What is herb kudzu?
It has shown value for helping migraines and cluster headaches. In traditional Chinese medicine, Kudzu is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs. Studies have shown that Kudzu can reduce both hangovers and alcohol cravings. It is used for tinnitus, vertigo and Wei syndrome (superficial heat close to the surface). A person who takes Kudzu, will still drink alcohol, but will consume less than if they had not taken Kudzu. The mechanism for this is not yet established, but it may have to do with both alcohol metabolism and the reward circuits in the brain. The Harvard Medical School is studying Kudzu as a possible way to treat alcoholic cravings, by turning an extracted compound from the herb into a medical drug.
Some folks complain that Kudzu is an invasive weed; others call it a highly profitable cash crop. In Asia it is a medicinal herb. I was reading a story recently about kudzu taking over the backyard and destroying a fence on a homeowners property. Funny and sad at the same time because kudzu is well known in Asia for its healing properties. Michael Wyss, Ph.D., a Neuroscientist with the University of Alabama says kudzu contains healthy substances, called isoflavones. One particularly important isoflavone is puerarin, found only in kudzu. In fact, its the most abundant isoflavone in the plant. Puerarin is important because it can help control insulin for diabetics and reduce cholesterol.
The Chinese have used kudzu, a prominent Chinese herb in Traditional Chinese medicine, for centuries. It has been a proven mainstay for relieving muscular tension, reducing hypertension, dysentery and is commonly used for fevers due to the flu. Kudzu's is full of health benefits and from my point of view could be the next cash crop. Researchers in the U.S. investigated the effects of kudzu in rats. Female rats were given an extract made from kudzu root for two months. Another group of rats were fed a standard diet. At the end of the study, the rats given the kudzu extract had lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and lower blood sugar and insulin levels than the rats that ate the control diet. According to Wyss, only a very small amount of kudzu root extract was needed to achieve these results. The study suggests that kudzu may be an effective alternative treatment that could be used in conjunction with traditional drugs to control insulin and cholesterol levels, and ultimately lower a patient’s risk for metabolic syndrome. In some cases, doctors may be able to give patients lower doses of other drugs, reducing the chance for side effects from the medication and making medications more affordable. The root is the part of the kudzu plant or Pueraria lobata which holds the herbal medicine. It can grow to the size of a human body and is the source used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and modern herbal products. Kudzu grows in mostly in shaded areas of mountains, fields, along roadsides and thin forests, throughout most of China and many parts of the Southern U.S.
New Research –How this herb kudzu Extract May Curb Binge Drinking
An extract of the Chinese herb kudzu dramatically reduces drinking and may be useful in the treatment of alcoholism and curbing binge drinking, according to a new study by McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School researchers. "Our study is further evidence that components found in kudzu root can reduce alcohol consumption and do so without adverse side effects," said David Penetar, PhD, of the Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory at McLean Hospital, and the lead author of the study. "Further
research is needed, but this botanical medication may lead to additional methods to treat alcohol abuse and dependence. In the study, published in the current issue of Drug and Alcohol Dependence, researchers in the Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory at McLean Hospital looked at one of the major components of the kudzu root - the isoflavone puerarin - to determine whether it would reduce alcohol consumption in a laboratory simulation of an afternoon drinking session. According to Penetar, puerarin was selected over other kudzu root components because its safety and efficacy have already been established in humans, particularly in China where it is approved for intravenous injection to treat coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction and angina. Puerarin is also less potent than other parts of the kudzu plant, so it has few side effects and has none of the estrogenic activity found in other components, making it safe for women. In the study, Penetar and his colleagues looked at 10 men and women, all in their 20s and all reporting regularly consuming alcohol weekly. A laboratory at McLean Hospital was set up as an apartment, with TV, DVD player, reclining chair and other amenities. The unit was also stocked with a refrigerator full of each subject's favorite beer and other non-alcoholic beverages. In an initial 90-minute session in the "apartment," each subject was allowed to consume as many beers as he or she wanted - up to a maximum of six. After the session, each was given either puerarin or a placebo and told to take it daily for a week. Then, each returned to do the experiment again. Two weeks later, the subjects returned for a third session to see if they had returned to their baseline drinking levels. After that, each subject was given the pill he or she didn't get the first time and told to take it for a week. Each then returned for a fourth and final drinking session. The study showed that subjects taking puerarin drank significantly fewer beers - dropping from 3.5 beers on average to 2.4. This was a simulation of a binge drinking opportunity and not only did we see the subjects drinking less, we noted that their rate of consumption decreased, meaning they drank slower and took more sips to finish a beer," explained Penetar. "While we do not suggest that puerarin will stop drinking all together, it is promising that it appears to slow the pace and the overall amount consumed. The Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory at McLean
research is needed, but this botanical medication may lead to additional methods to treat alcohol abuse and dependence. In the study, published in the current issue of Drug and Alcohol Dependence, researchers in the Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory at McLean Hospital looked at one of the major components of the kudzu root - the isoflavone puerarin - to determine whether it would reduce alcohol consumption in a laboratory simulation of an afternoon drinking session. According to Penetar, puerarin was selected over other kudzu root components because its safety and efficacy have already been established in humans, particularly in China where it is approved for intravenous injection to treat coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction and angina. Puerarin is also less potent than other parts of the kudzu plant, so it has few side effects and has none of the estrogenic activity found in other components, making it safe for women. In the study, Penetar and his colleagues looked at 10 men and women, all in their 20s and all reporting regularly consuming alcohol weekly. A laboratory at McLean Hospital was set up as an apartment, with TV, DVD player, reclining chair and other amenities. The unit was also stocked with a refrigerator full of each subject's favorite beer and other non-alcoholic beverages. In an initial 90-minute session in the "apartment," each subject was allowed to consume as many beers as he or she wanted - up to a maximum of six. After the session, each was given either puerarin or a placebo and told to take it daily for a week. Then, each returned to do the experiment again. Two weeks later, the subjects returned for a third session to see if they had returned to their baseline drinking levels. After that, each subject was given the pill he or she didn't get the first time and told to take it for a week. Each then returned for a fourth and final drinking session. The study showed that subjects taking puerarin drank significantly fewer beers - dropping from 3.5 beers on average to 2.4. This was a simulation of a binge drinking opportunity and not only did we see the subjects drinking less, we noted that their rate of consumption decreased, meaning they drank slower and took more sips to finish a beer," explained Penetar. "While we do not suggest that puerarin will stop drinking all together, it is promising that it appears to slow the pace and the overall amount consumed. The Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory at McLean
Hospital has been involved in a series of research projects for more than 10 years, looking at the ability of extracts of the kudzu root and its components to reduce excessive drinking with very encouraging results.
(Source- Drug and Alcohol Dependence)
