for health. These are responsible for most of the root’s health-promoting and healing activities. They stimulate the secretion of enzymes and improve metabolic processes occurring in the body.
Isoflavones also provide a shield for cells against free radicals and other destructive factors. There is a reason why isoflavones are also called phytohormones or phytoestrogens. They behave in the body like our natural hormones, and in this way they balance hormone deficiencies and offset the symptoms of hormonal disorders.
The isoflavones in kudzu also help metabolize fats in the body, counteracting the persistence of high levels of total cholesterol in the blood. In addition to isoflavones, kudzu also contains a whole range of vitamins and bio-elements that support organ function, strengthen the body and benefit the skin. Thanks to its saponins, kudzu has an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect, and thanks to flavonoids such as quercetin and rutin, it strengthens the body’s defense capabilities.
The main active ingredients in kudzu are:
- isoflavones (puerarin, daidzin and daidzein),
- saponins,
- quercetin,
- rutin,
- hyperoside,
- apigenin,
- luteolin,
- phenolic acids,
- polysaccharides,
- amino acids,
- calcium,
- iron,
- phosphorus,
- zinc,
- vitamin A,
- vitamin B6,
- vitamin B9,
- vitamin C.
Kudzu root in the fight against addictions
Kudzu is distinguished by the unusually high concentration of isoflavone compounds in the root, especially daidzin and daidzein, thanks to which it supports the fight against addictions in several different ways. Among other things, it works well for alcohol addiction, facilitating its withdrawal and alleviating the effects of prolonged and heavy alcohol consumption.
Kudzu root exhibits multiple effects on the body in situations of excessive alcohol consumption. The isoflavones contained in kudzu activate enzymes that break down ethyl alcohol.
Kudzu improves the metabolism of ethyl alcohol and blocks its transformation into toxic acetaldehyde, responsible for the symptoms of alcohol poisoning. It alleviates symptoms of excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol withdrawal, such as anxiety, sleep problems, irritability, irritability, insomnia, and hand tremors. Kudzu also aids the detoxification process and recovery of the body in alcohol addicts.
Another valuable property of kudzu, as far as the alcohol withdrawal process is concerned, is that it stabilizes dopamine levels and improves mental well-being, which has the effect of reducing the need to drink alcohol, thus reducing the amount of ethanol consumed.
This root, by improving mood and restoring greater inner peace, prevents the use of alcohol in states of high tensionnervous tension, despondency, feeling sad or emotionally agitated (we feel good, so we no longer need the “medicine” in the form of a stimulant).
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Kudzu root is also one of the leading herbs used in the fight against cigarette addiction. It works well during both quitting and reducing smoking.
It stabilizes mood and helps you better control your own emotions, thus preventing you from reaching for a cigarette when nervous or stressed. In addition to helping reduce the number of cigarettes smoked and alleviating the effects of nicotine withdrawal, it also helps get rid of toxins accumulated in the body faster as a result of smoking.
Kudzu and the nervous system, kudzu as an adaptogen
Kudzu root, thanks to puerarin, daidzin, daidzein and other phytochemicals, helps regulate the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine. As a result, it comprehensively improves mental well-being. Kudzu root is also one of the most popular adaptogens. It allows the body to adapt more easily to difficult, stressful conditions and restores homeostasis in the system.
By stimulating the secretion of key neurotransmitters, kudzu stabilizes mood, reduces anxiety and fear, combats nervous tension, and supports healthy sleep (it helps you fall asleep faster and increases the quality of sleep). It also improves the performance of the mind, has a positive effect on concentration, supports thought processes and makes one immune to mental fatigue.
What’s more, thanks to its high concentration of antioxidants, kudzu exhibits neuroprotective properties, meaning that it protects cellsnerve cells from damage caused by free radicals and neurotoxins (while reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease).
Kudzu for good cardiovascular function
Thanks to its high amount of antioxidants, kudzu has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, protecting it and improving its work. The isoflavones in kudzu promote the removal of cholesterol from the body and counteract the formation of atherosclerotic plaque on the walls of the arteries, thereby reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease.
Kudzu also increases the performance of the heart muscle, affects the dilation of blood vessels and helps lower blood pressure. Thanks to quercetin and other flavonoids, it strengthens and makes blood vessels more flexible and improves blood flow.
Kudzu root as support for the endocrine system
Thanks to its high content of phytohormones in the form of isoflavones, which behave in the body like natural hormones produced by our body, kudzu reduces the unpleasant symptoms of hormonal fluctuations. Therefore, among other things, it is extremely helpful during menopause and andropause.
Kudzu – application. How to dose Pueraria lobata root?
How to use kudzu supplements may vary depending on the form of the product, the dosage of kudzu per capsule or per serving of the product, as well as the condition and severity of the ailment.
To optimize the effect of kudzu root extract, the supplement should be taken regularly, over a long period of time. Mostly, the recommended dose is 2-4 capsules per day (equivalent to 1-2 g of kudzu root).
Powdered kudzu root and kudzu root extracts in capsule form are available in some pharmacies and herbal stores, but more often they can be foundon Internet sales, including e-pharmacies, health food and supplement and herbal stores, and directly on the websites of dietary supplement manufacturers.
Kudzu root – side effects and contraindications.
In general, kudzu has no side effects. Sometimes (with too much use) nausea, dizziness, digestive problems may occur. Contraindications to the use of kudzu include pregnancy, lactation, hormonal diseases and taking anticoagulants.
Sources:
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/kudzu-root
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10090398/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9920470/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17980785/
