Pinyin: Gegen
Aliases
Gan Ge, Gan Ge, Huang Ge Gen.
Source
Fabaceae plant *Pueraria lobata* (Willd.) Ohwipueraria LobataDried root of (Willd.) Ohwi.
Botanical Description
A perennial deciduous vine, reaching up to 10 m in length. The entire plant is covered with yellowish-brown coarse hairs. The root tuber is cylindrical, thick, with a grayish-yellow outer bark, a powdery interior, and very strong fibers. The base of the stem is stout, with many branches in the upper part. Leaves are trifoliate; the terminal leaflet is long, rhomboid-orbicular, 5.5-9 cm long and 4.5-18 cm wide, with an acuminate apex, a rounded base, sometimes shallowly lobed; lateral leaflets are smaller, obliquely ovate, unequal on both sides, pale on the abaxial surface with a powdery bloom, and both surfaces are covered with white appressed short pubescence; stipules are peltate, ovate-elliptic, with needle-like stipels. Racemes are axillary or terminal, with blue-purple or purple corollas; bracts are narrowly linear, caducous, bracteoles are ovate or lanceolate; the calyx is campanulate, 0.8-1 cm long, with 5 lanceolate teeth, the upper two teeth connate, the lower one longer; the standard petal is suborbicular or ovate, with a slightly emarginate apex and two short auricles at the base; wing petals are narrowly elliptic, shorter than the standard, often with an auricle on one side at the base; the keel petal is slightly longer than the wing petals; stamens are 10, diadelphous; the ovary is linear, with a curved style. The legume is linear, 6-9 cm long and 7-10 mm wide, densely covered with yellowish-brown long stiff hairs. Seeds are ovoid, reddish-brown, and lustrous. Flowering period is from April to August, and fruiting period is from August to October.
Habitat and Distribution
It grows on hillsides, roadsides, and in grassy areas in relatively damp and shady places. It is distributed throughout China except in Xinjiang and Tibet.
Harvesting and Processing
Harvested in autumn and winter, cut into thick slices or small pieces while fresh, then dried.
Medicinal Properties
This product appears as longitudinally cut rectangular thick slices or small pieces, 5-35 cm long and 0.5-1 cm thick. The outer bark is light brown with longitudinal wrinkles and a rough texture. The cut surface is yellowish-white with indistinct markings. The texture is tough and strongly fibrous. Odor: faint; Taste: slightly sweet.
Chemical Constituents
This product contains puerarin, daidzin, biochanin A, puerarin-4′-O- glucoside, 4′-methoxypuerarin, pueroside A, pueroside B, daucosterol,β- Contains components such as sitosterol.
Pharmacology
Can contract or relax smooth muscle; dilate coronary blood vessels.
Properties and Channel Entry
Sweet, pungent, and cool. Enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Lung channels.
Functions and Indications
Relieves muscle tension and reduces fever, generates body fluids and quenches thirst, promotes eruption of measles, raises Yang Qi to stop diarrhea, unblocks the channels and activates collaterals, and alleviates alcohol toxicity. Used for externally-contracted fever with headache, stiff and painful neck and back, thirst, wasting-thirst disorder, incomplete measles eruption, heat dysentery, diarrhea, vertigo with headache, wind-strike hemiplegia, chest bi with heart pain, and alcohol toxicity damaging the middle.
Dosage and Administration
Oral: decocted in water, 10-15 g; or pounded to extract juice
Prescriptions
1. For heat-toxin causing bloody stools, or triggered by eating hot foods: fresh Gegen (Kudzu root) 2 jin. Pound to extract 1 sheng of juice, mix with 1 sheng of lotus root juice, and take together. (From *Meishi Jiyan Fang*) 2. For summer dysentery: dried Gegen, Wumei (Smoked Plum), and Gancao (Licorice). Decoct the three ingredients in a strong decoction, one bowl, and take. (From *Shenshi Jingyan Fang*) 3. For alcohol intoxication with unconsciousness: drink Gegen juice, 1 dou and 2 sheng. Stop when sober. (From *Qianjin Yaofang*) 4. For heart heat causing incessant vomiting of blood: fresh Gegen juice, half a large sheng, take in a single dose. (From *Guangli Fang*) 5. For epistaxis (nosebleed) lasting all day with mental restlessness: fresh Gegen, pound to extract juice, take one small cup per dose. (From *Sheng Hui Fang*)
