Changes

*Var. ''lobata'' : ''Pueraria thunbergiana'' (Sieb. & Zucc.) Benth. (1867), *''Pueraria lobata'' (Willd.) Ohwi (1947).

*Kudzu, Japanese arrowroot (En). *Koudzou (Fr)

In tests with rats the plant showed antipyretic and anti-myocardial ischemia effects. The isoflavonoid glycosides have antioxidant, anti- hepatotoxic activity and also hypotensive effect, with excellent clinical results in the treatment of hypertension. Chinese pharmacologists have reported that the isoflavonoids stimulate cerebral and coronary blood circulation. Daidzein has been found to show a papaverine-like musculotropic action. The spasmolytic activity of daidzein has been proved using excised small intestine of mice. Puerarin acts as a β-adrenoreceptor antagonist in isolated arteries and veins. The extract showed antidipsotropic activity (suppression of ethanol intake) in golden hamsters, for which daidzin is the major active principle. This activity of the extract is greater than that of pure daidzin, and it seems that additional constituents in the methanol extract assist uptake of daidzin. The bioavailability of daidzin in the crude extract is about 10 times greater than that of the pure compound. In tests with rats, daidzin was efficacious in lowering blood alcohol levels and shortened sleeping time induced by alcohol ingestion. Daidzein and puerarin have also been effective in suppressing voluntary alcohol consumption by rats, but induced increased water intake. The compounds did not affect the activities of liver alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase, from which it appears that the reversal of alcohol preference produced by these compounds may be mediated via the central nervous system. Antifebrile activity of the extract has been demonstrated in Vietnam. An aqueous extract of flowers and tubers showed wormicidal effect on ''Clonorchis sinensis'' .

Per 100 g, cooked leaves contain approximately water 89 g, protein 0.4 g, fat 0.1 g, carbohydrates 9.7 g, fibre 7.7 g and ash 0.8 g. Kudzu is nearly as nutritious as alfalfa ( ''Medicago sativa'' L.) and is palatable to all types of livestock. The green forage contains 14.5-20% crude protein, 2-3.5% fat, 27-36% crude fibre and 7-8.5% ash on dry weight basis.

*A perennial, woody climber, with stems up to 30 m long and up to 10 cm in diameter, initially grey to brown pubescent, later glabrescent, and with very large oblong tubers up to 2 m long and up to 45 cm in diameter. *Leaves alternate, pinnately 3-foliolate; petiole 8-13(-21) cm long, rachis 1.5-7 cm long, both grey to golden-brown hairy, stipules peltate, up to 1.5(-2.5) cm long; leaflets ovate to orbicular, 8-26 cm × 5-22 cm, lateral leaflets oblique and often somewhat smaller than terminal leaflet, entire to 3-lobed, thinly appressed pubescent, petiolules 4-10 mm, stipels linear to lanceolate, up to 2(-3) cm long. *Inflorescence a usually unbranched elongated pseudoraceme up to 35 cm long, with 3 flowers per node, bracts up to 10 mm long, early caducous, bracteoles up to 5 mm long, fairly persistent. *Flowers bisexual, short-pedicelled; calyx campanulate with 5 unequal teeth, tube 3-5 mm long, teeth 4-9 mm long; corolla papilionaceous, petals up to 2.5 cm long, purplish to blue or pink, often with a yellow or green spot on vexillum; stamens 10, monadelphous or with one free stamen; ovary superior, elongated, 1-celled. *Fruit a flattened oblong pod, 4-13 cm × 0.5-1.5 cm, straight to falcate, with golden-brown hairs, 5-15-seeded. *Seeds flattened ovoid, 4-5 mm × 4 mm × 2 mm, red-brown with black mosaic. *Seedling with epigeal germination; first 2 leaves simple and opposite.

Three varieties are distinguished within ''P. montana'' , of which var. ''lobata'' (Willd.) v.d. Maesen & Almeida is particularly common in the Malesian region. This variety is often considered as a distinct species: ''P. lobata'' (Willd.) Ohwi. The other two varieties, var. ''montana'' and var. ''chinensis'' (Ohwi) v.d. Maesen & Almeida (synonym: ''P. lobata'' (Willd.) Ohwi var. ''thomsonii'' (Benth.) v.d. Maesen), are mainly restricted to mainland Asia, although both have been reported from the Philippines. The main distinguishing characteristics are flower size, leaflet form and fruit size.

Fungal diseases in kudzu include leaf-spot (caused by ''Alternaria'' spp.), anthracnose (caused by ''Colletotrichum'' sp.), stem rot (caused by ''Fusarium'' sp.), and damping-off (caused by ''Pellicularia solani'' ), whereas bacteria ( ''Pseudomonas'' spp.) may cause blight. Nematodes (mainly ''Meloidogyne'' spp.) have been reported to attack the roots. Velvetbean caterpillars ( ''Anticarsia gemmatilis'' ) eat the leaves.

*[202] Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. Revised reprint. 2 volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol. 1 (A-H) pp. 1-1240. Vol. 2 (I-Z) pp. 1241-2444.*[580] Heyne, K., 1950. De nuttige planten van Indonesië [The useful plants of Indonesia]. 3rd Edition. 2 volumes. W. van Hoeve, 's-Gravenhage, the Netherlands/Bandung, Indonesia. 1660 + CCXLI pp.

*N.O. Aguilar