Botanical Overview
Pueraria montana is a species in the Fabaceae family. The legume family (Fabaceae) includes trees, shrubs, and herbs that produce pods (legumes) and form nitrogen-fixing root nodules through symbiosis with bacteria. The flowers are typically pea-shaped with five petals. This large family provides food staples, timber, and numerous medicinal species. Phytochemical data for this species are limited at present.
General Description
At least three sub-species (alternatively called varieties) are known. It is closely related to other species in the genus Pueraria (P. edulis and P. phaseoloides) and the common name is used for all of these species and hybrids between them. The morphological differences between them are subtle, they can breed with each other, and it appears that introduced kudzu populations in the United States have ancestry from more than one of the species.
Family Context
The Fabaceae family is large and globally distributed. Notable medicinal members include:
- Soybean — 76 documented uses
- Crab’s Eye — 73 documented uses
- Tamarind — 59 documented uses
- Common Indigo — 51 documented uses
Geographic Distribution
Pueraria montana has been recorded in 10 countries and territories worldwide, including Australia, Switzerland, China, Hong Kong, India, and others.
Active Compounds
Phytochemical research has identified 2 compounds in this species: 8-prenylgenistein, genistein.
Research Status
Although this species has documented phytochemical constituents, its ethnobotanical and clinical documentation remains incomplete. The limited documentation available for this species represents an opportunity for ethnobotanical research.