Chinese herbal medicine, safe herbal supplements treatment for arteriosclerosis and treatment of alchoholism

Kudu, or Kudzu as it is sometimes called, may not necessarily be the most recognized herbal supplement on store shelves, but its fleshy roots are certainly the largest among perennial plants.

Native to Asia, the Kudu root can actually reach seven inches in diameter and six feet in length, weighing as much as 400 pounds. The plant itself is a vine, with each large leaf sprouting two to three leaflets. The Kudu plant is easily recognized in late summer by its aromatic purple flowers that hang in long clusters from each cascading vine. Eventually, the fragrant blossoms turn into flattened hairy, brown seedpods, holding up to ten hard seeds each. Kudu can be found trailing its way along roadsides, through thickets, fields and into thin forested areas, known to create a solid wall of green foliage. It is also found on many of China’s vast mountainsides. In fact, it appears that anywhere this tough, high-climbing plant can find sunlight, it will weave its way to maturity at an astounding rate, growing as much as a foot a day, or 60 feet a season.

In the Orient, the root of the Kudu plant has been widely used as a medicinal remedy for over 2000 years. Traditional Chinese Medicine long associates the root with improved coronary circulation and as a remedy for muscle aches and pains.

In China, Kudu root is often used as a medicinal remedy to treat measles. North American herbalists also recommend Kudu as a treatment for headaches, light-headedness and numbness associated with high blood pressure. As well, it has been found helpful as a treatment for neck and upper back pain, fever, diarrhea and dysentery.

In 1876, Kudu first landed on American soil. It was originally brought from Japan to the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, where it was introduced as an ornamental species. It was later touted as a foraging crop and used by US farmers to reduce soil erosion. By 1953, it had spread throughout most of the southern US, overrunning a great deal of the native vegetation. Kudu thrives on the short, mild winters and hot, humid summers and as a result, the US Department of Agriculture now considers Kudu to be a destructive weed, banning its use as a cover plant.

Despite the seemingly negative environmental effects of the Kudu plant, its usefulness as an herbal remedy continues to be positive. Studies show the Kudu root to contain high levels of isoflavones, which are secondary plant substances containing estrogenic properties considered to have important protective functions within the body. Researchers believe these isoflavones account for the root’s positive effects on blood flow and microcirculation.

The root of Kudzu plant contains 2 to 12 % puerarin (an isoflavone glycoside) and daidzin and daidzeint. Kudzu root also contains genistein and genestin (the compounds also found in soy) and quercetin, a common flavonoid. source According to an article at Herbalchem.net (cache), kudzu is the second richest plant source of isoflavones, and 100 grams (approximately 4 ounces) contains around 200 mg. of isoflavones.

To date, the majority of studies on the effects of the Kudu root as an herbal remedy have taken place abroad. In one such Chinese study, researchers found that the root’s dilative qualities increased blood flow. They further concluded that an extract of Kudu root was useful for increasing cerebral blood flow in people suffering from arteriosclerosis.

In 1993, a well-known animal study concluded that Kudu root may also reduce the urge for alcohol and as such, is a promising treatment for alcoholism. In fact, today, Kudu extract is already being prescribed with Ju Hua (another herbal remedy) to treat alcohol intoxication, hangovers and in some instances, alcoholism. Further studies have shown Kudu root to be useful as a treatment for Bell’s Palsy.

Kudzu for hair loss

The traditional Chinese herbal remedies for hair loss in man contains a number of ingredients like Saw Palmeto, co-factor nutrients such as Silica, Biotin , Folic Acid and also the Isoflavones from soy (Glycine max)and Kudzu.

Despite these encouraging results, further research is still required to fully understand the extent of this plant’s amazing healing properties, which so far, have no known side effects.