The efficacy and function of Aristolochia spp.

Many people are very familiar with Aristolochia dasyphylla. The benefits that Aristolochia dasyphylla brings to us are not available in other foods. So what are the effects of Aristolochia scabra? Let’s learn about it together.

[Alias] Platinum olive, mountain steward, and hundred-leaf potato.

[Source] Medicinal material source: It is the root of Aristolochia hongkongensis of the Aristolochiaceae family.

[Original morphology] Aristolochia hongkongensis is a woody vine; young branches are green, densely covered with short soft hairs; petioles are 1-1.5cm long and slightly hairy; leaf blades are leathery or papery, narrowly oblong-lanceolate or narrowly oblong, 12-20cm long, 2-5cm wide, with short pointed tips, narrowly auriculate base, and slightly covered with long soft hairs beneath; there are 3 basal veins, 8-12 lateral veins on each side, arching upward to the edge and connecting with each other, and the reticulate veins are obviously protruding underneath. The raceme is covered with brown silky long soft hairs; the pedicel is 7-12cm long, often drooping downward; the perianth tube is sharply bent in the middle, up to 5cm long at the bottom, 1.5-2cm in diameter, shorter and thicker from the bend to the eaves than the lower part, often attached to each other, yellow with purple longitudinal veins; the eaves are disc-shaped, inverted heart-shaped, 8-13cm in diameter, yellow-white with purple patches on the upper surface, the patches become more obvious towards the middle of the tube, with reticular veins, the margins are not obviously 3 shallowly cracked or only concave at the tip; the lobes are flat, the lobes below are slightly larger; the throat is dark purple, semicircular, about 1.5cm in diameter; the anthers are oblong, attached to the pygmy column in pairs near the base, and opposite to its lobes; the ovary is cylindrical, about 1.5cm long; the pygmy column is fleshy, with 3 deep cracks at the tip; the margins of the lobes extend downward, with nipple-like protrusions, and the flowering period is March-April.

【Habitat distribution】Ecological environment: Grown in valley forests.

【Nature and flavor】 Bitter; Cold

【Functions and indications】Dispel wind and promote diuresis; clear away heat and detoxify. It is mainly used for edema, gonorrhea, rheumatic pain, beriberi, enteritis, dysentery, mumps, mastitis, and allergic dermatitis.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decocted in water, 9-15g; or made into powder. For external use: grind appropriate amount into powder, mix with vinegar and apply.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

This is all we have to say about the effects of Aristolochia spp., I hope it will be helpful to you. Although the value of Aristolochia scabra is very high, we must be cautious when eating it.