Pueraria mirifica

Taxobox
name = Kwao Krua
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Fabales
familia = Fabaceae
subfamilia = Faboideae
genus = "Pueraria"
species = "P. mirifica"
binomial = "Pueraria mirifica"
binomial_authority = Airy Shaw & Suvatab.

"Pueraria mirifica" (also known as Kwao Krua) is a root found in northern and north eastern Thailand and Myanmar.

In Thailand, the plant “Kwao Krua” is considered to be a rejuvenating adaptogenic herb and has a history in folk medicine. Although the name “Kwao Krua” had been applied to several species of plants having tuberous roots, it was definitively identified as "Pueraria mirifica" in 1952 from which an unusual estrogenic phenol miroestrol was isolated eight years later. [Journal of Natural Products, Volume 63, Number 2, February 2000] There exists two kinds of Kwao Krua roots, namely white and red. The White Kwao Krua is a herb used by females and the Red Kwao Krua is the herb used by males. White Kwao Krua has a high concentration of Phytoestrogen while Red Kwao Krua is used by males and has substances that also increases libido (sex drive).

The story of the medicinal plant ingredient

Arimuttama was the old capital of the Pookham City of Myanmar. They had a sacred Buddhist precinct and one-day the sacred Buddhist precinct was broken down. The Buddhist monks found this ingredient that was inscribed on the palm leaf and placed it in the sacred Buddhist precinct. The information is as below: [cite book |title=Tumrayahuakaokrua |first=Luang |last=Anusarnsoondhorn |coauthors= |date=1931-05-15 |publisher=Upasipong printing ]

To take the tuberous root of Pueraria with big leaves, pound and blend with cow’s milk. The benefits of this medicine is to support memory, talk big, and be able to remember three books of the astrology, make the skin smooth like six year old kid, live more than 1,000 years and parasite diseases are not able to be of trouble

History of Pueraria Mirifica

“Kwao Krua” is a native herbal plant found in deep forests of the northern region of Thailand. It has been well known to local people for many years due to its distinguished properties and efficacy as well as regarded as the national identity of traditional medicine. Researchers and academics have applied the wisdom and knowledge of old people to reveal its miracle while many state universities have included kwao krua studies in their master degree courses. According to its classification, there are 4 varieties of kwao krua that are beneficial and can be used for medicinal, food supplementary and cosmetic purpose namely White Kwao Krua (Pueraria Mirifica), Red Kwao Krua (Butea superba), Black Kwao Krua and Dull Grey Kwao Krua.

Local communities in Thailand have used Pueraria Mirifica for well over one hundred years, specifically for its rejuvenating qualities, The belief in the rejuvenating properties of Pueraria Mirifica has been passing down from one generation to another and more recently through the publication by Luang Anusan Suntara.

In May 1931, Luang Anusan Suntara published a pamphlet on the subject of "Kwao Krua" describing different ways of preparing folk medicine using Pueraria Mirifica and the claims of its rejuvenating power. It is stated in the pamphlet that Pueraria Mirifica can:

• Serve as an anti-wrinkle agent for aged and wrinkled skin • Darken white hair, and increase hair growth • Alleviated cataract problems

• Help with memory loss

• Increase energy and vigor, more reflexive bodily movements

• Increase blood circulation

• Increase appetite, and - Alleviate sleep disorders

In 1932, Dr. A.F.G. Kerr, the Director of the Botanical Section of the Journal of the Siam Society, directed the attention of the scientific community to the fact that the tuberous roots of a Thai plant called "Kwao Krua", mistakenly identified then as Butea Superba, were considered to be of value as a rejuvenating drug.

Dr. Kerr was the first to create international awareness of the rejuvenating qualities of this plant, which subsequently led to the isolation of a potent phyto-estrogen that is unique to this plant only and to the identification of the plant as Pueraria Mirifica in 1952.

References

St.herb, Inc. (2006). History of Pueraria Mirifica. Retrieved August 05, 2008, from http://www.puerariamirifica.com/pueraria-mirifica/history-pueraria-mirifica.htm