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Gegen is the root of Pueraia lobata, also known as the root of Kudzu, which has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for promoting circulation and increasing blood flow. Puerarin, daidzin and daidzein are the major active components in Gegen and responsible for many profound pharmacological actions. Daidzein combines with daidzin to form 7-0-glycoside daidzein, which is another major active component in Gegen, contains antioxidant and phytoestrogenic properties.
Puerarin, being the most abundant component in Gegen, has been identified as performing a variety of functions, including antihypertension, antiarrhythmic, antioxidant, antiischemic, antiapoptotic, antidiabetic, and neuroprotective properties. Gegen has been used for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Puerarin plays an important role in cell regulation, involving cell expression and receptor functions. Puerarin suppressed blood pressure by upregulating the hepatic Angiotensin II type I receptor (AT1) and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) mRNA expression. It suppressed rennin activity in rats with the intake of 100, 200 mg/kg/day for three weeks. Puerarin is capable of lowering glucose levels in diabetic patients. In a dose-dependent high glucose treatment, puerarin enhanced glucose uptake of insulin resistant adipocytes and upregulated the protein expression of GLUT-4 in skeletal muscle to cause the effects of lowering blood glucose and insulin levels. Puerarin also protects against cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. An in vivo study showed that rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion received puerarin (100 mg/kg, i.p.) resulting in improving neurological functions and diminishing infarct and edema volume. Moreover, puerarin protected primary hippocampal neurons against apoptosis and necrosis caused by glutamate and oxygen/glucose deprivation. Puerarin significantly increased the spontaneous behavior and explorative response in the aging mice in the open field test and improved their learning memory ability. Though there have been limited clinical trials of the single use of Gegen, it can be a potential candidate to suppress aging-related neuronal cell apoptosis and dysfunction of the memory system.
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Avoid use if hypersensitive to any of the components of product. Because of its phytoestrogen-like effects, use pueraria with caution if diagnosed with an estrogen-dependent neoplasia, pulmonary embolism, liver dysfunction or disease, or anemia.
Pregnancy/Lactation
Avoid use during pregnancy and lactation because of the lack of clinical data and the plant's phytoestrogen activity.
Adverse Reactions
Because of pueraria's estrogen-like effect, use with caution in patients with asthma, diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, migraine, or systemic lupus erythematosus. Use with caution in patients with abnormal triglycerides or hypercalcemia. *