Pueraria montana
Kudzu
Pueraria montana, commonly known as Kudzu, is a perennial climbing vine native to East Asia. Renowned in traditional medicine for its diverse therapeutic properties, it is frequently utilized to manage menopause symptoms, support liver health, and reduce alcohol cravings. This potent botanical offers significant potential for modern pharmacological research.
- Scientific name: Pueraria montana
- Family: Fabaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae. It is specifically identified by the genus Pueraria and the species montana.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Pueraria | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Pueraria montana, is known by various common names depending on the language and region. In Chinese, it is referred to as 葛 in Simplified Chinese (zh-hans), Traditional Chinese (zh-hant), and in the Hong Kong dialect (zh-hk). In Korean, the plant is commonly called 칡, while in Polish, it is known as Opornik łatkowaty.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 葛 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 葛 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 葛 | Wikidata |
| pl | Opornik łatkowaty | Wikidata |
| ko | 칡 | Wikidata |
| ja | クズ | Wikidata |
| ar | كشت جبلي | Wikidata |
| sv | Kudzuböna | Wikidata |
| uk | Пуэрария лопастная | Wikidata |
| zh | 葛 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution that spans across several distinct regions. In Southeastern Europe, its presence is noted in both Italy and the Northwestern Balkan Peninsula. Moving toward Eastern Europe, the species can be found within the territories of Crimea and Ukraine. Additionally, its range extends to the Atlantic region, specifically inhabiting the Azores. This wide-ranging dispersal highlights the plant's ability to thrive in various European and Macaronesian environments.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southeastern Europe | Italy | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | NW. Balkan Pen. | WCVP |
| Eastern Europe | Krym | WCVP |
| Eastern Europe | Ukraine | WCVP |
| Macaronesia | Azores | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Liberia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Senegal | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Sierra Leone | WCVP |
Chemicals
Pueraria montana has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Kudzuisoflavone A, Miquelianin, Protopseudohypericin, Rutin, fructose.
- Total chemicals
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Kudzuisoflavone A | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Miquelianin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Protopseudohypericin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Rutin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fructose | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glucose | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Pueraria montana has 5 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antioxidant, Antiproliferative, Antipyretic, Antiviral.
- Total activities
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiproliferative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antipyretic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Pueraria montana has 8 reported medicinal uses identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Marburg virus, alcoholism, analgesic, antioxidant, antipyretic.
- Total uses
- 8
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Marburg virus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| alcoholism | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antipyretic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| arthritis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rheumatoid arthritis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |