One Chinese herbal medicine, XJL (NPI-028), has long been used to reduce the inebriation that results from alcohol consumption. NPI-028 contains the extracts of several plants including Puerariae lobata (kudzu) and Citrus reticulata, which have long been used to lower intoxication (Sun, 600). Rooke et al., (2000) has suggested that puerarin may block biogenic amine metabolic pathways, resulting in an alteration in central reward pathways. In our most recent study (Penetar et al., 2011) we provided evidence that kudzu extract may alter blood ethanol levels after an acute drinking episode. In fact, we reported that kudzu extract did just that and interrupted binge drinking (Lukas et al., 2005).
Kudzu may also help reduce the risk of blood clots, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Although kudzu is used in traditional medicine, the evidence on whether it has benefit for any condition is unclear. Two hours before starting we gave them pills – some got kudzu extract, others a placebo (a harmless sugar pill). New alcohol guidelines have stressed the importance of cutting back. Could an ancient Chinese herbal remedy help you get that pleasurable buzz while drinking less, asks Michael Mosley.
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This change in drinking topography was not secondary to alterations in the subjective effects of alcohol as kudzu-treated individuals still reported positive feelings (e.g., drunk, floating) without any change in the negative effects (e.g., clumsy, dizzy). When given equal amounts of alcohol, kudzu- and placebo-treated individuals respond similarly (Penetar et al., 2011). Kudzu extract was administered in gelatin capsules containing 500 mg of extract (Alkontrol-Herbal™; NPI-031) prepared by Natural Pharmacia International, Inc., Burlington, MA. The extract contained 26% (130 mg) active isoflavones (20% puerarin, 4% daidzin, 2% daidzein; an improved HPLC analysis revealed that the total puerarin content includes both puerarin and 3-methoxypuerarin.).
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A single dose of kudzu extract reduces alcohol consumption in a binge drinking paradigm.
The protocol and informed consent were approved by the McLean Hospital Institutional Review Board and individuals were paid for their participation. The finding that alcohol intake was reduced without affecting desire to use alcohol at first seemed counter-intuitive. However, it is important to recognize that one of the major weaknesses of the measure that we used to record desire to drink alcohol was that it was unidimensional. It is quite likely that the desire to use alcohol in an outpatient setting cannot be captured with a single question; we also observed an absence of an effect on desire for alcohol in our previous study (Lukas et al., 2005).
- There are several species of kudzu and both the flowers and root extract are used for their medicinal properties.
- However, it is important to recognize that one of the major weaknesses of the measure that we used to record desire to drink alcohol was that it was unidimensional.
- In theory, taking kudzu along with medication that might also harm the liver can increase the risk of liver damage.
- Using the continuous measure of alcohol consumption, drinking was quantified using a number of different variables as noted above.
- Scientists need to do more research on the safe and effective dosages of kudzu root for various uses.
As previously mentioned, isoflavone compounds may alter alcohol consumption and effects through alterations in central reward pathways. These pathways may be sensitive not only to alcohol directly, but also to acetaldehyde levels also (Melis et al., 2009; Sanchez-Catalan et al., 2009). The kudzu extract used in the present study was primarily composed of puerarin, but also contained smaller amounts of daidzin and daidzein. Although the number of sips taken per beer did not significantly increase in this study – contrary to what was found in our previous study (Lukas et al., 2005) – we did observe an increase in the time taken to consume a beer which is consistent with our previous study.
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This interpretation of kudzu’s possible mechanism of action was also suggested by Wong et al. (2011) who postulated that kudzu alters peripheral and cerebral blood flow. Puerarin, one of the most abundant isoflavones in kudzu root extracts, is a known vasodilator and is approved for such use in China following coronary infarction and stroke (Wu et al., 2014). The most important finding of the present study was that 4-weeks of treatment with a standardized kudzu extract reduced ad libitum alcohol consumption in a group of non treatment-seeking heavy drinkers. We previously demonstrated that this kudzu extract significantly reduced alcohol drinking in a group of heavy drinkers during one night of access to preferred brand of beer in a simulated natural environment (Lukas et al., 2005). The present study revealed that kudzu extract is also effective in heavy drinkers in their home, work and/or school environment.
- Participants were treated for a total of 9 days with either kudzu extract or placebo.
- Scientists need to do more research on the effects of kudzu root in humans to investigate these effects in the liver.
- The arrowroot starch derived from the Kudzu plant is also used in cooking as a thickener.
- The present study revealed that kudzu extract is also effective in heavy drinkers in their home, work and/or school environment.
- The last study above was designed to test the hypothesis that kudzu accelerates the subjective experience of alcohol intoxication.
Assessments were performed after completion of the questionnaires at 30, 45, and 60 minutes after start of alcohol administration; after 1 hour, stance stability was assessed every 30 minutes until the end of the session at 3 hours. Until the effects of kudzu can be quantified properly in a larger study, then, and a standardised product is available on the market with the THR mark, it’s not something we can recommend you take. We found that, on average, each person consumed 7 units of alcohol after the placebo and, on average, 5.5 units after the kudzu. However, these studies were conducted on lone individuals drinking within highly controlled laboratory conditions. You can find kudzu root for purchase in many supplement stores or online. Stores typically sell it as a powdered drink mix, an oral capsule or tablet, liquid drops, or as a food-grade starch to use in cooking.
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One limitation of this study is the lack of a dose-response assessment. The complete lack of side effects would favor the conduct of such studies. Other limitations of the present study are the use of a rather narrow aged male population who drink only at moderate levels. In the first, kudzu extract was administered for 7 days and acute binge drinking was suppressed (Lukas et al., 2005). In the second, participants who were treated for 4 weeks with kudzu extract significantly reduced their alcohol consumption during weeks 2 through 4 of the study (Lukas et al., 2013).
You can eat the root as you would other root vegetables, like potatoes or rutabagas. Kudzu roots can be dried and ground into a powder, which some people use as breading for fried foods or as a thickener for soups and sauces. The kudzu plant resembles poison ivy, so it’s important to know how to identify it correctly. The plant is a trailing vine that often grows over other plants and trees.
2 Materials and Medication
A growing number of double-blind, peer reviewed studies have confirmed the effectiveness of using kudzu for alcoholism. Early research focused on rats with good results, which were later replicated with human subjects. Lukas and Lee hold a patent for kudzu extract to treat alcohol abuse and dependence. McLean Hospital has licensed the production of kudzu extract (NPI-031) to Natural Pharmacia International (NPI), kudzu extract for alcoholism Inc. that markets it as Alkontrol-Herbal™. A prior study of kudzu to treat alcohol use in an outpatient setting reported that kudzu had no effect on maintaining sobriety or altering alcohol craving (Shebek and Rindone, 2000). However, these authors noted that there was a large dropout rate, subjects were not supervised while they completed the questionnaires, and there was only a single assessment each month.
