Pueraria montana, Ge Gen 葛根

Kudzu root
Ge Gen (TCM)

Pueraria montana
Gartenflora [E. von Regel], vol. 45 (1896)

Botanical name:

Pueraria spp.

P. montana (syn. P. lobata)
P. lobata subsp. chinensis (syn. P. thomsonii)
P. hirsuta

Parts used:

Root

Temperature & Taste:

Cool, dry. Sweet, Pungent. The fresh juice is Cold.

Classifications:

A. Clear Exterior Wind-Heat

Uses:

1. Clears Wind-Heat, Clears the Exterior, Resists Poison:
-Fever, Cold and Flu
-promotes expression of rashes in measles and other spotted fevers
-‘Detoxifies all Toxins’ (Shen Nong Ben Cao)
-‘Detoxifies Gelsemium Gou Wen and Croton Ba Dou and all kinds of drugs’ (Xu Zhi Cai)
-‘Detoxifies alcoholism’ (Zhen Quan). Also for Hangover
-Rabies

2. Clears Heat, Settles Wind:
-stiffness in the neck and upper back
-Hypertension with the associated Headache, Dizziness, Tinnitus
-Palpitation
-‘It treats Arthralgia’ (Shen Nong Ben Cao)
-‘good for treating headaches due to attack of Wind’. (Ming Yi Bie Lu)

3. Nourishes Fluids, Stops Thirst:
-Thirst due to Heat or Fever
-adjunct in Diabetes
-‘When the Spleen is in a deficient condition, but with great thirst, this drug must be used’. (Zhang Yuan Su)

4. Clears Damp-Heat, Stops Diarrhea:
-Diarrhea or Dysentery due to Heat
-acute Gastroenteritis
-‘a wonder drug’ for Diarrhea due to Spleen deficiency (Li Gao)
-the powder has been used to avert Hunger

5. Externally:
-root extract is used in moisturizing, skin-lightening, sun-screen and hair-growth promoting formula
-applied to Snake or Insect Bites
-applied to Wounds

Dose:

Decoction: 6–18 grams
Powder: 3–6 grams

Comment:

Pueraria tuberosa (Vidari) is a related species used in Ayurveda. P. lobata (Ge Gen) is considered a variety of Vidari in Ayurveda (Khare). We have separated them due to their different uses, however, they are probably fairly synonymous.

Preparation:

A traditional preparation involves beating the fresh root, soaking in water and stirring it until the powder comes out. Collect the powder and boil it in water, adding a little Ginger juice. After a long time it becomes thick like glue. Add some Honey and take it or add to hot water and drink.
This was traditionally takemn as a sweet, pleasant-tasing beverage with mild tonic qualities.
–

Main Combinations:

1. External Wind-Heat, Pueraria Ge Gen with Bupleurum Chai Hu, Scutellaria Huang Qin
2. External Wind-Cold, Pueraria Ge Gen with Ephedra Ma Huang, Cinnamon twig Gui Zhi, Paeonia Bai Shao
3. Early stages of Measles before the rash appears, to promote the rash:
i. Pueraria Ge Gen with Cimicifuga Sheng Ma, Peppermint (Bo He)
ii. Pueraria Ge Gen with Cicada shell (Chan Tui), Burdock seed (Niu Bang Zi)
4. Thirst from Stomach Heat or Wasting and Thirsting disorder, Pueraria Ge Gen with Trichosanthes root (Tian Hua Fen), Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong
5. Diarrhea and Dysentery from Damp-Heat, Pueraria Ge Gen with Scutellaria Huang Qin, Coptis Huang Lian
6. Diarrhea from Spleen deficiency (poor appetite, weakness), Pueraria Ge Gen with Atractylodes Bai Zhu, Poria Fu Ling
7. Diabetes, Pueraria Ge Gen with Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen, Trichosanthes root Tian Hua Fen, Chicken Gizzard skin (Ji Nei Jin)
8. Thrombosis, Pueraria Ge Gen with Notoginseng San Qi, Ligusticum Chuan Xiong, Astragalus Huang Qi, Paeonia Bai Shao, Salvia Dan Shen
9. Hangover:
i. Pueraria Ge Gen with Chrysanthemum Ju Hua
ii. Pueraria Ge Gen with Hyacinth bean (Bai Bian Dou), Amomum rotundus Bai Dou Kou
10. Rabies: crush the juice from the root and drink, and apply the dregs to the bite. (Su Gong)

Major Formulas:

Ge Gen Tang
Ge Gen Huang Qin Huang Lian Tang
Ge Gen Jia Ban Xia Tang
Ge Gen Qin Lian Tang
Gui Zhi Jia Ge Gen Tang
Sheng Ma Ge Gen Tang
Po Chai Pill

Cautions:

1. Overdose may cause arrhythmia

Drug Interactions:

1. According to traditional sources, Apricot kernel / Almond kernel (Xing Ren) antagonizes Ge Gen.