Ge gen / kudzu
Pueraria montana
Other names: 葛根 gěgēn; 葛花 géhuā, Ge gen / kudzu
Edible plantPhoto credit: Schurdl
Safety information
Safety information
Toxicity: Generally low-toxicity for food starch and traditional doses; isoflavones are phytoestrogenic (theoretical hormonal effects); injectable puerarin (used in China, not relevant to oral folk use) has rare hemolysis reports.
Contraindications: Hormone-sensitive conditions (phytoestrogen theory); pregnancy/clinical data limited; caution combining with antidiabetic/antihypertensive drugs.
Interactions: Possible additive effects with antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and anticoagulant drugs; theoretical interaction with methotrexate (animal data).
Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Data limited.
Evidence level
Supported by clinical trials in humans.
Preparations
decoction · root
Part used: root
Traditional use: releasing muscles/exterior, relieving neck-and-shoulder stiffness, generating fluids for thirst, venting rashes; flower relieves alcohol effects
Proposed mechanism: isoflavones (puerarin, daidzein)
edible starch · root
Part used: root
Traditional use: kudzu/kuzu starch (thickener, confections)(Folk and historical sources have not been validated by clinical research.)
powder/extract · root
Part used: root
Traditional use: alcohol-related/cardiovascular endpoints
Associated conditions
Edibility
Edible parts: Root yields edible kudzu/kuzu starch used as a thickener and in confections; young leaves/flowers eaten in some cuisines.
Toxic lookalike warning
Kudzu is a notorious invasive vine; harvest only correctly identified Pueraria; many leguminous vines and their seeds are toxic - do not eat unidentified bean-family vines/seeds.
Nutritional notes
Functional starch; kuzu starch is nearly pure carbohydrate; root also provides isoflavones (puerarin, daidzein).
Healing traditions
Sources (2)
- Pueraria montana / Kudzu (Wikipedia), English, accessed 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudzu
- Kudzu (Drugs.com natural database), English, https://www.drugs.com/npp/kudzu.html