Pueraria Mirifica
Pueraria Mirifica, also called Kwao Krua, has been used for medicinal purposes for several centuries. It is primarily used for the natural hormone supplement therapy. It also possesses anti-aging and rejuvenative properties.
Phytochemistry (Chemical Composition)
Pueraria Mirifica contains several phytoestrogens including deoxymiroestrol, daidzein, daidzin, genistin, coumestrol, genistein, mirificine, and kwakhurin. It also contains β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, mirificoumestan, and campesterol. It offers a natural source of spinasterol.
Pueraria Mirifica Benefits and Uses
Pueraria Mirifica is commonly used for the treatment of the disorders affecting the female reproductive system. It is also used as a natural remedy for treating menopausal symptoms. It can be used for the management of dyslipidemia.
Pueraria Mirifica for Menopausal symptoms
The use of Pueraria Mirifica has been recommended for relieving the symptoms of menopause. Menopause is a natural phase in the life of women during which they experience several unpleasant symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.
Pueraria Mirifica provides relief from these symptoms in a safe and effective manner. It is also known to reduce the risk of osteoporosis in the menopausal women.
How Does Pueraria Mirifica Work in Menopausal symptoms?
The beneficial effect of Pueraria Mirifica in the management of Menopause can be attributed to the presence of a compound called miroestrol in it. It is a plant-derived chemical, which mimics the biological action of the female hormone, estrogen, thus relieving the menopausal symptoms.
Research studies for the use of Pueraria Mirifica in Menopausal symptoms
The beneficial effect of varying doses of Pueraria Mirifica in the women suffering from menopausal symptoms has been proven during research. During this double-blind study, 52 hysterectomized women suffering from menopausal symptoms and having an indication for the hormone replacement therapy were treated with Pueraria Mirifica.
The participants were treated with 25 mg or 50 mg doses of this herb and the changes in the intensity of the menopausal symptoms were observed.
The menopausal symptoms, laboratory data, and physical examination findings were recorded at baseline. The symptoms were reassessed after 3 and 6 months, and the laboratory and physical examinations were reevaluated after a month and at the end of the treatment. The menopausal symptoms were evaluated with the help of the modified Green Climacteric Scale.
The results of this study indicated that Pueraria Mirifica was effective in treating menopausal symptoms in both the dosages. Also, no side effects were reported during the study. Pueraria Mirifica was found to be effective and safe in the management of menopausal symptoms. (1)
Pueraria Mirifica for Dyslipidemia
Pueraria Mirifica can be used in the management of high cholesterol. It helps to keep the cholesterol levels within normal limits and reduces the risk of disorders caused due to dyslipidemia.
How Does Pueraria Mirifica Work in Dyslipidemia?
Pueraria Mirifica acts as an anti-lipemic agent. It possesses phytoestrogens, which help to improve the lipid metabolism in the postmenopausal women by activating estrogen. It regulates the metabolism of fats and prevents the formation of plaques in the blood vessels. This helps to prevent the cardiac and cerebral diseases caused due to the loss of blood supply such as heart attack and stroke, respectively.
Research studies for the use of Pueraria Mirifica in dyslipidemia
The antilipemic action of Pueraria Mirifica has been proved during research. The study was aimed at evaluating the effect of phytoestrogens present in this herb at improving dyslipidemia in the postmenopausal women.
The impaired lipid metabolism, which is an important health concern in the postmenopausal women, is believed to be due to the reduced production of estrogens during this phase. It is responsible for the increased risk of development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases in these women.
Pueraria Mirifica that offers a natural source of phytoestrogens, the estrogen-like plant compounds, has shown promise as an alternative treatment for preventing dyslipidemia in the postmenopausal women. The research was aimed at examining the effect of this herb on the serum lipid parameters.
During this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, clinical study, nineteen postmenopausal women were treated with Pueraria Mirifica powder or placebo for 2 months.
At the end of the study, a significant increase in the serum concentration level of the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein was observed in the women treated with Pueraria Mirifica. A significant decrease in the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was also noticed.
A significant decline was also observed in the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol and apo B to apo A-1. The effect of phytoestrogens in Pueraria Mirifica on the activation of the estrogen receptor-mediated transactivation was assessed with the help of the transient expression assays of reporter genes in the cultured cells. Two phytoestrogens of Pueraria Mirifica, Miroestrol and Coumestrol, were found to enhance the ERalpha- as well as ERbeta-mediated transactivation. The other phytoestrogens, including genistein and daidzein, enhanced the ERbeta-mediated transactivation.
These findings proved that Pueraria Mirifica had the ability to regulate the lipid metabolism in the postmenopausal women through the activation of the gene transcription via the selective binding of the phytoestrogens to ERbeta and ERalpha.
It was concluded that these actions of Pueraria Mirifica could be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia in the postmenopausal women. (2)
