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Kudzu contains ingredients known to lower blood pressure and improve circulation in the muscles of the heart. It shows promise as a treatment for alcoholism, as well. In Chinese medicine, Kudzu is also used for allergies, migraine headache, measles, and diarrhea, but its effectiveness for these disorders has not been clinically verified. Native to the thickets and forests of China, Kudzu is a high-climbing perennial vein with an immense root (sometimes reaching the size of the human body). It is this root that's considered medicinal. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine since at least the 1st century AD. Certain glycosides in Kudzu are responsible for its effect on the heart and circulatory system. Two of these substances--daidzin and daidzein--have also been shown, in an animal study, to inhibit the desire for alcohol. Kudzu has, in fact, long been considered a remedy for drunkenness in traditional Chinese medicine, but human trials to verify its anti-alcohol action have not yet been conducted.
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