Does Kudzu Root Extract teat Menopause or Metabolic syndrome?

Menopause

Kudzu has compounds, such as puerarin and daidzein that are isoflavones. Some studies suggest kudzu may play a role in menopausal symptoms.

Analysis of the estrogenic components in kudzu root by bioassay and high performance liquid chromatography.
Isoflavones are the main components in the plant, of which puerarin is the most abundant one. High kudzu content of isoflavones as well as the high estrogenic activity could make kudzu root extract an interesting candidate for hormone replacement therapy.

Metabolic syndrome

A study tested kudzu root extract in female rats with high blood pressure that were prone to stroke. Those rats had many of the symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Ning Peng and J. Michael Wyss, PhD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, put the rats on a diet free of antioxidants called polyphenols. They added kudzu root extract, which naturally contains certain polyphenols, to the diets of some of the rats. For two months the rats in the kudzu group gained less weight than the other rats, though it didn't hamper their eating habits. At the end of the two months, the rats in the kudzu group had better blood pressure, blood sugar, insulin, and total cholesterol levels than the other rats. Kudzu polyphenols may have potential as complements to other strategies (such as diet and exercise) for reducing metabolic disorders. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2009.

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