ge gen

葛根·Radix Puerariae

Kudzu Root

About ge gen

Ge Gen (葛根) is the root of kudzu, a legume, recorded as Radix Puerariae. It is sweet and acrid in flavour and cool in temperature, entering the Spleen and Stomach channels. The catalogue files it among the cool, acrid herbs that release the Exterior.

Names

Pinyin	ge gen
Chinese	葛根
Latin Name	Radix Puerariae·Radix Puerariae Lobatae
English Name	Kudzu Root·kudzuvine root·kudzuvine root; pueraria root·pueraria root
Japanese	kakkon
Korean	kalgeun·kageun

Classification

Category: Cool, Acrid, Release Exterior
Channels: Stomach, Spleen
Flavour: Acrid, Sweet
Temperature: Cool
Part used: Root
Family: Fabaceae
Species: Pueraria Lobata|Pueraria thomsonii
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Releases the Exterior and the muscle layer, especially of the neck and upper back

A tight, stiff neck and upper back, with fever and headache, when Wind-Heat or Wind-Cold settles in the muscle layer

Clears Heat, generates fluids and relieves thirst

Thirst from Stomach Heat, particularly when driven by Wind-Heat
Wasting and thirsting disorder (Xiao Ke)

Vents measles

Measles at onset, with a rash that will not fully erupt

Raises Spleen Yang and stops diarrhea

Diarrhea or dysentery of Heat type
Diarrhea from Spleen deficiency, combined with suitable herbs

Eases symptoms that accompany hypertension

Headache, dizziness, ringing in the ears or pins and needles with high blood pressure, as a supporting herb rather than a treatment for the pressure itself

Combinations

chai hu + huang qin + hua shi + shi gao
Wind-Heat.
ma huang + gui zhi + bai shao
Wind-Cold with a tense, stiff neck and upper back
sheng ma + bai shao + gan cao
Measles in its early stage before the rash has come out
sheng ma + bai shao + jing jie + bo he
Early measles with the rash not yet out; a stronger action
tian hua fen + mai men dong + sheng di huang
Stomach Heat with thirst; wasting and thirsting syndrome
huang lian + huang qin
Diarrhea from Heat; Damp-Heat dysenteric disorders
shan yao
Heat diarrhea that has damaged the fluids; diarrhea from deficient Spleen and Stomach Qi
chai hu
Exterior pattern in which fever slowly rises as chills slowly subside, with no sweating and a stiffening neck and upper back
zhi zi
Irritability.
ge hua + ju hua
Relieves drunkenness or hangover.
tian hua fen + mai men dong + huang qi
Deficient Body Fluids with Interior Heat
ren shen + bai zhu + fu ling + mu xiang + dang shen
Spleen Deficiency diarrhea
tian hua fen + mai men dong + sheng di huang + shi gao + zhi mu
Wasting and thirsting disorder.
qiang huo + chai hu + shi gao + huang qin
Half-Interior, half-Exterior syndrome

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 4-21g; Maximum dose: 60g; Tincture: 2-4 ml	4-21 g	—	2-4 ml	—	—

Cautions

caution Heavy sweating, or Cold in the Stomach: its cooling, upward and outward dispersing nature suits neither
caution Summer Wind-Heat that already brings profuse sweating

Interactions

Drug interactions

Insulin and oral antidiabetics such as tolbutamide, glipizide and glyburide: effects may add together; use with caution
Anticoagulants (heparin, warfarin, enoxaparin) and antiplatelet drugs (aspirin, dipyridamole, clopidogrel): effects may add together; use with caution