Kudzu: The Plentiful Herbal Remedy

s a trailing vine which originated in Japan andand antileukemic agent whilst Daidzein is an
Southeast China, but can now be found in severalanti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent .
countries across the world where the conditions areKudzu as a remedy for post-menopausal symptoms
right for it to grow, most notably the United States. ItsResearch has shown that Kudzu blunts the effects of
growth is very fast and some in the US have named itmemory loss, hypertension and insulin resistance (a
the ‘mile-a-minute vine’ or more strongly,precursor to Type II Diabetes) in post-menopausal
‘the vine that ate the South’. Kudzu has beenwomen. It was discovered that this is because the
used for thousands of years in Chinese Medicine, andKudzu contains puerarin which steers blood sugar
it is one of the ‘50 fundamental herbs’ usedaway from fat cells and blood vessels and towards
in Chinese Herbology.muscle where it can then be used instead of stored .
Kudzu as a herbal treatment for alcoholismOther uses of Kudzu
A major use of Kudzu as a herbal remedy is for theKudzu has also been linked to alleviating a number of
treatment of alcoholism. The Harvard Medical School isother conditions such as headaches, migraines and
currently investigating the efficacy of Kudzu in thediarrhoea. Uses for Kudzu in Chinese Medicine include
reduction of alcohol cravings. Recent clinical trials ontinnitus and vertigo.
humans have shown that Kudzu helps to increase theWikipedia (2009). Chinese herbology.
blood alcohol concentration, meaning that less alcohol isYoung, K., New Scientist (2005). Beer drinking curbed
needed to feel the effects .by prodigious weed.
In a study of Kudzu on animals carried out in 1993 itKeung, W. And Vallee, B. (1993). Daidzin and daidzein
was found that the active ingredients in Kudzu are thesuppress free-choice ethanol intake by Syrian Golden
isoflavones daidzin and daidzein which have notablehamsters. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA.
medicinal benefits. Daidzin as a cancer preventative