In Chinese medicine, when you have a cold or the flu, it can be warm or cold in nature. A common cold with the sniffles, a mildly sore throat and a few aches and pains is considered to be cold in nature. However, if you get a bad cold or the flu in which you have a high fever, sweating and a very sore throat and thick mucus it’s considered to be a warm illness that needs cooling off.
In formulas such as Ge Gen Tang, Ge Gen is one of the most commonly used herbs to treat the warm type of cold or flu, especially those with a high fever accompanied by a stiff neck, tight upper back, headache and other aches and pains. Also called Pueraria lobata or kudzu, the root of the plant is used, and is all about clearing heat. It can be included in formulas to nourish fluids associated with heat conditions and it helps to bring a measles rash to the surface to speed healing. In addition, if you have diarrhea or dysentery due to heat, such as the stomach flu or food poisoning accompanied by a fever, Ge Gen can be an effective component of your herbal treatment.
In Western medicine, researchers are beginning to document the effectiveness of Ge Gen in treating hypertension and associated symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness and ringing in your ears. Other researchers are exploring the use of this herb in treating diabetes, metabolic syndrome and alcoholism.
The kudzu plant has a little bit of a dark side, however. It’s native to Japan and China, but it was brought to the United States in the 1800’s and was introduced as a useful ornamental plant at the 1876 World’s Fair. However, this attractive vine with purple flowers grows very quickly, sometimes a foot a day under the right conditions. During the dust bowl years of the 1930’s, the U.S. Soil Conversation Service fostered its cultivation and planting, hoping that its fast-growing habit would help control soil erosion. Unfortunately, the kudzu plant really took off in some places, covering everything from native grasses and mature trees to telephone poles and power lines. Sadly, while cattle and other livestock can graze on kudzu (it’s also edible to humans), the plant that gives us the useful herb Ge Gen is also a nuisance invasive species.
The upshot is that Ge Gen, or kudzu, is an incredibly useful herb in Chinese medicine. It treats a wide variety of heat-related conditions, especially those associated with a high fever, sweating and muscle pain. And because of its invasive designation, it’s unlikely to ever be in short supply! If you’d like more information on Chinese herbal medicine in Vancouver, please feel free to contact me.
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Dr. Jeda Boughton is a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Registered Acupuncturist in Vancouver. She is also a Registered Herbologist and the founder of BodaHealth.
