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Kudzu Helps Curb Binge Drinking

Posted by timothy on from the eat-up-everyone dept.

jeepliberty writes "CNN has a story that the invasive ground cover vegetation Kudzu is being tested to curb binge alcohol drinking. In the health story posted Monday, researchers at the Harvard-affiliated McClean Hospital in Boston stated that volunteers who were given kudzu drank about 50% less beer in a 90-minute period than the group that was given a plecebo. The kudzu group got just an intoxicated."

1 of 98 comments (clear)

  1. Scientists aren't naive, they just need proof. by xplenumx · · Score: 4, Informative
    From the academic paper:

    The use of herbal plants to treat alcohol-related diseases dates back to 600 AD. One such Chinese herbal medicine XJL (NPI-028), has long been used to reduce the inebriation that results from alcohol consumption. NPI-028 contains the extracts of several plants including Pueraria lobata (kudzu) and Citrus reticulata, which were recorded in an ancient Chinese materia medica entitled Ben Cho Gang Mu (li, 1590-1696 AD) and have long been used to lessen alcohol intoxication (antidrunkenness) (Sun, circa 600 AD). However, it is difficult to assess the real efficacy of kudzu based on these writings because they are primarily anecdotal in nature.

    The scientists were very well aware of the ancient literature. However, the article continues to site sources showing that Kadzu has been extensively tested and no antidrunkenness effect was found. What makes this study new is that they isolated and concentrated the active ingredient that causes the effect (isoflavones). The study used an isoflavones concentration of 25% - in contrast the highest concentration that you can buy on the market is 1-2%, with the ranges varying widely within samples from the same manufacturer.

    This study doesn't state that the sun rises in the east; it suggests that perhaps the earth revolves around the sun.