Aristolochia pilosa

Chinese Name: Aristolochia pilosa

[category]: whole grass

Wooly dutchmanspipe herb

[alias]: Xungufeng, huangmuxiang, Maoxiang, houercao.

[source / prescription] this product is the dried whole herb of Aristolochia mollissima Hance.

Harvest in summer and autumn, remove sediment and dry.

[plant morphology] it is a perennial twining herb, and the whole plant is densely covered with yellow white wool. Rhizome thin cylindrical, transverse, with many fibrous roots. Leaves alternate, ovate heart-shaped, almost equal in length and width, 3-8 cm, apex short pointed, entire; petiole 2-5 cm long. Flowers solitary in leaf axils, pedicel near middle with a leaflike bract; perianth curved into a pipe shaped, apically 3-lobed, purplish; stamens 6, adnate around style; ovary inferior, 6-locular. Capsule with 6-lobed dorsal black wings, with 6-lobed sutures. The flowering period is from June to August and the fruiting period is from September to October.

It grows in grass on hillside and roadside beside ditch. It is mainly produced in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei, Henan and Shaanxi.

[character] the rhizome of this product is thin cylindrical, multi branched, different in length, 0.2-0.5cm in diameter; the surface is brownish yellow, with fine longitudinal lines and nodes, fibrous roots at nodes, and some bud marks; it is tough, yellow white in cross section, with radial texture. The stem is slender, light green, densely covered with white soft hair. Leaves alternate, petiole 1.5-3cm long, leaf gray green; shrunk, flattened oval or ovate heart-shaped, apex obtuse or short pointed, base heart-shaped, both sides densely covered with white hairs, lower surface more, entire, veins reticulate. It is slightly fragrant, bitter and pungent.

[identification] (1) the cross section of the stem of this product: the epidermal cells are square, the outer wall is slightly protruding, covered with cuticle; there are many multicellular non glandular hairs. The cortex is narrow. There are more than 6-10 rows of mesothecal fibers, which are connected into a ring and the wall is lignified. There are 6-8 vascular bundles in different sizes. Phloem cells shrink. The cambium forms a ring. Xylem vessels are round, 17-72 μ m in diameter. The medullary part is obvious. The parenchyma cells contain calcium oxalate clusters and starch granules.

(2) Take 1g powder of this product, add 30ml ether, soak overnight, and filter. 5 ml of filtrate was evaporated to dryness, and 1 ml of ethanol was added to dissolve the residue. Then 1 ml of ethanol solution of 2% m-dinitrobenzene and 1 ml of ethanol solution of 10% potassium hydroxide were added. After heating for 2 minutes, it showed blood red.

[chemical constituents] it contains aristolochic acid A, D, lactam, vanillic acid, allantoin and volatile oil.

[processing] remove impurities, wash, cut and dry.

[flavor] pungent, bitter and smooth.

Functions and indications: dispelling wind, activating collaterals and relieving pain. For rheumatic arthralgia, joint pain.

[usage and dosage] 9-15g.

Store in a cool and dry place.

Chinese PinYin : Mian Mao Ma Dou Ling