Kudzu Extract for Liver Protection

Herbs for Health

By Steven Foster
August/September 1997
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

If any plant deserves the American title “king of weeds”, it is the kudzu vine (Pueraria lobata). Introduced to the United States from Japan before 1876 to control soil erosion, this member of the pea family (Leguminosae) promised to be an excellent food and fodder plant, but by 1945 it had become an invasive pest, covering a half million acres in the Southeast.

RELATED CONTENT

In China and India, how­ever, this and other Pueraria species are valued as diuretics, contraceptives, aphrodisiacs, and treatments for high blood pressure and angina pectoris. Recently, researchers at Jiwaji University in India administered a root extract of the Indian species P. tuberosa to adult male rats exposed to carbon tetrachloride, a chemical known to cause liver toxicity. The extract stabilized the activity of liver enzymes, stimulated regeneration of liver tissue, and made the liver more resistant to damage from carbon tetrachloride toxins.

Steven Foster is an author, photographer and consultant specializing in medicinal plants (www.StevenFoster.com). 

Sources:

Shukla, S., et al. “Protective Action of Butanolic Extract of Pueraria tuberosa DC. against Carbon Tetrachloride–Induced Hepatotoxicity in Adult Rats”. Phytotherapy Research 1996, 10(7):608–609.

Please note: The information provided is for educational purposes and should not be used as a substitute for advice from a qualified health-care practitioner.


Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print


Comments

2147484962
MY COMMUNITY

MOST POPULAR


Pay Now & Save 58% off the Cover Price
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*


(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Subscribe to The Herb Companion

Your guide to the many uses and even more pleasures of nature's most helpful plants!

The Herb Companion is the smart and easy complement to your own healthy, vibrant lifestyle! In every issue you'll find information on using herbs to:

  • Transform simple dishes into spectacular meals
  • Make gardens as useful as they are beautiful
  • Replace harsh chemicals with natural alternatives
  • Help find fulfillment, balance and good health
  • And much more!

Yes, send me a one-year subscription (6 issues) to The Herb Companion. I'll pay just $19.95.

Save Even More Money By Paying NOW!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our Earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $5.00 and get 6 issues of The Herb Companion for only $14.95 (USA only).