A Single Dose of Kudzu Extract Reduces Alcohol Consumption in a Binge Drinking Paradigm PMC

In addition, it did not disrupt sleep, as usually occurs with other hangover cures. However, kudzu extract significantly reduced the number of drinks consumed each week by 34-57%. Medication adherence was excellent and there were no adverse events and changes in vital signs, blood chemistry, and renal or liver function. Medication adherence was excellent and there were no adverse events, changes in vital signs, blood chemistry, renal or liver function. This is the first demonstration that a single dose of kudzu extract quickly reduces alcohol consumption in a binge drinking paradigm.

• Medication adherence was measured using ultraviolet (UV) light to detect riboflavin in centrifuged urine samples (Del Boca et al., 1996) that were collected twice a week.
• The kudzu group significantly reduced consumption from 3.0 ± 1.7 at baseline to 1.9 ± 1.3 beers after treatment.
• You can find kudzu root supplements easily online and in a variety of natural food or supplement stores.
• In addition, it did not disrupt sleep, as usually occurs with other hangover cures.
• The government runs the voluntary Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) scheme in an effort to combat this problem.
• It is important to note that kudzu should not be used as a substitute for professional medical treatment for alcoholism.

1 Alcohol Consumption

These medications are usually prescribed as part of MAT (Medication Assisted Treatment), also called Medication for Alcohol Use Disorder (MAUD), which combines prescription drugs with therapy to help people overcome substance abuse issues. Medication helps manage uncomfortable symptoms while you focus on getting better. Alcohol can also act on other receptors in the brain including serotonin, opioid and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors which improve mood and anxiety symptoms short-term but lead to a chemical imbalance over time. It can intensify cravings and make it more challenging to resist the urge to drink. Researchers bought a variety of Kudzu extracts from stores and Internet sites.

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Participants were provided with a small card that identified unique codes to record use of alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, and other drugs. Participants were instructed to report when they consumed each drink, which was defined as a 12 oz can of beer, 5 oz glass of wine or 1.5 oz distilled spirits. This study provides additional evidence that an extract of the kudzu root significantly reduces alcohol consumption by human participants and confirms that this botanical medication may be a safe and effective kudzu to stop drinking adjunct pharmacotherapy for treating alcohol use disorders. Certain medications have been shown to be effective in reducing alcohol cravings and helping to maintain sobriety. These medications work by altering the brain’s response to alcohol or producing unpleasant effects when alcohol is consumed, deterring further drinking. Daidzin, a compound found in the kudzu vine, interferes with the metabolization of alcohol and produces effects similar to those of the anti-drinking drug Antabuse.

Estrogenic activity

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. Researchers at McLean Hospital near Boston report that an extract of the kudzu vine reduced the amount of alcohol consumed by test subjects. Kudzu is best known as a nuisance weed in the southern United States where it chokes off other plants. The scientists invited a group of heavy drinkers into a studio apartment and told them to watch TV and crack open a few beers. Those given the kudzu extract seemed to drink fewer beers, maybe because kudzu increases blood flow and delivers alcohol to the brain more quickly.

• The last study above was designed to test the hypothesis that kudzu accelerates the subjective experience of alcohol intoxication.
• Researcher’s evidence about Kudzu’s effectiveness is mixed and much more research is needed.
• The investigators found that the compounds reduced the rats’ alcohol intake.
• This product has not been reviewed by the FDA to determine whether it is safe or effective and is not subject to the quality standards and safety information collection standards that are applicable to most prescription drugs.
• Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) is a plant native to Asia that belongs to the legume family.

We had kudzu extracts laboratory tested – and they didn’t contain anything like the amount they said on the packet. But before you rush out to buy kudzu extract, there’s a sting in this particular tale. Our test, and those carried out in the US, involved each person taking 500mg of the active ingredient. But we looked hard and we couldn’t find any brands of kudzu available in the UK that have the government’s https://ecosoberhouse.com/ THR mark, which guarantees that they actually contain what they say on the label. Two hours before starting we gave them pills – some got kudzu extract, others a placebo (a harmless sugar pill). Even if the original plant has impressive health-giving properties, and many of our more effective medicines are derived from plants, that doesn’t mean that supplements based on those plants will be effective.

• This was demonstrated in our previous study (Penetar et al., 2011) where pharmacokinetic parameters such as peak concentration and elimination time were not affected by kudzu.
• A total of 227 breath samples were possible from all subject visits during the trial and compliance was equally distributed between the two groups; the kudzu extract group provided 131 of a possible 136 samples and the placebo group provided 84 of a possible 91 samples.
• Kudzu root has also shown to help regulate glucose, AKA sugar, in the blood, Beckerman says.
• It’s important to note that this is a case study, so it can’t prove kudzu root caused this liver injury.

Researchers found that the kudzu extract had no effect on alcohol cravings, but it reduced the number of weekly alcoholic drinks by 34–57% (2). The study found the treatment with the kudzu extract resulted in a significant reduction in the number of beers consumed. Kudzu treatment also resulted in the number of sips and length of time for consuming each beer, as well as a decrease in the volume of each sip. Individuals treated with kudzu extract drank less beer, and they drank more slowly. There were no reported side effects from treatment with the kudzu extract. During the baseline session, the placebo-randomized group consumed 2.7 ± 0.78 beers before treatment and increased consumption to 3.4 ± 1.1 beers after treatment.

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• Alcohol drinking was not completely eliminated by kudzu extract in the present study, but was reduced from baseline drinking by an average of 45% over the four weeks of treatment.
• One study in mice found that kudzu vine extract was highly beneficial in treating alcohol-induced liver damage by scavenging harmful free radicals and boosting the natural antioxidant system (6).
• This time, the groups were given the opposite pill from the one they’d previously taken (meaning that they acted as their own control for the experiment).
• The present study was conducted in nontreatment-seeking heavy drinkers to assess the safety and efficacy of 4 weeks of kudzu extract in an outpatient setting.
• She is currently the National Lead Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at Eleanor Health and her clinical interests include therapeutic communication, evidence-based treatment and nonjudgmental care.

Because prescription medications are not universally used or have a perceived modest effect (Krystal et al., 2001; Mark et al., 2003), providing heavy drinkers with any type of intervention that yields even a modest reduction in drinking is desirable. Furthermore, there is a need to develop efficacious medicines from natural products that have a low incidence of side effects or toxicity (Xu et al., 2005). The ultimate role that natural preparations play will be complementary and might be useful in treating drug withdrawal and possibly relapse (Lu et al., 2009). There is some evidence that kudzu root dietary supplements may cause liver injury. One study in mice found that taking 10 mg per day of kudzu root extract for 4 weeks caused liver toxicity (15). Research has demonstrated that taking a kudzu extract prior to drinking can reduce alcoholic intake by between 30 and 50%.

We have previously reported on the sleep/wake patterns of the participants in this study (Bracken et al., 2011). Various studies have used single, one-time doses or daily doses for a week without reported adverse effects. It’s important to note that these studies used kudzu extract, which may have contained other parts of the kudzu plant besides the root.

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