CHAPTER 18. Puerariae radix Isoflavones

Puerariae radix, the root of the vine Pueraria lobata, or kudzu, is used widely as a remedy in Chinese clinical healthcare and as a food in many east Asian countries. A class of chemical compounds known as phytoestrogens largely accounts for the disease-fighting properties of P. radix. The phytoestrogens found in P. radix are isoflavones, which have potential for preventing and treating various chronic diseases. P. radix extracts containing puerarin and other isoflavones have shown promise for supporting various types of biological activity in vivo and in vitro. Puerarin and daidzin account for approximately 75% of the total isoflavones in P. radix. In this Chapter, we will focus on these compounds, as well as on their aglycone form, daidzein, and will briefly discuss their biological activity and their potential applications.