PubMed · 2026-04-21
Compounds extracted from kudzu root improved heart function in mice with a common form of heart failure by reshaping gut bacteria and shifting their metabolic output toward heart-protective molecules. The findings position kudzu isoflavones as credible drug candidates for a condition that currently has few treatment options.
Kudzu isoflavone extract significantly improved left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and reduced hypertension in a high-fat-diet/L-NAME mouse model of heart failure
Treatment increased beneficial gut-derived metabolites (butyrate and S-equol) while reducing harmful heart-linked compounds trimethyllysine (TML) and phenylacetylglycine (PAGly)
Kudzu isoflavones activated estrogen receptor β and the downstream eNOS-cGMP-PKG cardioprotective signaling axis while simultaneously suppressing the pro-inflammatory MAPK pathway
