Furthermore, there is a need to develop efficacious medicines from natural products that have a low incidence of side effects or toxicity (Xu et al., 2005). The ultimate role that natural preparations kudzu root alcohol play will be complementary and might be useful in treating drug withdrawal and possibly relapse (Lu et al., 2009). Kudzu is a plant that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries.
Kudzu Root: Beneficial Herb or Just a Hyped Plant Invader?
- Daidzin has been shown to inhibit hamster and rat mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH-2) in vitro and is a mixed inhibitor of the human enzyme (Keung et al., 1997).
- Research suggests that the isoflavones in kudzu may influence the brain’s reward system, making it less likely for individuals to consume excessive amounts of alcohol.
- One particular ingredient in the vine called puerarin is what guides the glucose to spread away from fat cells and blood vessels and into other areas of the body where it’s needed, such as your muscles.
- Other preliminary studies suggest kudzu may improve symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats in perimenopausal women (5) (10) (21), and cognitive function in postmenopausal women (6).
When they visited the bar, beer, spirits and white wine were freely available. The amount of alcohol consumed was calculated for each group (1 unit per drink of beer or spirits, 1.6 units per glass of wine). Metabolic syndrome is a condition notorious for its cluster of health issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and/or abnormal triglyceride levels. If left unchecked, metabolic syndrome can increase your risk of developing heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. The last study above was designed to test the hypothesis that kudzu accelerates the subjective experience of alcohol intoxication. If this were the primary effect of kudzu increasing blood flow, then subjects should feel more intoxicated with fewer drinks after taking it.
Does Kudzu Root Have Side Effects?
The Chinese noticed that people who consumed the plant started to drink less. According to traditional Chinese medicine, this plant has cooling properties that balance the heat and false energy created by alcohol. Excessive alcohol consumption is a leading cause of illness worldwide (Shield et al., 2013) and has a significant impact on the health of millions people. The impact of excessive alcohol consumption results in increased healthcare costs, loss of productivity, alcohol-related crime (including assault and sexual abuse), and motor vehicle accidents. It’s important to note that these studies used kudzu extract, which may have contained other parts of the kudzu plant besides the root.
- Kudzu root may help treat some of the most common menopausal complaints, including hot flashes and night sweats.
- Increases in 5-HIAL have been shown to be correlated with decreased alcohol consumption in hamsters (Keung et al., 1995).
- One study in mice found that kudzu vine extract was highly beneficial in treating alcohol-induced liver damage by scavenging harmful free radicals and boosting the natural antioxidant system (6).
- Previous work in this laboratory on the stance stability test has indicated that kudzu alone does not alter this behavior (unpublished results).
Bacterial metabolites of diet-derived lignans and isoflavones inversely associate with asthma and wheezing
- It has been suggested that kudzu may be effective in reducing alcohol consumption, alcohol cravings, and withdrawal symptoms in individuals with alcohol use disorders.
- EtOH acts on certain subtypes of GABAARs and induces rapid alteration of their subunit assembly, consequently altering the functional properties of these GABAARs38,45.
If you have ever driven through the South and looked into fields and wooded areas noticing a vine-like plant resembling a topiary, chances are that plant was kudzu. Kudzu root, also known as kuzu, is mostly used as an herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This Dr. Axe content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure factually accurate information. Data from the actiwatch device was the primary source for all analyses while the daily diary served as a back up to verify daily totals and in case of equipment failure.
- Recently, medical scientists re-evaluated the efficacy of some herbal medicines using modern scientific approaches.
- The degree of reduction is often as high as 50% and the effects appeared within one to two days of treatment.
- The standard dose is 50 mg daily, but a multisite study demonstrated that 100 mg daily was also effective when combined with medical management7.
- Nor will it drastically enhance your quality of life after the first dose.
- However, some people may experience mild side effects such as nausea, dizziness, and headache.
- One of the most commonly known uses of kudzu is treating alcoholism (this is what it was originally used for in ancient China).
Other GABAergic medications represent potentially promising drugs useful for the treatment of AWS and for the maintenance of alcohol abstinence. Clomethiazole, gabapentin, and γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) present a similar efficacy as BZs in suppressing AWS. Current evidence also suggests that gabapentin and valproic acid may be beneficial in maintaining alcohol abstinence in alcoholics with psychiatric co-morbidity. Thus, given the importance of GABAergic mechanisms in the development and maintenance of alcohol dependence, and the interesting results that have currently been demonstrated, more research on GABAergic agents is warranted119. Single or acute alcohol consumption is an alcohol intake that occurs over a short period of time.
6 Alcohol Consumption—Follow-up Phase
