Nanhe Kudzu Powder

Nanhe Kudzu Powder

　　In the medical treatise "Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica" from over 2,000 years ago during the Qin and Han dynasties (China’s first pharmacopoeia), kudzu is described as having the following effects: "treating thirst, high fever, vomiting, various types of paralysis, invigorating yin energy, and detoxifying." Scientific testing has revealed that it contains a wealth of nutrients such as trace elements, amino acids, puerarin, flavonoids, and starch, as well as more than 10 essential trace elements required by the human body, including calcium, iron, and copper. It has the functions of cooling and reducing fever, promoting saliva production to relieve thirst, elevating yang and releasing the exterior, antibacterial detoxification, lowering blood pressure, and treating coronary heart disease. It is especially effective against sore throat, mouth ulcers, clearing internal heat in children, and diarrhea.

　　Kudzu is a perennial vine plant of the legume family. Its stems and leaves can be used as animal feed, while its roots and flowers have medicinal properties. With deep roots and lush foliage, it helps prevent soil erosion. Every part of the kudzu plant is valuable—from roots and vines to flowers and leaves—and holds significant research and development potential in industry, agriculture, and medicine. Therefore, developing and utilizing kudzu is of great importance for improving people’s quality of life, developing functional green food in China, and preventing soil erosion. Kudzu is an easy-to-cultivate economic crop with wide adaptability to soil types, growing well in sandy to clay soils. It can also thrive under strong sunlight and high temperatures, and is notably resistant to drought and poor soil conditions.

　　Development and Utilization: Kudzu root starch extracted using scientific methods is rich in a variety of essential amino acids for the human body, as well as trace elements such as selenium, zinc, manganese, and germanium. In addition, it contains considerable amounts of bioactive isoflavones like puerarin and daidzein, which have anti-cancer properties. Kudzu powder is not only a highly nutritious premium starch but also an excellent base material for producing functional green food. In addition to being made into health products such as pure raw kudzu powder, instant kudzu powder, and nutritional kudzu powder, it can also be used to produce baked goods like bread, cakes, and biscuits. In recent years, the price of kudzu powder has remained above 30,000 yuan per ton and continues to rise. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Foreign Trade, export prices of kudzu powder reached as high as 8,000 US dollars per ton between 1998 and 1999.

　　The total flavonoids in kudzu root, as the most important physiologically active components in kudzu, contain nearly all of the plant’s active substances. They help regulate the circulatory system, slow heart rate, reduce peripheral resistance, improve metabolism in ischemic myocardium, and combat arrhythmia. The flavonoid extract obtained from kudzu root can be further dried and granulated to produce concentrated herbal tablets. After purification, the flavonoid extract can be made into various dosage forms such as powders and solutions, used for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Given the increasing global prevalence of such diseases and the significant therapeutic effects of kudzu root total flavonoids, it is expected that future market demand for flavonoid extracts will continue to grow.

　　The leftover kudzu residue after starch extraction is a high-quality raw material for papermaking. It is not only white and soft but also has tough fibers that are not easily broken. With further processing, kudzu residue can also be turned into high-quality complete feed, which is of great significance for the development of China’s livestock industry.