What is Pueraria mirifica?

Source : Medical Plant Research Institute Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health , Thailand

Pueraria mirifica Airy Shaw & Suvatabandhu is an indigenous herb of Thailand, known in Thai as "Kwao Kreu" or "Kwao Kreu Kao" (White Kwao Kreu). It belongs to the Family Leguminosae,subfamily Papilionoideae or the soy, bean & pea subfamily, The plants are commonly found in abundant in the forests in the north, the west and the northeast of Thailand at the altitude of 300-800 meters above sea level, Active principles in this plant are found in the tuberous root, which looks like o chain of round-shaped bulbs of various sizes connected to the next one via small root throughout the entire length of the root. The shape and size of the tuberous root are diverse depending on the environment in which it exists.

There are nine species of plants in the genus Pueraria in Thailand that look alike, However, the authenticity of Pueraria mirifica can be clearly verified from the distinct characteristics of the stamen of the flower and its hairy pod.

The Plant : Twinning long life herbal plant exist only in Thailand especially the northern and western part. Associate grown with the moderate - size trees ranking from timber wood to bamboo in the deciduous rain forest. The tuber enable to enlarge and accumulate at least 13 known chemicals classified as “PHYTOESTROGENS” and comprised of ; miroestrol, daidzein, genistin, genistein, B-sitosterol, stigmasterol, coumestrol, pueraria, compesterol, mirificoumestan, kwakhurin and mirificin.

Cultivar : Due to self-fertilized and long-term exist in different area in Thailand, many varieties had been found. To establish a commercial scale production to serve the world demand, 3 best cultivar had been sorted out from the jungle and adapted for huge plantation area and were name as Pueraria-I, II and III.

In addition the tissue culture of this plant has been developed and field trials have been studied, At the present time, Thailand natural product Industry is able to establish organic farming of this plant for the continuous supply of the raw material.