Kudzu Root (40% Isoflavone)

History and Uses:
Kudzu is a coarse, high-climbing, twining, perennial vine that is native to Japan and China. It also grows in the southeastern portions of the United States, where it was originally introduced to help control soil erosion and provide fodder for cattle, but this herb quickly overgrew its boundaries, as a single vine can grow up to one hundred feet in one season, covering and killing other plants along its path. Despite the many important uses of this plant, it is often considered a noxious weed, yet continues to be imported from Asia, due to it importance in herbal medicine, textile production and the food industry. The first written mention of the plant as a medicine is in the ancient herbal text , the Shen Nong Canon of Herbs. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Kudzu Root has been used for centuries, including prescriptions for the treatment of wei, a "superficial" syndrome (disease that manifests just under the surface: mild, but with fever). It was also used in cases of thirst, headache and stiff neck with pain due to high blood pressure. It was further recommended for allergies, migraine headaches, measles eruptions in children and diarrhea. Kudzu was also used as a treatment for angina pectoris. The roots provide a fiber for the textile industry. The process for extracting the starch from the roots is tedious and can take up to four months, during which it is chopped, washed, pounded into a mass and filtered up to fifty times. The primary chemical constituents of Kudzu include starch, isoflavonoids, puerarin, daidzein and phytoestrogens. Kudzu Root is high in isoflavones, as well as isoflavone glycosides. Depending upon its growing conditions, the total isoflavone content varies from 2-12%, with puerarin in the highest concentration, followed by daidzin and daidzein. It has some demulcent properties, making it useful for thirst and dryness. Also, the flowers have been shown to be effective in lessening the desire for alcohol, and thus is used in the treatment of alcoholism. This herb is also said to counteract poisons. When Kudzu is roasted in a dry pan, it is said to make an excellent tonic for the spleen and help treat diarrhea. Kudzu is cooked as food in China, where it is used as a thickening agent in making sauces, soups and puddings. It can be used as a starch for people who do not digest grains well. The young leaves, shoots and flowers can be steamed or sautéed as a vegetable.