Once considered by gardeners and homeowners in the Southeastern United States to be a nuisance vine, Kudzu is fast becoming recognized by researchers as an herb with promise in treating a variety of serious medical conditions.
History
According to Healthline, the Kudzu vine, also called Arrowroot, is native to China and was brought to the United States from Japan in the late 1880's. It was traditionally used in China to treat alcoholism, diabetes, deafness, and inflammation of the stomach or intestines.
Uses
Kudzu is currently being sold and used as a dietary supplement. A recent study done on rodents and cited in an Aug. 2009 article in Science Daily indicates that Kudzu "reduces drinking and prevents relapse" and may be useful in treating alcoholism. According to a Sept. 2009 article in Medical News Today, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham say that a substance called Puerarin, found only in Kudzu root, "helps to lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol" and has an "ability to regulate glucose, or sugar, in the blood."
Other Research
Healthline cites preliminary evidence suggesting that Kudzu may also be effective in reducing the frequency of heart disease and angina (chest pain), and in treating glaucoma and some of the symptoms of menopause.
Side Effects
According to Healthline, no side effects have been reported when taking Kudzu orally. However, the substance Puerarin, when administered intravenously, "has caused intravascular hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells)." Kudzu root "may also cause weight loss," but this has not been well researched.
Considerations
It is not recommended that Kudzu be taken by women who are pregnant or breast feeding.
Fascinating Fact
According to an August 2006 article in the e-publication, "Blue Ridge Gazette," Kudzu has been dubbed "the vine that ate the South." It thrives in the warm climate of the southeastern United States where it was used in the 1930s for erosion control. Under ideal conditions, a Kudzu vine can grow up to 60 feet in a year, overwhelming native brush, trees and even power lines.
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