Kudzu Root slice Pueraria lobata

LATIN NAME: PUERARIA MONTANA

COMMON NAME: Kudzu Root, Ge Gen, Japanese Arrowroot

The kudzu root is the thick, starchy root of one of the most vigorous climbing vines of the warm regions, and its rapid growth and its massive roots have made it both a valued traditional material and a famous invasive plant. It grows as a vigorous, climbing, deciduous vine of the pea family, reaching up to thirty metres or more, with twining stems bearing large, trifoliate, hairy, green leaves and, in the late summer, clusters of the fragrant, reddish-purple, pea-like flowers, followed by the flat, hairy seed pods, while below the ground it produces massive, starchy, tuberous roots which can reach a great size. It is a species of the climbing vine, native to the warm regions of East Asia, while it has been introduced widely and has become invasive in the southeastern United States, and it is known as the kudzu or the Japanese arrowroot.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The kudzu root has a real and distinguished place in research. It has been studied in the botany and the legume biology, since the kudzu is a member of the pea family and a vigorous nitrogen-fixing vine, and the researchers have examined its growth, its root development and its relationships within the legumes, while the study of the climbing legumes has drawn attention in the international botanical press. The root has also been studied in the chemistry and the natural-products science, since the kudzu root contains isoflavones and a large quantity of starch, and the researchers have examined the root, its constituents and its composition, while the study of the kudzu root and its chemistry has been of continuing interest, and the plant is best appreciated as a subject of study and of the traditional use rather than a casual remedy. The species has also been studied in the ecology and the invasive-species science, since the kudzu is one of the most famous invasive plants of the southeastern United States, and the researchers have examined its spread, its impact on the native forests and the methods of its control, while the study of the invasive vines has been of continuing interest across the world. For a vine of such vigour, the kudzu root has a rich and distinguished record of research.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

To grow the Kudzu from seed, ecologically, the kudzu is a vigorous vine of the warm forest edges and the roadsides. Its rapid growth can smother the trees and the undergrowth, and its nitrogen-fixing roots alter the chemistry of the soil, while it provides a dense cover for the small creatures but can also overwhelm the native vegetation. Its economic value is real and double-edged: the kudzu root is prized as a traditional material and a source of starch in the East, and its value has drawn attention in the international agricultural and trade press, while its vigorous spread has also made it one of the most costly invasive plants of the southeastern United States, and the responsible cultivation and the careful control are both necessary. To raise the kudzu, sow the seeds in pots of moist, open soil in a warm, sunny place, keep them gently watered, and grow the little vines on with strong support.

sow the seeds in pots of moist, open soil in a warm, sunny place, keep the young kudzu gently watered, and grow the little vines on with strong support.

Common uses: Migraines, hypertension, allergies, angina, hangovers, reduce the urge to drink, and help with withdrawal symptoms of alcohol, cold and flu symptoms, nervous tension, used in Asian cuisine as a thickening agent, high blood pressure, pectoris, genital herpes, cold sores, shingles, angina pectoris, diabetes, menopausal symptoms Also known as: Japanese Arrowroot, Kuzu Effects/Properties: Antibacterial, Anti-cancer, Antispasmodic, Antipyretic, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antithrombotic, Cardiovascular, Diaphoretic, Muscle Relaxant Pharmacology: Calcium, Daidzein, Daidzin, Genistein, Riboflavin, Puerarin, Flavones, D-xylose, Isoflavones Precautions: None known Drug Interaction Precautions: None Known