Pueraria tuberosa, is a climbing species having tuber shaped woody stem with large tuberous roots. Globulous tubers about 25 cm and inside are white and slightly sweet. The trifoliate leaves are alternate, while the leaflets are egg-shaped, round with base with uneven sides of 18 cm long and 16 cm wide. The flowers are bisexual, about 1.5 cm wide and blue or purple-blue color. Fruit pods are linear, about 2-5 cm long and densely contracted between seeds with reddish-brown silky, bristly hair. Seeds are between 3 and 6 in number. Pueraria tuberosa is originally from India, Pakistan and Nepal. Tubers (root) are used for medicinal purposes.
Chemical composition – Contains puerarin, daidzein, daidzin, sitosterol and stigmasterol. The most important phytochemicals include flavone C-glycosides, isoflavones (Puerarone) Coumstan (Tuberostan, Puerarostan) Epoxycalcanol [Puetuberosanol] (3′-hydroxy-4′-phenoxy-a,b-epoxycalcan-a’ol)], Pterocarpanoide [Hydroxytuberosine, Anhydroxituberosine (3-O-methylanhydrotuberosine)], and Tuberosin. It also contains pterocarpintuberosin, puetuberosanol and hydroxytuberosone.
Properties – Antihypertensive, hyperglycemic, anti-antioxidant, nootropic and neuroprotective, anti-aging tonic, aphrodisiac, demulcent, galactagogue, purgative, anticancer, antidiabetic, cholagogue, hepatoprotective, estrogenic, anti-inflammatory, brain tonic, hypolipidemic, hypocholesterolemic, supports immunity.
Recommendation – Cardiovascular disease, alcoholism, colds, hypertension, diarrhea, stomach problems, hepato-splenomegaly, impaired fertility, menopause syndrome, sexual debility and spermatorrhea, urinary disorders.
This plant is incorporated in natural remedy FEMININE TOUCH.