Kudzu

Description and origin

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi) belongs to the leguminous vegetable family and is a climbing plant native to eastern Asia (China, Korea and Japan). Its stalks can grow up to 15 m long and form tuberous roots of up to 2 m long and 18-45 cm wide, while its flowers resemble those of the pea .

History

Kudzu root, also known as Gegen in China, has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine for alcoholism and alcohol intoxication (1). There are records of the use of Pueraria lobata together with other plants in cases of alcohol intoxication dating from 600 AD (2). In the United States, kudzu was introduced in the 19th Century, and in the first half of the 20th Century farmers planted it to help reduce soil erosion. It is a rapid growth plant and is now considered an invasive plant in this country (3).

Composition

Kudzu root contains flavonoids, coumarins and isoflavones, including daidzein, genistein, daidzein, genistin and puerarin.

Benefits

Kudzu root is used primarily in case of alcohol addiction and withdrawal symptoms. It is also used to alleviate the symptoms of the menopause.

Studies

Kudzu root has been used to alleviate the symptoms of the menopause, due to its isoflavone content. One laboratory test demonstrated the positive effects of the isoflavones in kudzu on lipid and bone metabolism (decrease in bone mineral density loss) (4).

Various laboratory studies also support the use of kudzu to reduce alcohol consumption (6) and withdrawal symptoms (6-7). One double-blind pilot study demonstrated that the consumption of a kudzu root extract with standardised isoflavone content significantly reduced alcohol consumption in regular drinkers (8).

Research suggests that the mechanism of action of kudzu’s isoflavones to reduce alcohol consumption may be due to the regulation of enzymes involved in alcohol metabolism. Inhibiting an enzyme involved in the elimination of alcohol was found to increase levels of acetaldehyde, a toxic compound responsible for the onset of hangover (1), and which may therefore increase aversion to drinking (9).

Alcohol detoxification and its treatment with drugs often disrupt sleep (insomnia, decreased sleep quality etc.) and can lead to a relapse. A preliminary study in which standardised kudzu extract was supplied to participants (moderate drinkers), found that kudzu did not affect any of the parameters that influence sleep quality (total sleep duration, nighttime awakenings etc.), and so its use in case of alcohol dependency would have no undesirable side effects (2).

Finally, the isoflavones present in kudzu are reported to have anxiolytic properties (7, 10) and some research suggests that inhibition of the enzyme involved in alcohol metabolism may also have anxiolytic properties that could help alleviate both withdrawal symptoms and anxiety about stopping smoking (11).