September 9/Agriculture Business Week -- According to a U.S. study, "The present study tested the long-term effects of dietary kudzu root extract supplementation on the regulation of arterial pressure, plasma glucose, and circulating cholesterol in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SP-SHR). Female SP-SHR were maintained for two months on a polyphenol-free diet, with or without the addition of 0.2% kudzu root extract."

"Half of the rats in each diet group were ovariectomized, whereas the other halt remained intact. Following two months on the diets, the 0.2% kudzu root extract supplementation (compared to control diet) significantly lowered arterial pressure (11-15 mmHg), plasma cholesterol, fasting blood glucose (20-30%), and fasting plasma insulin in both the ovariectomized and intact SP-SHR," wrote N. Peng and colleagues, University of Alabama.

The researchers concluded, "These results indicate that long-term dietary kudzu root extract supplementation can improve glucose, lipid, and blood pressure control in intact and ovariectomized SP-SHR."

Peng and colleagues published the results of their research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry ("Chronic Dietary Kudzu Isoflavones Improve Components of Metabolic Syndrome in Stroke-Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats." Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2009;57(16):7268-7273).

For additional information, contact J.M. Wyss, University of Alabama, Dept. of Cell Biology, 1900 University Blvd., THT 950, Birmingham, AL 35294.

From the September 14, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition