Pueraria montana var. lobata

Pueraria montana var. lobata, the East Asian arrowroot, or kudzu vine, is a perennial plant in the family Fabaceae.

Description

A slow growing climbing legume with a thickened edible tuber. It has a thick stem which is hairy at the base. The stem can be 2.5 cm across. It can climb to 20 m high. The leaves are hairy and divided into 3 leaflets. They are oval or diamond shaped and they have lobes. The middle leaflet is the largest. The side leaflets are not equal on both sides of the main vein. The leaflets are 10-18 cm long by 8-15 cm wide. The leaves taper towards the tip. The leaf stalk is 20 cm long. The flowers are pea like and purple. They are 2 cm long and produced in upright stalks. The clusters along the stalks are 25-40 cm long. The fruit are oblong pods 9 cm long and 1 cm wide. They are covered with dense rusty hairs. The tuber is shaped like a cassava root. It can be 60-90 cm long.

Edible Uses

The root tuber is cooked and eaten, or processed into flour used as a thickener for sauces. The leaves, shoots, and flowers are used as vegetables. In India, seeds are fermented in a closed container for about seven days to make a drink.

Traditional Uses

The root tuber is cooked and eaten. A kind of flour can also be made from the roots. This is processed into a thickener for sauces. The leaves, shoots and flowers can be used as a vegetable. In India the seeds are boiled and kept in a closed container for about seven days and then allowed to decompose. A drink is made from it.

Medicinal Uses

Pueraria montana var. lobata has several practical applications, as well as uses in medicine and cosmetics. More than 70 phytochemical are present in Kudzu root, with the major groups being isoflavonoids and triterpenoids with their glycosides. 41 phytochemicals, including large amounts of isoflavones have been identified within Kudzu flowers. One of the major phytochemicals in Kudzu plants is puerarin, which has antioxidant and anti-aging properties. The chemical components of both root and flower are useful for both medicinal and cosmetic purposes. The leaves of Kudzu plants can be consumed as vegetables and are high in triterpenoid saponins and isoflavones, which have several health benefits. The root of Pueraria montana var. lobata, which is rich in bioactive constituents, has been used in traditional medicine in Eastern Asia. The Kudzu flowers have also been used in traditional medicine for conditions such as dysentery and alcoholism. The phytochemicals in kudzu plants contain many antioxidants, which can lower the risk of several disorders such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, and cancer. When used in combination with other medicinal herbs, Pueraria montana var. lobata was found to reduce fasting blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Pueraria montana var. lobata also has hepatoprotective properties and can be used in combination with other botanical drugs to enhance the effects of treating acute liver injury. Phytochemical compounds that are present in Pueraria montana var. lobata, particularly flavonoid compounds, which are widely used ingredients for cosmetics, prove Kudzu to be a potential source for bioactive compounds in future cosmetic applications. The phytochemical puerarin, which exists in the root of Kudzu, has been shown to inhibit the formation of advanced glycation end (AGEs) products related to skin-aging. Other studies have shown the potential of phytochemicals to participate in skin regeneration by promoting migration, proliferation, and collagen synthesis and thereby promoting skin pro-inflammatory activity and epithelialization which results in skin regeneration and healing. This makes Pueraria montana var. lobata a potentially useful alternative for the production of anti-aging and skin-regeneration cosmetics. Also, the melanogenesis inhibitory activity of Pueraria montana is of special interest in cosmetics, particularly in Asia where lighter skin is preferred amongst women. Studies have shown that the plant's extract consists of anti-melanogenesis activity by activating Akt/GSK-3b and interrupting maturation of tyrosinase by inhibiting a-glucosidase. Additionally, research has been done to examine the use of Pueraria montana var. lobata nanocellulose as a sustainable packaging material. Researchers found that isolated kudzu cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are a suitable reinforcing material for nanocomposites. However, further research is necessary to determine sustainable CNC extraction methods. The starch powder made from the East Asian arrowroot is called kudzu powder. Kudzu powder is used to make arrowroot tea in traditional medicines of China, Japan and Korea (in Korea the root unprepared is also used). The production of this powder in Japan was concentrated among the Kuzu (国栖) people who once lived along the Yoshino River in Nara Prefecture, which gave the plant its Japanese (and later loaned into English kudzu) name.

Distribution

A temperate to subtropical plant. Wild forms grow between 30 and 1860 m in the tropics. Cultivated forms are more common in high altitude areas up to 2700 m altitude in Papua New Guinea. It grows in grassland and on the edge of forests. It suits hardiness zones 5-11.

Where It Grows

Africa, American Samoa, Asia, Australia, Caribbean, Caucasus, Central Asia, China, Chuuk, Cuba, East Timor, Fiji, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Micronesia, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, North America, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rotuma, Russia, Samoa, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Torres Strait, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis & Futuna, West Africa, West Indies,

Cultivation

It is normally grown by stem cuttings. It grows slowly. Plants also grow self sown from seed.

Production

The time to maturity is 2-3 years. A tuberous root can be 35 kg weight.

Other Information

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. A minor root crop in Papua New Guinea. It is used as a reserve food and for ceremonies.

Notes

The tubers contain 27% starch. Chemical composition (peeled root): Protein = 2.13%. Fat = 0.1%. Carbohydrate = 27.1%. Ash = 1.45%. Probably now Pueraria montana var lobata. It has a chemical that reduces craving for alcohol.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Aka fala, Baai, Ban kumsa, Bitok, Chik, Chikdeongkul, Chil, Chilgi, Cu nang, Deday, Gegen, Goruma, Horon, Inoka, Kopitu, Koudzou, Oka moi, Owitu, Qari yaka, Same, Tahaunon, Tamyakhura, Tebi, Tobi, Wa yaka

References (72)

• Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. 85-1:53. 1985
• Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 504
• Arora, R. K., 2014, Diversity in Underutilized Plant Species - An Asia-Pacific Perspective. Bioversity International. p 108 (As Pueraria thunbergia)
• Bodner, C. C. and Gereau, R. E., 1988, A Contribution to Bontoc Ethnobotany. Economic Botany, 43(2): 307-369
• Brickell, C. (Ed.), 1999, The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Convent Garden Books. p 846

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